CAD/CAM system for automatic re-creation of a cutter path

A CAD/CAM method for executing an automatic re-creation processing for a cutter path, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing functions to be invoked for a cutter path re-creation in a CAM system by a customizing function device attached to a CAD system;
• (b) storing machining condition data in the CAM system to execute a cutter path creation processing by the CAM system for a curved surface defined by the CAD system, selectively setting references to the curved surface for assigning the functions to said curved surface, and storing said set references in said CAD system;
• (c) determining whether or not the references for the curved surface are set in the CAD system when the curved surface is modified in the CAD system and upon completion of an input requesting modification;
• (d) automatically invoking the functions assigned by the references to thereby cause the CAD system to automatically invoke the CAM system, when said references have been set for the curved surface as an object of the modification as determined at said determining step (c);
• (e) in response to the automatic invoking of the functions, the CAM system automatically executing a processing for cutter path re-creation assigned by the functions for the modified curved surface;
• and
• (f) updating and storing NC data originated by the cutter path re-creation processing in the CAM system in accordance with an ID code for the unmodified curved surface.

A CAD/CAM system for automatically re-creating a cutter path, comprising:

• means for storing machining condition data when a cutter path is computed and NC data are originated by a CAM system for shape created by a CAD system;
• judging means for judging if said shape is an object of NC data origination;
• means for automatically setting commands for a re-computation of the cutter path and a re-origination of the NC data in said CAM system, when said CAD system executes a modification of the shape which was discriminated by said judging means as an object of NC data origination and said CAD system informs said CAM system of said modification;
• and
• means for instructing said CAM system to automatically execute the re-computation of the cutter path and the re-origination of the NC data for the modified shape based on said stored machining condition data for said shape.

A system including a CAM system and a CAD system for automatic re-creation of a cutter path,

• said CAM system comprising:
• means for receiving an ID code corresponding to a curved surface created by said CAD system;
• means for automatically invoking curved surface data from said CAD system which corresponds to the received ID code;
• means for setting machining conditions, which thereby create a cutter path, corresponding to the curved surface;
• means for automatically setting references to be used by said CAD system during modification of the cutter path and delivering the references to said CAD system;
• and
• means for sequentially updating the set machining conditions,
• said CAD system comprising:
• means for determining if references corresponding to the curved surface are stored in said CAD system;
• and
• means for invoking the CAM system to update the machining conditions corresponding to the stored references when the curved surface is modified by said CAD system.

A system including a CAD system and a CAM system for automatic re-creation of a cutter path,

• said CAD system comprising means for creating a plurality of graphic elements;
• and means for receiving a reference to automatically invoke cutter path re-creation by said CAM system upon modification of a particular graphic element and selectively assigning the received reference to the particular graphic element, and
• said CAM system comprising means for creating a cutter path and computing NC data corresponding to the plurality of graphic elements;
• and means for creating and transferring the reference to said CAD system, wherein the reference automatically invokes the re-creation of the cutter path.

A CAD/CAM system comprising a CAD system for defining a curved surface, and a CAM system for computing a cutter path corresponding to the curved surface and originating NC data,

• said CAD system comprising:
• means for selectively assigning references to the elements of the curved surface, wherein the selectively assigned references automatically invoke cutter path re-creation processing by the CAM system in response to modification of the corresponding elements;
• memory means for storing the elements of the curved surface and the selectively assigned references;
• and
• means for transferring the selectively assigned references to said CAM system upon modification of the elements to thereby invoke the cutter path re-creation processing, and
• said CAM system comprising:
• means for creating and transferring the references to the memory means of said CAD system;
• and
• means responsive to transfer of the references from said CAD system to automatically re-originate the NC data by executing the cutter path re-creation processing.