Race groove machining system and method therefor

A method of machining a component part having a race groove along which ball elements run, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting information related to a machining operation and acquired from an acquisition means that is provided in a machine tool or a control means for controlling the machine tool, to a remote information processing means remote from the control means through a communication line;
• supplying to the controlling means information generated by the remote information processing means on the basis of the transmitted information;
• controlling the machine tool by means of the control means that utilizes the supplied information;
• and
• machining the component part having the race groove by means of the machine tool to form a race groove in the component part;
• wherein the information related to the machining operation includes information descriptive of a machining status and wherein the acquisition means includes a machining detecting means comprised of a plurality of sensors for detecting statuses of the machining operation.

A system for machining a component part having a race groove along which ball elements run, said system comprising:

• a machine tool for performing a machining operation on the component part having the race groove;
• a control means for controlling the machine tool;
• an acquisition means for acquiring information related to the machining operation;
• a setting means for setting reference machining conditions;
• a calculating means for calculating a difference between the reference machining conditions and the information acquired by the acquisition means;
• a feed-back means for supplying a result of calculation, performed by the calculating means, to the control means as feed-back information;
• a remote information processing means installed at a site remote from the control means;
• and
• a communication means for connecting both the control means and the setting means with the remote information processing means through a communication line;
• wherein said control means utilizing the feed-back information for controlling the machine tool, and
• said remote information processing means having a capability of acquiring the feed-back information through the control means and the communication line and transmitting information to the control means and the setting means.

A method of machining a component part having a race groove along which ball elements run, with the use of a machine tool under the control of a control means, said method comprising the steps of

• setting reference machining conditions in a setting means;
• acquiring information related to a machining operation from the machine tool machining the component part having the race groove and the control means by an acquisition means;
• calculating a difference between the reference machining condition, set in the setting means, and the information acquired by the acquisition means, by means of a calculating means;
• supplying a result of calculation, performed by the calculating means, to the control means as feed-back information, said control means utilizing the feedback information for the control and to transmit the feed-back information to a remote information processing means that is installed at a site remote from the control means and connected with the control means through a communication line;
• supplying to the control means and the setting means information generated by the remote information processing means on the basis of the transmitted information;
• controlling the machine tool by means of the control means that utilizes the supplied information;
• and
• updating contents of the reference processing conditions set in the setting means.