# US 11,586,170 B2 · Numerical controller and numerical control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,586,170 B2 - Document ID: US11586170B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/826,959 - Filed: 2020-03-23 - Published: 2020-10-08 - Granted: 2023-02-21 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-04 - Assignees: Fanuc Corporation - Applicants: Fanuc Corporation - Inventors: Tomoya Itou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11586170B2 ## CPC - G05B 19/4063: Monitoring general control system (G05B19/4062 takes precedence) - G05B 19/4065: Monitoring tool breakage, life or condition - G05B 19/4155: characterised by program execution, i.e. part program or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a program - G05B 2219/32226: Computer assisted repair, maintenance of system components - G05B 2219/49135: Active clamping, use servo to keep in position - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A numerical controller, which is configured to control maintenance of a machine tool, includes a mode shift part configured to shift an operation mode of the machine tool to a maintenance mode, on the basis of input of a trigger for starting the maintenance of the machine tool, an operation execution part configured to make the machine tool operate on the basis of predetermined maintenance contents; and an output control part configured to control output of an operation result of the machine tool, as a maintenance result. The mode shift part returns the operation mode of the machine tool to a normal operation mode, after the output of the maintenance result by the output control part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A numerical controller configured to control maintenance of a machine tool, the numerical controller comprising: a mode shift part configured to shift an operation mode of the machine tool to a maintenance mode from a normal operation mode, on a basis of input of a trigger for starting the maintenance of the machine tool; an operation execution part configured to make the machine tool execute a maintenance operation on a basis of predetermined maintenance contents; and an output control part configured to control output of a result of the maintenance operation of the machine tool, as a maintenance result, wherein the mode shift part acquires, in advance, restriction contents of the maintenance operation in the maintenance mode, and sets the acquired restriction contents of the operation of the machine tool, on the basis of the input trigger and wherein when the maintenance result obtained by the operation execution part is determined to be within a range of normal values in comparison with the predetermined maintenance contents, the output control part controls the output of the maintenance result, and when the maintenance result is determined to be outside the range of normal values, the operation execution part determines whether the maintenance result is within the range of normal values after executing an operation to adjust a state of the machine tool, the mode shift part automatically returns the operation mode of the machine tool from the maintenance mode to the normal operation mode, when a predetermined time period elapses after the output of the maintenance result, and wherein the output control part is configured to calculate a maintenance date and time by use of past maintenance dates and times and information on maintenance intervals, for each maintenance type of a plurality of maintenance types, and control output of a notification when the output of the notification of the calculated maintenance date and time is necessary. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein the output control part outputs display of guidance of a procedure of the predetermined maintenance contents to a worker. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined maintenance contents include operation instruction information for making the machine tool perform an actual operation, and the operation execution part makes the machine tool execute the maintenance operation on a basis of the operation instruction information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The numerical controller according to claim 1, wherein the mode shift part and the operation execution part execute the plurality of maintenance types of the maintenance selected in advance by a worker, in order. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A numerical control system comprising: the numerical controller according to claim 1; the machine tool configured to be controlled by the numerical controller; and a control terminal connected to the numerical controller and the machine tool, the control terminal configured to control maintenance operations of the numerical controller and the machine tool. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A numerical control system comprising: a plurality of the numerical controllers and a plurality of the machine tools according to claim 1; and a control terminal connected to the plurality of numerical controllers and the plurality of machine tools, the control terminal configured to control maintenance operations respectively of the numerical controllers and the machine tools. ### Claim 7 A numerical controller configured to control maintenance of a machine tool, the numerical controller comprising: a mode shift part configured to shift an operation mode of the machine tool to a maintenance mode from a normal operation mode having first operation restriction contents, on a basis of input of a trigger for starting the maintenance of the machine tool, wherein the maintenance mode has second operation restriction contents different from the first operation restriction contents in the normal operation mode; an operation execution part configured to make the machine tool execute a maintenance operation on a basis of predetermined maintenance contents; and an output control part configured to control output of a result of the maintenance operation of the machine tool, as a maintenance result, wherein the mode shift part sets the second operation restriction contents included in the predetermined maintenance contents to the machine tool, and wherein when the maintenance result obtained by the operation execution part is determined to be within a range of normal values in comparison with the predetermined maintenance contents, the output control part controls the output of the maintenance result, and when the maintenance result is determined to be outside the range of normal values, the operation execution part determines whether the maintenance result is within the range of normal values after executing an operation to adjust a state of the machine tool, including any one of replacement of a component of the machine tool and change in the first operation restriction contents to be executed by the operation execution part in the normal operation mode, the mode shift part automatically returns the operation mode of the machine tool from the maintenance mode to the normal operation mode, when a predetermined time period elapses after the output of the maintenance result, and wherein the output control part is configured to calculate a date and time by use of past maintenance dates and times and information on maintenance intervals, for each maintenance type of a plurality of maintenance types, and control output of a notification when the output of the notification of the calculated maintenance date and time is necessary. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The numerical controller according to claim 7, wherein the mode shift part acquires, in advance, third operation restriction contents of the maintenance operation in the maintenance mode, and sets the acquired third operation restriction contents of the maintenance operation in the machine tool, on the basis of the input trigger. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The numerical controller according to claim 7, wherein the output control part outputs display of guidance of a procedure of the predetermined maintenance contents to a worker. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The numerical controller according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined maintenance contents include operation instruction information for making the machine tool perform an actual operation, and the operation execution part makes the machine tool execute the maintenance operation on a basis of the operation instruction information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The numerical controller according to claim 7, wherein the mode shift part and the operation execution part execute the plurality of maintenance types of the maintenance selected in advance by a worker, in order. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) A numerical control system comprising: the numerical controller according to claim 7; the machine tool configured to be controlled by the numerical controller; and a control terminal connected to the numerical controller and the machine tool, the control terminal configured to control maintenance operations of the numerical controller and the machine tool. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) A numerical control system comprising: a plurality of the numerical controllers and a plurality of the machine tools according to claim 7; and a control terminal connected to the plurality of numerical controllers and the plurality of machine tools, the control terminal configured to control maintenance operations respectively of the numerical controllers and the machine tools.