Numerical control apparatus having a work simulation function

Abstract

A numerical control apparatus having a work simulation function for enabling both the workpiece and the movement of the tool to be displayed at any time on the same display screen during the work simulation. This is achieved by a variable display magnifications so that both the workpiece configuration change and the tool shift movement can always be checked adequately. The numerical control apparatus comprises a numerical control processor and an auto-programming processor. The numerical control processor determines a predetermined scale by which the workpiece can be fully displayed on a display screen of the display apparatus, calculates a scale by which both the workpiece and the tool can be displayed on the same display screen on the basis of the present tool position every time the numerical control program is executed by block for the work simulation, and further judges whether or not the scale change is necessary depending on the result of comparison between the predetermined scale and the calculated scale and also the scale used for the display relating to the previous program block so that change the scale can be changed when necessary. The auto-programming processor carries out the work simulation by selecting a display magnification corresponding to the determined scale.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.