US 2018/0181102 A1Published application

Path following machining method and apparatus

AssigneeBAE SYSTEMS plc

InventorsJonathan Michael Carberry, Austin James Cook, David McMillan, Aron Derecichei, Craig Ashmore

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for machining a workpiece (2). The method comprises specifying a path along which a cutting tool (6) is moved during machining the workpiece (2), the path comprising segments (26); defining, for each segment (26), an exit point on that segment (26); defining, for each segment (26), an exit path (38) from the exit point of that segment (26) to a point remote from the workpiece (2); performing a machining process including moving the cutting tool (6) along the tool path and machining the workpiece (2); and, during the machining process, when one or more criteria are satisfied: interrupting the machining process and, without machining the workpiece (2), moving the cutting tool (6) to the exit point of the current segment (26) and then along the exit path (38) of the current segment (26).

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of machining a workpiece (2), the method comprising:

specifying a tool path for a cutting tool (6), the tool path being a path along which a cutting tool (6) is to be moved during machining, by the cutting tool (6), of the workpiece (2), wherein the tool path comprises a plurality of tool path segments (26, 28, 30);
defining, for each tool path segment (26, 28, 30), an exit point, wherein the exit point of a tool path segment (26, 28, 30) is a point on that tool path segment (26, 28, 30);
defining, for each tool path segment (26, 28, 30), an exit path (38, 40, 42), wherein the exit path (38, 40, 42) of a tool path segment (26, 28, 30) is a path for the cutting tool (6) from the exit point of that tool path segment (26, 28, 30) to a point that is remote from the workpiece (2);
performing a machining process including moving the cutting tool (6) along at least part of the tool path and machining, by the cutting tool (6), the workpiece (2);
and, during the machining process, responsive to determining that one or more criteria are satisfied:
interrupting the machining process and moving the cutting tool (6) along a current tool path segment (26, 28, 30) without machining the workpiece (2), from a current location of the cutting tool (6) to the exit point of the current tool path segment (26, 28, 30);
and
moving the cutting tool (6) along the exit path (38, 40, 42) of the current tool path segment (26, 28, 30).

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/902,545Filed 22 Feb 2018
Priority: 30 Apr 2015
Published: 28 Jun 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G05B 19/31
Using an absolute digital measuring device: for continuous-path control
B25J 9/1676
Characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic: avoiding collision or forbidden zones
G05B 19/402
Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to…
G05B 19/4061
Characterised by monitoring or safety: avoiding collision or forbidden zones

Family

Application14/700,231Continuation · filed 30 Apr 2015
Application15/902,545Continuation
US 10,627,801 B2Related patent
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US 2018/0181102 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.