# US 12,759,102 B2 · Tool transport system, control method for tool transport system, and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing control program for tool transport system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,102 B2 - Document ID: US12759102B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/035,437 - Filed: 2020-11-06 - Published: 2023-12-28 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-06 - Assignees: Dmg Mori Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Dmg Mori Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Eisuke Yasugi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759102B2 ## CPC - B23Q 3/15503: {Processes characterized by special sequencing of operations or the like, e.g. for optimizing tool changing time or capacity in tool storage} - B23Q 3/15513: {the tool being taken from a storage device and transferred to a tool holder by means of transfer devices} - B23Q 17/006: {for indicating the presence of a work or tool in its holder (B23Q17/002, B23Q17/09 take precedence)} - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT ## Abstract A tool transport system includes a display unit, a plurality of machine tools, a tool storage unit, a transport device for transporting a designated tool among tools stored in the tool storage unit to a designated machine tool among the plurality of machine tools and a controller for controlling the tool transport system. The controller executes a process of acquiring stocked tool information defining identification information of each tool stocked by the tool transport system, a process of specifying a plurality of tools to be used in the plurality of machine tools on the basis of a machining schedule of workpiece in the plurality of machine tools, a process of specifying an unstocked tool that is not defined in the stocked tool information among the plurality of tools to be used, and a process of displaying identification information of the unstocked tool on the display unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tool transport system comprising: a display unit; a plurality of machine tools; a tool storage unit that stores a plurality of tools; a transport device that transports a designated tool among tools stored in the tool storage unit, to a designated machine tool among the plurality of machine tools; a tool setup device that is set a tool to be carried-in to the tool storage and the tool set to the setup device is transported to the tool storage unit by the transport device; and a controller that controls the tool transport system, the controller executing: a process of managing stocked tool information defining identification information of each tool stocked by the tool transport system, wherein the process of managing includes: a process of writing identification information of the tool into the stocked tool information on the basis that the tool is set in the tool setup device; a process of deleting identification information of the tool from the stocked tool information on the basis that the tool is removed from the tool setup device; a process of acquiring the stocked tool information; a process of specifying a plurality of tools to be used in the plurality of machine tools based on a machining schedule of workpiece in the plurality of machine tools; a process of specifying an unstocked tool that is not defined in the stocked tool information among the plurality of tools to be used; and a process of displaying identification information of the unstocked tool on the display unit, wherein the controller executes: a process of calculating a remaining time for the unstocked tool to become required in the tool transport system from the present time based on the machining schedule; and a process of displaying the remaining time for the unstocked tool on the display unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tool transport system according to claim 1, further comprising a tool database, the tool database including identification information of a plurality of tools, the controller further executing: a process of associating attribution information of tool to identification information of the tool in the tool database based on reception of input of the attribution information of the tool; and a process of displaying information indicating whether or not the attribution information of the unstocked tool is registered in the tool database on the display unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tool transport system according to claim 2, wherein the tool transport system is configured to be communicable with a communication terminal, and the controller further executes a process of transmitting identification information of an unstocked tool for which the attribution information is not registered in the tool database, to the communication terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tool transport system according to claim 1, wherein the controller displays identification information of an unstocked tool for which the remaining time is shorter than different unstocked tools from the unstocked tool on the display unit while highlighting the identification information of the unstocked tool more than different identification information of the different unstocked tools. ### Claim 5 A control method for a tool transport system, the tool transport system comprising: a display unit; a plurality of machine tools; a tool storage unit that stores a plurality of tools; a transport device that transports a designated tool among tools stored in the tool storage unit, to a designated machine tool among the plurality of machine tools; and a tool setup device that is set a tool to be carried-in to the tool storage and the tool set to the setup device is transported to the tool storage unit by the transport device; the control method including: managing stocked tool information defining identification information of each tool stocked by the tool transport system; the managing including: writing identification information of the tool into the stocked tool information on the basis that the tool is set in the tool setup device; deleting identification information of the tool from the stocked tool information on the basis that the tool is removed from the tool setup device; acquiring the stocked tool information; specifying a plurality of tools to be used in the plurality of machine tools based on a machining schedule of workpiece in the plurality of machine tools; specifying an unstocked tool that is not defined in the stocked tool information among the plurality of tools to be used; and displaying identification information of the unstocked tool on the display unit, the control method including: calculating a remaining time for the unstocked tool to become required in the tool transport system from the present time based on the machining schedule; and displaying the remaining time for the unstocked tool on the display unit. ### Claim 6 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a control program for a tool transport system, the tool transport system comprising: a display unit; a plurality of machine tools; a tool storage unit that stores a plurality of tools; a transport device that transports a designated tool among tools stored in the tool storage unit, to a designated machine tool among the plurality of machine tools; a tool setup device that is set a tool to be carried-in to the tool storage and the tool set to the setup device is transported to the tool storage unit by the transport device; and a controller that controls the tool transport system, the control program making the controller execute: managing stocked tool information defining identification information of each tool stocked by the tool transport system; the managing includes: writing identification information of the tool into the stocked tool information on the basis that the tool is set in the tool setup device; deleting identification information of the tool from the stocked tool information on the basis that the tool is removed from the tool setup device; acquiring the stocked tool information; specifying a plurality of tools to be used in the plurality of machine tools based on a machining schedule of workpiece in the plurality of machine tools; specifying an unstocked tool that is not defined in the stocked tool information among the plurality of tools to be used; and displaying identification information of the unstocked tool on the display unit, the tool transport system including: calculating a remaining time for the unstocked tool to become required in the tool transport system from the present time based on the machining schedule; and displaying the remaining time for the unstocked tool on the display unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tool transport system according to claim 1, wherein the controller executing a process of transporting by the transport device the unstocked tool after identified by the process of specifying the unstocked tool. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tool transport system according to claim 1, wherein the tool setup device includes the display unit and the remaining time for the unstocked tool can be seen by an operator who sets the tool to the tool set up device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tool transport system according to claim 1, wherein the stocked tool information indicates that the tools exist in the tool transport system, and the identification information of the unstocked tool indicates the tools that should be set to the tool setup device by an operator.