Apparatus for and method of automatically tuning and setting control parameters for a numerical control unit

A method of comprehensively determining feature values of a control parameter having multiple tuning conditions, comprising the steps of:

• 1) setting the multiple tuning conditions and operating on and storing the feature values under all the tuning conditions set;
• 2) displaying the stored feature values on displaying means;
• 3) weighting the feature values displayed;
• 4) comprehensively assessing all the tuning conditions from all the feature values of said tuning conditions;
• and
• 5) comprehensively judging the feature values of the control parameter from said comprehensive assessment result.

A method of automatically tuning control parameters of a servo or a spindle by means of a numerical control unit or computer linked with the numerical control unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• 1) activating an automatic tuning mode;
• 2) selecting a control parameter to be automatically tuned via an inputting means;
• 3) automatically selecting and starting an automatic tuning and a test run program associated with the control parameter selected;
• 4) test-running the servo or the spindle according to the test run program started, and fetching sampling data from the servo or spindle;
• 5) operating on a feature value from the sampling data fetched and judging whether the control parameter is appropriate or not from the feature value operated on;
• and
• 6) changing a set value of the control parameter and repeating steps 4) and 5) if the control parameter is judged as inappropriate.

A method of sampling data for a numerical control unit equipped with an automatic tuning function for tuning control parameters of a servo or spindle controlled by the numerical control unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• 1) setting as a base time a time when a value of sampling data crosses a predetermined trigger level in a predetermined direction in order to determine that the sampling data has been fetched and that the fetching thereof should be terminated;
• 2) setting respective predetermined time durations before and after the base time;
• 3) setting as a sampling period an arbitrary time duration from the time preceding the base time of one of the predetermined time durations to the time following the base time of the other of the predetermined time durations;
• 4) fetching the sampling data at the time duration step;
• and
• 5) storing the sampling data fetched.

A method of changing a criterion value for feature values employed by a numerical control unit to determine whether a control parameter set to be tuned is appropriate or not, the method comprising the steps of:

• 1) setting a plurality of control parameters in a changed range;
• 2) test-running a servo or spindle by means of automatic tuning programs with the plurality of control parameters set, fetching sampling data, and storing the plurality of control parameters and the feature values;
• 3) relating the plurality of control parameters and the feature values stored and displaying the relationships on a displaying means;
• 4) weighting the feature values displayed;
• and
• 5) setting a new range of criterion values for the feature values according to the relationships between said displayed control parameters, said feature values, and said feature values weighted.

Apparatus for automatically tuning and setting control parameters, comprising

• automatic tuning means for automatically tuning control parameters of a servo or a spindle controlled by a numerical control unit, said automatic tuning means including measuring means for measuring status value data of said servo or spindle;
• a data sampling control section for controlling setting and storage of said measured status value data as sampling data;
• a sampling data storage means for storing the sampling data;
• a control section for test-running the servo or spindle;
• a transmitting link to an external computer for transmitting the sampling data read in accordance with the control of said data sampling control section;
• a plurality of automatic tuning programs and test run programs associated with said control parameters, wherein said tuning programs select said test run programs;
• and
• a system control section for selecting an automatic tuning program corresponding to a setting of a control parameter to be tuned,
• wherein a numerical control unit includes an automatic tuning control section for test-running the servo or spindle according to a test run program selected by the automatic tuning program and is connected to an external computer, and wherein the external computer changes the sampling data transmitted from the numerical control unit into a desired control parameter by operating on the sampling data.