Operating device for NC machine tool

A NC machine tool, comprising:

• a machining mechanism operable in an automatic machining mode and a manual machining mode,
• an operation controller operably coupled to the machining mechanism and configured to generate an automatic machining command to operate the machining mechanism in the automatic machining mode and a manual machining command to operate the machining mechanism in the manual machining mode,
• an operating device for inputting an operation signal into the operation controller, including:
• a touch panel including a display unit for displaying a screen and an input unit which is disposed in a state of being overlapped on the display unit for inputting data relating to a position touched by an operator, the display unit being visually recognized from outside;
• a display screen data storage unit storing therein data relating to display screens to be displayed on the display unit of the touch panel, the display screen data storage unit storing therein at least data relating to a mode switching screen for selecting one from a plurality of operation modes and data relating to a plurality of operation screens for inputting operations corresponding to each of the operation modes;
• an operation information storage unit storing therein operation information which is defined in correspondence to a position on the display screen for each of the display screens;
• an attribute information storage unit storing therein attribute information which is set for at least a part of the operation screens set for each of the operations modes and which defines a relationship between each of the operation screens and its corresponding operation mode;
• a display control unit which divides the display unit into at least one mode switching screen display area having a plurality of automatic mode types and a plurality of manual mode types for selection and at least two operation screen display areas, the at least two operation screen display areas including a machine operation display area, reads out the display screen data stored in the display screen data storage unit, and displays the mode switching screen and the operation screens in the at least one mode switching screen display area and the at least two operation screen display areas, respectively;
• and
• an input signal processing unit which performs a processing of receiving a signal input from the input unit of the touch panel, referring to the operation information stored in the operation information storage unit based on the received signal, generating an operation signal corresponding to the received signal, and transmitting the generated operation signal to the operation controller, and, when it is necessary to change the display screen, a processing of generating a display screen changing signal and transmitting the generated display screen changing signal to the display control unit,
• the display control unit further being configured to receive the display screen changing signal from the input signal processing unit and change the display screen displayed on the display unit of the touch panel in response to the signal,
• wherein the input signal processing unit is configured to determine a flicking gesture in the machine operation display area and transmit a flick operation signal to the display control unit,
• wherein the display control unit, upon receipt of the flick operation signal, scrolls at least partially through at least one of the plurality of operation screens to display at least one manual operation command in the machine operation display area,
• wherein the input signal processing unit is further configured to determine a selection of the at least one manual operation command and transmit a manual machine operation signal, and
• wherein the operating device further comprises an automatic mode switching unit which monitors the display of the operation screens by the display control unit and determines whether the attribute information is set for the displayed operation screens or not by referring to the attribute information stored in the attribute information storage unit, and in a case where the attribute information is set for the displayed operation screens and the machining mechanism is currently in the automatic machining mode, generates a mode switching signal for automatically switching from the automatic machining mode to the manual machining mode and outputs a manual mode operation signal to the operation controller, and
• wherein the operation controller generates the manual machining command in response to the manual mode operation signal.