Method and system for automated software control of waterjet orientation parameters

A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions that control a computer processor to automatically determine and generate motion instructions that are adjusted to compensate for lead or taper errors and that control movement and orientation of a cutting head of a fluid jet apparatus to produce a target piece, by:

• for each of a plurality of entities that comprise a geometry of the target piece,
• receiving an indication of a process parameter associated with the entity, wherein at least two of the entities are associated with different values of the process parameter;
• based upon the indicated process parameter associated with the entity, automatically determining a corresponding angular adjustment using a predictive model that models at least one of a lead or taper angle as a function of the process parameter;
• and
• automatically generating and storing a motion instruction that indicates desired movement of the cutting head along with the determined corresponding angular adjustment;
• and
• automatically controlling movement and orientation of the cutting head of the fluid jet apparatus to produce the target piece in accordance with the motion instructions.

A fluid jet apparatus control system for controlling a fluid jet apparatus cutting head that rotates on a plurality of axes to cut a target piece according to a geometry, comprising:

• a motion program generator that is structured to
• automatically determine an orientation value for each of a plurality of segments of the geometry in accordance with a process parameter associated with each segment, at least two segments having associated process parameters values that are different, the orientation value related to at least one of a lead or taper angle;
• and
• store the determined orientation values associated with the plurality of segments as portions of motion instructions;
• and
• an interface that is structured to
• retrieve the stored motion instructions;
• and
• communicate a plurality of positional and orientation values to the cutting head of the fluid jet apparatus to position and orient the cutting head with respect to the plurality of axes to cut the target piece according to the automatically determined orientation values.

A fluid jet apparatus control system for controlling a fluid jet apparatus cutting head that rotates on a plurality of axes to cut a target piece according to a geometry, comprising:

• means for automatically determining an orientation value for each of a plurality of segments of the geometry in accordance with a process parameter associated with each segment, at least two of the segments having associated process parameters values that are different, the orientation value related to at least one of a lead or taper angle;
• means for storing the determined orientation values associated with the plurality of segments as portions of stored motion instructions;
• and
• means for communicating the stored motion instructions as a plurality of positional and orientation values to the cutting head of the fluid jet apparatus to position and orient the cutting head with respect to the plurality of axes to cut the target piece according to the automatically determined orientation values.

A method in a computer system for automatically controlling orientation of a cutting head of a fluid jet apparatus while cutting to produce a target piece according to a received geometry, comprising:

• receiving speed feedback relative to a current location of the cutting head;
• determining a next speed relative to an upcoming location of the cutting head based upon the received geometry;
• determining a next orientation angle for the cutting head based upon the received speed feedback, the determined next speed, and a predictive model of orientation angles;
• and
• adjusting the orientation of the cutting head in accordance with the determined next orientation angle.

A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor in a controller to automatically adjust orientation of a cutting head of a fluid jet apparatus while cutting to produce a target piece according to a received geometry, by:

• receiving speed feedback relative to a current location of the cutting head;
• determining a next speed relative to an upcoming location of the cutting head based upon the received geometry;
• determining a next orientation angle for the cutting head based upon the received speed feedback, the determined next speed, and a predictive model of orientation angles;
• and
• adjusting the orientation of the cutting head in accordance with the determined next orientation angle.

A controller that automatically controls orientation of a cutting head of a fluid jet apparatus while cuffing to produce a target piece according to a received geometry, comprising:

• speed and acceleration model;
• predictive lead and taper model;
• feedback mechanism that is structured to receive speed feedback relative to a current location of the cutting head;
• and
• look-ahead component that is structured to
• determine a next speed relative to an upcoming location of the cutting head based upon the received geometry and the speed and acceleration model;
• determine a next orientation angle for the cutting head based upon the received speed feedback, the determined next speed, and the predictive lead and taper model;
• and
• adjusts the orientation of the cutting head in accordance with the determined next orientation angle.