Numerically controlled machine tool system capable of setting up tools into tool magazine

A numerically controlled machine tool system wherein a first group of dedicated tools which are stored in a tool magazine are replaced with a second group of dedicated tools in connection with a change in kind between a first lot of workpieces currently in machining and a second lot of workpieces next to be machined, said system comprising:

• a machine tool having said tool magazine for selectively storing said first and second groups of said dedicated tools in addition to other tools commonly used in machining said first and second lots of said workpieces, said tool magazine being capable of presenting any one of said tools stored therein to a magazine tool replacing position;
• at least two feed servomechanisms provided in said machine tool for effecting relative movement between a tool spindle and a work table of said machine tool;
• tool supply means for supplying to the vicinity of said tool magazine said second group of said dedicated tools subsequently used in machining said second lot of said workpieces;
• tool replacing means for replacing one of said second group of said dedicated tools in the vicinity of said tool magazine with one of said first group of said dedicated tools at said magazine tool replacing position;
• magazine control means responsive to replacing command data given thereto for controlling said tool magazine to present to said magazine tool replacing position each of said first group of said dedicated tools whose replacement is instructed by said tool replacing command data;
• a numerical controller connected to said at least two feed servomechanisms for controlling the operation of said at least two feed servomechanisms in accordance with numerical control data given thereto, said numerical controller being capable of transmitting to said magazine control means each of tool replacing command data included in said numerical control data;
• program storage means for storing first and second numerical control programs respectively associated with said first and second lots of said workpieces;
• program modifying means for preparing a modified numerical control program by inserting said tool replacing command data into said first numerical control program so that each of said first group of said dedicated tools is replaced with one of said second group of said dedicated tools when becoming unnecessary in machining a last one of said first lot of said workpieces;
• and
• data transfer means for successively transferring control data blocks of said first numerical control program to said numerical controller when one of said first lot of said workpieces except for said last one thereof is machined by said machine tool, and for successively transferring control data blocks of said modified numerical control program to said numerical controller when said last one of said first lot of said workpieces is machined by said machine tool.

A numerically controlled machine tool system wherein a first group of tools stored in a tool magazine are replaced with a second group of tools in connection with a change in kind between a first lot of workpieces currently in machining and a second lot of workpeices next to be machined, said system comprising:

• a machine tool including at least two feed servomechanisms for effecting relative movement between a tool spindle and a work table of said machine tool and said tool magazine for selectively storing said first and second groups of said tools;
• tool supply means for supplying to the vicinity of said tool magazine said second group of said tools subsequently used in machining said second lot of said workpieces;
• tool replacing means for replacing one of said first group of said tools presented to a tool replacing position of said tool magazine with one of said second group of said tools in the vicinity of said tool magazine;
• magazine control means responsive to replacing command data given thereto for controlling said tool magazine to present to said tool replacing position one of said first group of said tools whose replacement is instructed by said replacing command data given thereto;
• a numerical controller connected to said at least two feed servomechanism for controlling the operation of said at least two feed servomechanisms in accordance with numerical control data given thereto, said numerical controller being capable of transmitting said replacing command data given thereto to said magazine control means;
• program storage means for storing first and second numerical control programs respectively associated with said first and second lots of said workpieces;
• and
• a data processor connected to said program storage means and said numerical controller and including:
• data transfer means for successively transferring control data blocks of said first numerical control program to said numerical controller when one of said first lot of said workpieces except for a last one thereof is machined by said machine tool, and for transferring said replacing command data to said numerical controller in addition to said control data blocks when said last one of said first lot of said workpieces is machined by said machine tool so that each of said first group of said tools is replaced with one of said second group of said tools when becoming unnecessary for machining said last one of said first lot of said workpieces.