Numerical control unit

A manual numerical control unit operatively connectable to an industrial machine and an external unit for storing a machining program, comprising:

• a machine program creating device for creating a machining program, including:
• first means for entering data for the creation of the machining program;
• second means, operatively connected to said first means, for creating the machining program in accordance with the entered data;
• and
• third means, operatively connected to said second means, for storing the created machining program;
• a machine control device including:
• fourth means for storing a completed machining program;
• and
• fifth means, operatively connected to said fourth means, for executing the completed machining program stored in said fourth means to numerically control the industrial machine;
• and
• a switching circuit, operatively connected to said third means and said fourth means, and having a connector for coupling to the external unit, for selectively connecting said third means, said fourth means and the external unit, said switching circuit having a first state in which said third means is operatively connected to said fourth means to transfer the created machining program from said third means to said fourth means for storage as the completed machining program, said switching circuit having a second state in which the external unit is operatively connected to said third means, said switching circuit having a third state in which the external unit is operatively connected to said fourth means, said switching circuit having a fourth state in which the third and fourth means are disconnected from each other and disconnected from the external unit, so that when said switching circuit is in the fourth state said program creating device performs machining program creation concurrently with said machine control device numerically controlling the industrial machine.