Method and apparatus for producing numerical control programs

A method for creating and revising programs for a plurality of numerically controlled machines, each numerically controlled machine having movable members responding to control signals produced by a machine control in response to a program of machine control instruction blocks, the machine and control effecting relative motion between a workpiece and a tool to perform machining operations on the workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. producing generalized data block signals representing sets of alphanumeric words, each generalized data block having one block type word defining the block type and at least one data word defining a data value associated with a block type, the generalized data block selectably describing a workpiece material, a workpiece surface, workpiece features, and machining operations, wherein the data type of each data word is designated by an alphabetic character and the data definition of each alphabetic character is determined by the block type word;
• and
• b. identifying a machine and control for which machine control instruction blocks signals are to be produced;
• and
• c. producing machine control instruction block signals in response to the generalized data block signals and the identified machine and control, the machine control instruction block signals representing sets of alphanumeric words describing machine member motion, the machine control instruction blocks conforming to the form and format required by the machine control.

The apparatus of claim 70 wherein the means for producing generalized data block signals further comprises:

• a. means for displaying graphic representations associated with selected block types, the graphic representations including identifying alphabetic characters of words of the generalized data block;
• b. means responsive to the display means for selecting a data word of the generalized data block;
• and
• c. means responsive to the selecting means for entering data to produce generalized data block signals representing an alphanumeric word.

An apparatus for creating and revising programs for a plurality of numerically controlled machines, each numerically controlled machine having movable members responding to control signals produced by a machine control in response to a program of machine control instruction blocks, the machine and control effecting relative motion between a workpiece and a tool to perform machining operations on the workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• a. means for producing generalized data block signals representing sets of alphanumeric words, each generalized data block having one block type word and at least one data word defining a value associated with a block type, the generalized data block selectably describing a workpiece material, a workpiece surface, workpiece features, and machining operations, wherein the data type of each data word is designated by an alphabetic character and the data definition of each alphabetic character is determined by the block type word;
• b. means for identifying a machine and control for which machine control instruction block signals are to be produced;
• and
• c. means responsive to the machine and control identifying means and the generalized data block signals for producing machine control instruction block signals, the machine control instruction block signals representing sets of alphanumeric words describing machine member motion, the machine control instruction blocks conforming to the form and format required by the machine control.