Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-26
2002-09-03
Grant, William (Department: 2121)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06445972
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for determining a machining sequence for a wire-cut electric discharge machine, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for determining a machining sequence in continuously machining a plurality of machining shapes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wire-cut electric discharge machine performs machining of the machining shapes of parts, dies, etc. from a workpiece through respective machining stages such as rough machining, semi-finish machining, finish machining and cut-off machining. In each of these stages, the wire-cut electric discharge machine performs electric discharge machining by combining basic operations including an operation for sending a wire electrode from an approach start point (machining start hole) to an approach point, a contour machining operation for machining a contour of machining shape, and an evacuating operation for evacuating the wire electrode from an evacuation start point on the machining shape to an evacuation point.
On the aforementioned wire-cut electric discharge machine, when a plurality of machining shapes included in parts and dies are machined continuously, it is necessary to select the machining sequence of performing the machining stages such as rough machining, semi-finish machining, finish machining, and cut-off machining for each machining shape so that the sequence is optimum according to the object to be machined and the various machining conditions such as required machining accuracy and operation efficiency. Various machining sequences can be selected. For example, a machining sequence, in which the machining stages such as rough machining, semi-finish machining, finish machining, and cut-off machining are performed for all machining shapes, can be selected. Alternatively, a machining sequence, in which after one machining stage is executed for some machining shapes of the plurality of machining shapes, another machining stages are performed for other machining shape groups, may be selected.
FIGS. 9
a
and
9
b
and
FIGS. 10
a
and
10
b
illustrates the machining sequences for the plurality of machining shapes in a case where two machining shapes are machined continuously.
FIG. 9
a
shows a case where a machining shape S
1
is machined in a machining sequence of (1) rough machining, (2) two cycles of semi-finish machining, (3) finish machining, and (4) cut-off machining.
FIG. 9
b
shows a case where a machining shape S
2
is machined in a machining sequence of (1) rough machining, (2) finish machining, and (3) cut-off machining.
When the aforementioned two machining shapes are machined continuously,
FIG. 10
a
shows a machining sequence in which the machining shape S
1
is first subjected to rough machining, two cycles of semi-finish machining, finish machining, and cut-off machining and then the machining shape S
2
is subjected to rough machining, finish machining, and cut-off machining.
On the other hand,
FIG. 10
b
shows a machining sequence in which after the machining shape S
1
is subjected to rough machining, the machining shape S
2
is continuously subjected to rough machining and finish machining, the machining shape S
1
is subjected to two cycles of semi-finish machining, finish machining, and cut-off machining, and then the machining shape S
2
is subjected to cut-off machining.
Concerning the machining sequence shown in
FIG. 10
a
, there has been known a method for setting a machining sequence in which the machining sequences are classified into a plurality of patterns used as standards, and the standard machining pattern is used.
FIG. 11
is a flowchart for illustrating a conventional method for setting a machining sequence using a standard machining pattern, and
FIG. 14
is a view for illustrating this method. In
FIGS. 11 and 14
, the plurality of machining patterns used as standards are prepared in advance as the standard machining patterns. In the standard machining patterns, the sequence of performing the machining stages for each shape has been determined. In the process shown in
FIG. 11
, a standard machining pattern is selected (Step S
11
), a machining shape is selected (Step S
12
), and NC data are prepared (Step S
13
).
When a plurality of machining shapes included in parts and dies are machined continuously on the wire-cut electric discharge machine, the aforementioned method, in which a machining sequence is set by using a standard machining pattern, has a problem in that machining can be performed only in the sequence defined by the standard machining pattern prepared in advance, and an arbitrary machining sequence other than the standard machining patterns cannot be selected.
A change of execution sequence of basic operations constituting the machining stage has also been known, and the process therefor is shown in a flowchart of FIG.
12
.
FIG. 15
is a view for illustrating the process. In
FIGS. 12 and 15
, basic operations for one machining shape is selected (Step S
21
), operations to be changed are selected from the process of the selected basic operations (P in FIG.
15
), the execution sequence of the operations is changed (P′ in FIG.
15
), the execution sequence of basic operations is changed (Steps S
22
and S
23
), and NC data are prepared (Step S
24
).
However, the aforementioned change of basic operations is a change for one machining shape, and also a change for each machining stage, so that the execution sequence of the plurality of machining shapes and the execution sequence of machining stages of machining shapes cannot be changed. Therefore, the edition of machining sequence of continuously machining the plurality of machining shapes cannot be performed. That is to say, it is difficult to specify the execution sequence of the machining stages of rough machining, semi-finish machining, finish machining, and cut-off machining for any number of machining shapes.
Also, in the conventional setting of machining sequence, the existing standard machining patterns are normally used. For this reason, when a machining sequence other than the existing machining patterns is set, it is thought that a new machining pattern is prepared by forming NC data for each machining shape and registering it and by joining the registered NC data.
FIG.
13
and
FIGS. 16
a
and
16
b
are a flowchart for illustrating the process for setting a machining sequence other than the existing patterns and views for illustrating the process, respectively. In order to edit a machining sequence using a machining pattern where the machining pattern shown in
FIG. 16
a
does not exist, as shown in
FIG. 16
b
, each machining shape is selected (Step S
31
), NC data are prepared for the selected machining shape (Step S
32
), and then the NC data are registered (Step S
33
). After the NC data are registered for all machining shapes, the NC data for machining the plurality of machining shapes can be formed by using these registered NC data (Steps S
34
and S
35
).
Therefore, this method for setting a machining sequence has a problem in that the NC data must be registered in advance, so that the operation for preparing the NC data for wire-cut electric discharge machining is complex, and it is difficult to make a change with ease.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of and an apparatus for determining a machining sequence of wire-cut electric discharge machining, in which a machining sequence for continuously machining a plurality of machining shapes can be altered easily. Particularly, the object of the present invention is to provide a machining sequence determining method and an apparatus for wire-cut electric discharge machining, in which a sequence of the plurality of machining shapes and a sequence of machining stages for the machining shapes can be altered.
The present invention can easily change a machining sequence in the case where a plurality of machining shapes are machined continuously, by editing a sequence of combination
Suzuki Koji
Takagi Shigetoshi
Takegahara Takashi
Bahta Kidest
Fanuc Ltd.
Grant William
Staas & Halsey
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