Movement controller for controlling movement of mobile body of machine tool, machine tool provided with movement controller, and mobile body moving method

A movement controller, for use in a machine tool having at least one mobile body movable between a first position and a second position in a coordinate system containing mutually perpendicular first and second axes,

• wherein the movement controller for moving the mobile body between the first position and the second position comprises:
• a storage section which stores a first maximum moving speed for the mobile body to be moved along the first axis, a first maximum acceleration and first maximum deceleration for the mobile body to be accelerated and decelerated between the first maximum moving speed and zero speed, a second maximum moving speed for the mobile body to be moved along the second axis, and a second maximum acceleration and second maximum deceleration for the mobile body to be accelerated and decelerated between the second maximum moving speed and zero speed;
• a direction change point setting section which, based on the specified first and second positions, sets a direction change point within the coordinate system at a position spaced away from a straight line joining the first and second positions;
• an acceleration/deceleration computing section which computes, as values smaller than the first maximum acceleration and the first minimum deceleration, the acceleration and deceleration with which the mobile body is accelerated and decelerated along the first axis during a period starting from the time that the mobile body passes the direction change point set by the direction change point setting section until the time that the mobile body reaches the next direction change point or a stopping point;
• a mode-of-movement computing section which, based on the acceleration and deceleration computed by the acceleration/deceleration computing section and on the second maximum acceleration and the second maximum deceleration stored in the storage section, computes the mode of movement of the mobile body so that the movement of the mobile body along the second axis is completed while the mobile body is being accelerated and decelerated along the first axis;
• and
• a driving control section which moves the mobile body from the first position to the second position via the direction change point by controlling the movement of the mobile body along the first axis and the movement of the mobile body along the second axis in accordance with the mode of movement computed by the mode-of-movement computing section.

A moving method, for use in a machine tool having at least one mobile body movable between a first position and a second position in a coordinate system containing mutually perpendicular first and second axes, and a first axis driving unit and a second axis driving unit for moving the mobile body in directions parallel to the first and second axes, respectively, the method being adapted to move the mobile body by controlling the first axis driving unit and the second axis driving unit so that the mobile body moving between the first position and the second position passes through at least one direction change point that does not lie on a straight line joining the first position to the second position,

• wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• after the mobile body has reached the at least one direction change point, accelerating and decelerating the mobile body in the first-axis direction by the first axis driving unit with an acceleration and deceleration smaller than a predetermined first maximum acceleration and first maximum deceleration that the first axis driving unit can provide;
• and
• performing the acceleration and deceleration continuously over a part or entire length of a time during which the second axis driving unit is driven after the direction change point is reached.

A moving method, for use in a machine tool having at least one mobile body movable between a first position and a second position in a coordinate system containing mutually perpendicular first and second axes,

• wherein the moving method for moving the mobile body between the first position and the second position comprises the steps of:
• setting a first maximum moving speed for the mobile body to be moved along the first axis and a first maximum acceleration and first maximum deceleration for the mobile body to be accelerated and decelerated between the first maximum moving speed and zero speed;
• setting a second maximum moving speed for the mobile body to be moved along the second axis and a second maximum acceleration and second maximum deceleration for the mobile body to be accelerated and decelerated between the second maximum moving speed and zero speed;
• setting a direction change point within the coordinate system at a position spaced away from a straight line joining the first and second positions;
• when moving the mobile body from the first position to the second position via the direction change point, accelerating and decelerating the mobile body along the first axis with an acceleration and deceleration smaller than the first maximum acceleration and the first minimum deceleration during a period starting from the time that the mobile body passes the direction change point until the time that the mobile body reaches the next direction change point or a stopping point, while at the same time, moving the mobile body with the second maximum acceleration and the second maximum deceleration along the second axis and completing the movement along the second axis while the mobile body is being moved along the first axis.

The controller, for use in a machine tool having a mobile body movable along an arbitrary direction between arbitrary points set within a two-dimensional plane, a stationary block placed within a movable range of the mobile body, and a driving unit for moving the mobile body in the arbitrary direction to accomplish the positioning thereof,

• wherein the controller for controlling the driving unit comprises:
• a processing section which sets a moving path that the mobile body should take between the arbitrary positions set as first and second positions so that the mobile body does not interfere with the stationary block and so that the moving path does not contain a sharp angular corner but at least partially contains an arcuate line;
• and
• a driving control section which controls the driving unit so that the mobile body moves along the moving path set by the processing section.

A controller, for use in a machine tool having:

• a spindle post for rotatably supporting a spindle capable of rotating with first work held thereon;
• a back spindle post equipped with a back spindle, which has an axis parallel to the axis of the spindle, is disposed so as to face the spindle, and is capable of rotating with second work held thereon, and one or more first tools which perform cutting operations on the first work held on the spindle, wherein the back spindle post is movable in the axial direction of the spindle as well as in an arbitrary direction perpendicular to the axis;
• a stationary tool post disposed within a movable range of the back spindle post and equipped with one or more second tools which performs cutting operations on the second work held on the back spindle;
• and a driving unit for moving the back spindle post to an arbitrary position in an arbitrary direction to accomplish the positioning thereof, wherein the controller for controlling the driving unit comprises:
• a processing section which sets a moving path that the back spindle post should take between the arbitrary positions set as first and second positions, with the stationary tool post interposed therebetween, so that the back spindle post does not interfere with the stationary tool post and so that the moving path does not contain a sharp angular corner but at least partially contains an arcuate line;
• and
• a driving control section which controls the driving unit so that the back spindle post moves along the moving path set by the processing section.