Method and apparatus for generating control data for controlling a tool on a machine tool

An apparatus including a hardware processor for generating control data for controlling a predetermined tool on a machine tool for machining a clamped workpiece from a blank to a finished part, comprising:

• a path data generation unit for generating path data indicating which machining path a predetermined tool is to travel at which feed rate and with which tool orientation relative to the workpiece, wherein
• a machining geometry model data generation unit for generating machining geometry model data of a machining geometry of the workpiece, which describes a removal state of the workpiece at a particular machining time,
• a finished part geometry model data provision unit for providing finished part geometry model data which describes a finished part geometry of the workpiece,
• a difference geometry model data generation unit for generating difference geometry model data which describes a difference geometry of material that has yet to be removed in order to achieve the finished part geometry, wherein
• the path data generation unit generates path data on the basis of the difference geometry model data if the predetermined tool removes a maximally large part of the volume of the difference geometry of the workpiece per time unit while traveling the machining path in dependence of a maximum machining volume for the predetermined tool,
• wherein the apparatus repeats one time or multiple times:
• generating machining geometry model data,
• generating difference geometry model data, and
• generating path data on the basis of the difference geometry model data in this sequence, wherein at least second machining geometry model data of a second machining geometry of the workpiece and second difference geometry model data are generated at a particular second machining time upon a first repetition of the steps after a tool predetermined for a first machining path has traveled the first machining path on the basis of first path data, and second path data are generated on the basis of the second difference geometry model data if a tool predetermined for a second machining path removes a maximally large part of the volume of the second difference geometry of the workpiece per time unit while traveling the second machining path in dependence of a maximum machining volume.

A method for generating control data for controlling a predetermined tool on a machine tool for machining a clamped workpiece from a blank to a finished part, comprising:

• the step of generating path data by a hardware processor that indicates which machining path a predetermined tool is to travel at what feed rate and with which tool orientation relative to the workpiece, wherein
• generating machining geometry model data of a machining geometry of the workpiece, which describes a removal state of the workpiece at a particular machining time,
• providing finished part geometry model data which describes a finished part geometry of the workpiece,
• generating difference geometry model data which describes a difference geometry of material which has yet to be removed in order to achieve the finished part geometry, and
• generating path data on the basis of the difference geometry model data if the predetermined tool removes a maximally large part of the volume of the difference geometry of the workpiece per time unit while traveling the machining path in dependence of a maximum machining volume for the predetermined tool,
• wherein the machine tool comprises a control device for controlling the predetermined tool, the control device enabling the control of the predetermined tool relative to the clamped workpiece with a three-dimensional free tool movement and a free tool orientation about at least 5 axes, and the path data being generated such that when traveling a machining path determined on the basis of the difference geometry, the predetermined tool changes the feed direction, the feed rate and/or the orientation relative to the clamped workpiece in dependence of the difference geometry,
• wherein repeating one time or multiple times a step of generating machine tool geometry model data which describes a machine tool geometry at a particular machining time of the workpiece, wherein the machine tool geometry comprises a relative orientation and relative position of the predetermined tool, of elements of the control device and of clamping means of the machine tool for clamping the workpiece, and
• wherein the path data is generated additionally on the basis of the machine tool geometry model data and/or on the basis of a comparison of the machine tool geometry model data with the machining geometry model data at the particular machining time if a collision of elements of the machine tool with elements of the machine tool and of elements of the machine tool other than the predetermined tool with the workpiece while a machining path determined on the basis of the generated path data is traveled by the predetermined tool is prevented.

A method for generating control data for controlling a predetermined tool on a machine tool for machining a clamped workpiece from a blank to a finished part, comprising:

• the step of generating path data by a hardware processor that indicates which machining path a predetermined tool is to travel at what feed rate and with which tool orientation relative to the workpiece, wherein
• generating machining geometry model data of a machining geometry of the workpiece, which describes a removal state of the workpiece at a particular machining time,
• providing finished part geometry model data which describes a finished part geometry of the workpiece,
• generating difference geometry model data which describes a difference geometry of material which has yet to be removed in order to achieve the finished part geometry, and
• generating path data on the basis of the difference geometry model data if the predetermined tool removes a maximally large part of the volume of the difference geometry of the workpiece per time unit while traveling the machining path in dependence of a maximum machining volume for the predetermined tool,
• wherein the model data is suited to generate a virtual 3D model of a blank geometry, the machining geometry, the finished part geometry, the difference geometry and/or the machine tool, and
• wherein the path data is generated on the basis of a simulation of the machining of a virtual workpiece on a virtual machine tool, the simulation comprising the following steps:
• generating a virtual 3D model of the workpiece in a raw state,
• generating first path data including determining a first machining path for a virtual predetermined tool,
• simulating the traveling of the determined first machining path on the basis of the generated first path data by the virtual predetermined tool,
• generating machining geometry model data of a virtual 3D model of a machining geometry of the virtual workpiece, which describes a virtual removal state of the workpiece at a machining time after the traveling of the first determined machining path by a virtual predetermined tool was simulated,
• providing finished part geometry model data of a virtual 3D model of the finished part geometry, which describes a finished part geometry of the virtual workpiece,
• generating difference geometry model data which describes a difference geometry of the material which yet has to be removed from the virtual workpiece in order to achieve the finished part geometry, and
• generating second path data including determining a second machining path on the basis of the difference geometry model data if the virtual predetermined tool removes a maximally large part of the volume of the difference geometry of the workpiece per time unit upon simulation of the traveling of the second machining path in dependence of a maximum machining volume for the predetermined tool.