Machining processor

A machining system supplied with machining profile data for machining a work, comprising:

• input means for inputting machining profile data for the final work profile and workpiece data for the material and profile of a workpiece to be machined;
• data storage means for storing at least a selected one of machine data representing specifications of a machine tool for machining said work and tool data representing the specifications of the tools held in said machine tool;
• predictive calculation means for predicting at least a selected one of a machining load and interference between a tool and a work based on the data input from said input means and the data stored in said data storage means;
• machining process determining means for selecting a tool and a machining pattern and determining a machining process based on the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means, the data input from said input means and the data stored in said data storage means;
• tool path determining means for generating a tool path for machining said work based on the tool, the machining pattern and the machining process selected and determined by said machining process determining means, the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means, the data input by said input means and the data stored in said data storage means, and determining the conditions for machining said work including spindle rotational speed and feed rate of said machine tool;
• and
• numerical control means for controlling the operation of said machine tool according to the tool path and the machining conditions generated and determined by said tool path determining means.

A machine tool control apparatus supplied with a work and machining profile data for machining said work to the desired profile based on said machining profile data, comprising:

• input means for inputting said machining profile data and workpiece data including material data and profile data of the work;
• data storage means for storing at least a selected one of machine data representing the machine specifications including feed shaft stroke, main spindle rotational speed and feed rate of the machine tool for machining the work, control data including various parameters for a numerical control unit for controlling said machine tool, and tool data representing the tool specifications including the type, material and dimensions of the tools held in the machine tool;
• predictive calculation means for predicting at least a selected one of a machining load, the interference between a tool and a work and the contact point of a tool in machining operation based on the data input from said input means and the data stored in said data storage means;
• machining process determining means for selecting at least a tool and a machining pattern and determining a machining process based on the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means, the data input from said input means and the data stored in said data storage means;
• tool path generating means for generating a tool path for machining said work based on the tool, the machining pattern and the machining process selected and determined by said machining process determining means, the data input from said input means, the data stored in said data storage means and the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means;
• machining conditions determining means for determining the conditions for machining said work including the tool path generated by said tool path generating means, the data stored in said data storage means and the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means;
• and
• numerical control means for controlling the operation of said machine tool according to the tool path generated by said tool path generating means and the machining conditions determined by said machining conditions determining means.

A machining system supplied with a work and machining profile data for machining said work into the desired profile based on said machining profile data,

• a machine tool for machining said work, and outputting a machined product;
• input means for inputting in advance said machining profile data and workpiece data on the material and profile of the work;
• data storage means for storing at least a selected one of machine data representing the machine specifications including feed shaft stroke, the rotational speed of a main spindle and feed rate of said machine tool for machining said work, control data including various parameters for the numerical control unit for controlling said machine tool and tool data representing the tool specifications including the type, material and dimensions of the tools held in said machine tool;
• predictive calculation means for predicting at least a selected one of a machining load, the interference between a tool and a work and the contact point of a tool in machining operation based on the data input from said input means and the data stored in said data storage means;
• machining process determining means for selecting at least a tool and a machining pattern and determining a machining process based on the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means, the data input from said input means and the data stored in said data storage means;
• tool path generating means for generating a tool path for machining said work based on the tool, the machining pattern and the machining process selected and determined by said machining process determining means, the data input from said input means, the data stored in said data storage means and the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means;
• machining conditions determining means for determining the conditions for machining said work including main spindle rotational speed and feed rate of said machine tool based on the tool path generated by said tool path generating means, the data stored in said data storage means and the result of predictive calculation by said predictive calculation means;
• and
• numerical control means for controlling the operation of the machine tool of said machining system according to the tool path generated by said tool path generating means and the machining conditions determined by said machining conditions determining means.