Numerical control apparatus

A numerical control apparatus comprising:

• an evaluating section for forming evaluation data of an evaluation point containing a distance to a succeeding evaluation point, by arranging, virtually, a process applying portion of a system to be numerically controlled on a given scheduled path locus to come into contact with a processed surface of a processing object, and by setting a plurality of evaluation points to evaluate shape of the processed surface;
• a command speed deciding section for deciding a command speed, at which the process applying portion is moved, by deciding whether a deceleration, based on the evaluation data, is necessary;
• and
• a process applying portion position data forming section for calculating an evaluation point such that a path length that is a sum of distances obtained by adding successive distances to succeeding evaluation points in the evaluation data of respective evaluation points, exceeds a predetermined length, while using a succeeding evaluation point closest to a current process applying portion position as an initial point, then searching for a process applying portion position that is separated from the current process applying portion position by a predetermined distance, by arranging, virtually, the process applying portion to come into contact with the processed surface while using this evaluation point calculated as a starting point, and providing the process applying portion position found in searching to the system to be numerically controlled.

A numerical control apparatus comprising:

• an evaluating section for forming evaluation data of an evaluation point containing a pointer representing a position of a succeeding clamp point, a path length to the succeeding clamp point, and a passing speed of a process applying portion to be passed through the evaluation point if the evaluation point corresponds to a clamp point, by arranging, virtually, the process applying portion of a system to be numerically controlled on a given scheduled path locus to come into contact with a processed surface of a processing object, and by setting a plurality of evaluation points to evaluate shape of the processed surface, where the clamp point signifies the evaluation point that is decided based on the shape of the processed surface such that the passing speed of the process applying portion passing through the evaluation point is restricted;
• a command speed deciding section for deciding a command speed at which the process applying portion is moved, by calculating (i) a distance from a current process applying portion position to a closest succeeding evaluation point and then deciding whether a deceleration based on a path length from the current process applying portion position to the succeeding clamp point is necessary, the path length being calculated by reading the path length to the succeeding clamp point in evaluation data of the closest succeeding evaluation point and adding the path length calculated to the distance, (ii) the passing speed in the evaluation data of the clamp point, the passing speed being calculated by employing the pointer in the evaluation data of the closest succeeding evaluation point, and (iii) speed of the current process applying portion;
• and
• a process applying portion position data forming section for calculating an evaluation point such that a path length that is a sum of distances obtained by adding successive distances to succeeding evaluation points in the evaluation data of respective evaluation points, exceeds a predetermined length, while using a succeeding evaluation point closest to a current process applying portion position as an initial point, then searching for a process applying portion position that is separated from the current process applying portion position by a predetermined distance, by arranging, virtually, the process applying portion to come into contact with the processed surface while using this evaluation point calculated as a starting point, and providing the process applying portion position found in searching to the system to be numerically controlled.