Machine tool and control method therefor

A control method for a machine tool for machining a workpiece into a desired shape by a tool by moving at least one of the workpiece and the tool with the workpiece held by a spindle and rotated around a predetermined axis, the machine tool enabling a synchronous control of at least a first channel machining sequence and a second channel machining sequence of which control method is different from that of the first channel machining sequence at least at a certain point of time, the machine tool comprising:

• reference clock signal generating means for generating a clock signal at a predetermined interval;
• tool moving means for moving the tool to a predetermined direction;
• workpiece moving means for moving the workpiece to a predetermined direction;
• pulse signal generating means for generating a pulse signal every predetermined rotational angle of the spindle;
• and,
• divided timing signal generating means for generating a divided timing signal every predetermined time interval on the basis of the clock signal generated at the reference clock signal generating means;
• the control method comprising:
• controlling the spindle by spindle rotation control means to rotate at a desired rotational speed on the basis of the clock signal generated at the reference clock signal generating means;
• determining the moving position of at least one of the workpiece moving means and the tool moving means at a predetermined rotational angle position of the workpiece in response to the pulse signal in the first channel machining sequence by first moving position determining means;
• controlling the movement of at least one of the workpiece and the tool in response to the pulse signal by first moving control means so that at least one of the workpiece and the tool may be moved to the moving position determined by the first moving position determining means;
• determining the moving position of at least one of the workpiece moving means and the tool moving means for the every predetermined time interval in the second channel machining sequence by second moving position determining means;
• and,
• controlling the movement of at least one of the workpiece and the tool in response to the divided timing signal by second moving control means so that at least one of the workpiece and the tool may be moved to the moving position determined by the second moving position determining means.