US 5,850,342 A · Machine tool control system

Abstract

A machine tool control system is provided that is capable of detecting a one-sheet takeout failure. The system includes a workpiece takeout schedule which indicates the plate thickness and number of sheets to be taken out from a stack of workpieces for each product. A one-sheet takeout sensor is also provided to detect when a one-sheet takeout device fails to takeout or suck one-sheet from the pallet of workpieces. In addition, the system includes a restoration setting key which permits an operator to select one of a plurality of modes to continue control operation of a machine tool with a controller when a one-sheet takeout failure is detected. When information from the one-sheet takeout sensor indicates a one-sheet takeout failure, based on the set mode of the restoration setting key, the controller changes the measuring range, the accumulating place for the sucked workpiece, or skips the workpiece takeout schedule based on a detected plate thickness.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A machine tool control system in which the plate thickness and number of sheets taken out of workpieces for each product are indicated by a workpiece takeout schedule, and when based on the takeout schedule, a workpiece on a pallet of a peripheral equipment section is sucked by a one-sheet takeout equipment, the plate thickness of the workpiece is measured by a one-sheet takeout sensor according to a required measuring range and control of a machine tool is performed by a controller, said system comprising:

a restoration setting key which can set a plurality of different modes to continue the control operation of said machine tool when information from said one-sheet takeout sensor indicates a one-sheet takeout failure;
and
a controller which performs processing based on a set mode of said restoration setting key, without stopping the operation of said machine tool, when the information from said one-sheet takeout sensor indicates a one-sheet takeout failure.

A method for controlling a machine tool, said method comprising:

drawing a takeout schedule from a machine schedule, said takeout schedule indicating a plate thickness and number of sheets required for machining a product from workpieces with said machine tools;
determining, based on the plate thickness of said takeout schedule, a measuring range for a one-sheet takeout sensor;
sending a one-sheet takeout signal to a one-sheet takeout equipment to lift a workpiece from a stack of workpieces;
measuring, with said one-sheet takeout sensor, a plate thickness of the workpiece lifted by said one-sheet takeout equipment;
determining whether a one-sheet takeout failure exists based on a plate thickness measured by said one-sheet takeout sensor and the plate thickness of said takeout schedule;
detecting, when a one-sheet takeout failure is detected, a restoration mode set by a restoration setting key;
and
continuing a control operation of said machine tool based on the detected restoration mode so that processing may continue without stopping the operation of said machine tool.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Machine tool control system

Life of this patent

Machine tool control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11