Processing step data generating apparatus and method

A processing step data generating apparatus that generates processing step data for removal processing in which a product is obtained from a material on the basis of product material data including shape data that represents the shape of each of the product and the material, the apparatus comprising:

• a processing procedure data group memory that stores a plurality of pieces of processing procedure data each including data that defines a processing unit, which is a unit of a processing step, as well as processing order data of the processing unit defined by the data defining the processing unit, the data defining the processing unit including a processing method, data on a tool used, and uncut condition data;
• a processing procedure selector that selects processing procedure data to be applied to generate the processing step data from among the plurality of pieces of processing procedure data stored in the processing procedure data group memory;
• a removed shape data memory that stores removed shape data representing the shape of an area to be removed from the material;
• and
• a processing step generator that
• generates the removed shape data from the shape data and stores the removed shape data in the removed shape data memory,
• extracts the data defining the processing unit included in the processing procedure data selected by the processing procedure selector in the order according to the processing order data of the processing unit defined by the data defining the processing unit, and generates processing shape data of the processing unit from a processing method, data on a tool used, and uncut condition data included in the data defining the processing unit being extracted as well as the removed shape data stored in the removed shape data memory,
• generates data of a shape obtained by removing a processing shape from a removed shape on the basis of the processing shape data being generated and the removed shape data stored in the removed shape data memory, and updates data in the removed shape data memory with the data being generated, and
• generates processing unit data from the data defining the processing unit being extracted and the processing shape data generated on the basis of the data defining the processing unit,
• generates processing step data on the basis of the processing unit data generated for the data defining the processing unit included in the processing procedure data selected by the processing procedure selector;
• an applied processing procedure data memory that stores the processing procedure data selected by the processing procedure selector;
• and
• a processing procedure corrector that corrects the processing procedure data stored in the applied processing procedure data memory by correcting, adding, and/or deleting data defining an individual processing unit in accordance with an instruction from an operator, and updates data in the applied processing procedure data memory with the processing procedure data being corrected, wherein
• the processing step generator generates the processing step data on the basis of the processing procedure data stored in the applied processing procedure data memory,
• wherein the uncut condition data, included in data defined in a respective processing unit, defines a condition which designates an area to remain uncut by defining a condition from a group of conditions which includes at least a condition which minimizes an area to remain uncut, among a remaining shape of an area to be removed from the material, and a condition which designates an area to remain uncut in a recess in accordance with the recess width, in the respective processing unit based on the data on the tool used.

A processing step data generating method executed by a processing step data generating apparatus that generates processing step data for removal processing in which a product is obtained from a material on the basis of product material data including shape data that represents the shape of each of the product and the material, the method comprising:

• storing a plurality of pieces of processing procedure data each including data that defines a processing unit, which is a unit of a processing step, as well as processing order data of the processing unit defined by the data defining the processing unit, the data defining the processing unit including a processing method, data on a tool used, and uncut condition data;
• selecting processing procedure data to be applied to generate the processing step data from among the plurality of pieces of stored processing procedure data;
• generating processing step data on the basis of processing unit data by
• storing removed shape data that is shape data of an area to be removed from the material;
• extracting the data defining the processing unit included in the selected processing procedure data in the order according to the processing order data of the processing unit defined by the data defining the processing unit, and generating processing shape data of the processing unit from a processing method, data on a tool used, and uncut condition data included in the data defining the processing unit being extracted as well as the removed shape data being stored;
• and generating the processing unit data from the data defining the processing unit being extracted and the processing shape data generated on the basis of the data defining the processing unit;
• storing, in an applied processing procedure data memory, the selected processing procedure data;
• correcting the processing procedure data stored in the applied processing procedure data memory by correcting, adding, and/or deleting data defining an individual processing unit in accordance with an instruction from an operator, and updating data in the applied processing procedure data memory with the processing procedure data being corrected;
• and
• generating the processing step data on the basis of the processing procedure data stored in the applied processing procedure data memory,
• wherein the uncut condition data, included in data defined in a respective processing unit, defines a condition which designates an area to remain uncut by defining a condition from a group of conditions which includes at least a condition which minimizes an area to remain uncut, among a remaining shape of an area to be removed from the material, and a condition which designates an area to remain uncut in a recess in accordance with the recess width, in the respective processing unit based on the data on the tool used.