Method whereby numerical control information preparing function determines manner of machining

A method of determining numerical control data to be used for machining a workpiece, said method comprising:

• a step of receiving workpiece data denoting a shape of the workpiece and component part data denoting a shape of a component part to be machined from the workpiece;
• a step of determining target configuration data based on the workpiece data and the component part data, the target configuration data denoting a target configuration of a portion of the workpiece to be machined;
• a step of dividing the target configuration denoted by the target configuration data into first and second subportions to obtain new target configuration data;
• and,
• a step of preparing the numerical control data based on the new target configuration data such that the first subportion is subjected to forward direction cutting and the second subportion is subjected to backward direction cutting.

A method of determining numerical control data to be used for machining a workpiece, said method comprising:

• a first step of receiving workpiece data denoting a shape of the workpiece and component part data denoting a shape of a component part to be machined from the workpiece;
• a second step of obtaining original target configuration data based on the workpiece data and the component part data, the target configuration data denoting a target configuration of a portion of the workpiece to be machined, the target configuration being defined by plural surface segments of the to be machined component part;
• a third step of dividing the target configuration denoted by the target configuration data into first and second subportions to obtain new target configuration data, the first subportion being directly adjacent to, in a forward direction, the second subportion;
• a fourth step of determining whether the first portion of the target configuration can be entirely machined by forward direction cutting only, and, if the first portion of the target configuration cannot be entirely machined by forward direction cutting only, a fifth step of determining whether the first portion can be entirely machined by backward direction cutting only;
• a sixth step of preparing the numerical control data based on the original target configuration data if it is determined in said fourth step that the first portion can be entirely machined by forward direction cutting only or if it is determined in said fifth step that the first portion cannot be entirely machined by backward direction cutting only;
• and
• a seventh step of preparing the numerical control data based on the new target configuration data if it is determined in said fifth step that the first portion can be entirely machined by backward direction cutting only.