CN1050099A - Processing station and method of operation thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The processing device (1) can be a machine tool, preferably a machine tool for processing workpieces by means of electro-erosion (spark erosion). The line (8) can be put into operation to transmit information about the machining plant, the tools used therein and/or the workpieces used therein in the direction from the control device (3) to the CAM machining station. During work, the process control computer (6) of the control device (3) processes in real time at least part of the processing amount that is a decisive factor, and the process control computer (7) of the CAM processing station processes all calculations that have a large workload but are not determined by time. The processing volume of the factor, sometimes also can deal with part of the time as the processing volume of the determinant factor.

Description

The invention relates to a processing station having processing equipment, such as a machine tool, and a method of operating the same.

To control processing equipment, such as machine tools, numerical control (NC) is usually used these days, and computer control or computer numerical control (CNC) is most commonly used. The purpose of these controls is to move the axes of the processing equipment, perform processing and control the processing process according to commands and data entered by means of a keyboard, a data carrier (such as a punched tape reader, a soft plastic disk) or a data channel (such as a serial transmission chain) .

Depending on the geometrical and technical requirements of the machining process, determining the individual input parameters of the NC or CNC control can be very complex. Therefore, in order to calculate the input parameters, people usually use the method of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). The CAM processing station compiles the required data with the help of the application programming language related to the relevant problems and processing technology. These data are usually passed through the data carrier (outside the line) or the data line (on the line) in the most commonly used coding language unit (ISO or EIA code) to the NC or CNC control device.

NC or CNC control devices are used to control or adjust the processing capacity and operation of equipment where time is the determining factor. Since these control devices cannot perform computationally heavy work, and because the display resolution of these control devices is insufficient, there is no application programming language related to the relevant problems, and there is no data structure representing the workpiece and machining geometry, etc., during the machining process There is limited ability to change the machining geometry through the intervention of the NC or CNC control device.

On the other hand, CAM processing stations are not fast enough to respond quickly and continuously to multiple process-related interruptions during the processing of the program, so they are not suitable for controlling the processing volume and the operation of equipment where time is the determining factor.

From pages 875-878 of the "Journal of the German Association of Engineers", Volume 128, Issue 22, 1986, and from pages 129-133 of "Weapon Technology Workshop", Volume 77, Issue 3, 1987, people can know that CAM processing The case where the station is connected to a programming system for NC or CNC control. In this prior art, the programming system generates standardized NC control information according to DIN 66025 West German Industrial Standard, which must somehow be conveyed to the NC or CNC control. Therefore, there is no direct connection between the CAM processing station and the NC or CNC control device. In these cases, since there is no point in transmitting any data from the programming system back to the CAM processing station, the connection between the CAM processing station and the programming system is only for one-way transmission of data, only between the CAM processing station and the programming station. This feature can also be understood in the direction of the arrow in the accompanying drawings of the photocopied reference. In addition, the two references teach to keep the systems as autonomous as possible and to couple them to the existing general structure (cf. German Engineers' Association Journal p. 128, left column, second paragraph, and "Weapon Technical Workshop", page 131, point 4). In addition, on page 131 of "Weapon Technology Workshop", point 4 also recommends IGES or 4PT type interface devices that cannot perform any real-time interactive process control.

From European patent EP-A-0109742 it is known to transfer data generated by a programming station to an NC or CNC control device for use by the device. In this prior art, the transfer of data is again only in the direction from the programming station to the NC or CNC control. Incidentally, this programming station is not a CAM processing station at all, because it can determine the input parameters of the NC or CNC control device according to the requirements of the geometric conditions of the processing technology and not according to the requirements of the processing technology.

Of course, it is also known from European patents EP-A-0109742 and EP-A-0086843 to use a connection that can also be used as a bidirectional working line (bidirectional line, "bus") between the programming station and the NC or CNC control device the transmitted data. In the prior art of European patents EP-A-0109742 and EP-A-0086843, the bidirectional line was never used to establish a true bidirectional data exchange between the programming station and the process control computer of the NC or CNC control device Instead, they can be used only to allow data to flow in one direction or the other as required between dedicated process control computers and an input/output controller for communication with data storage. In the prior art of European patents EP-A-0109742 and EP-A-0086843, the transfer of data between the process control computer of the programming station and the process control computer of the NC or CNC control is always from the programming station to the NC or NC control and unidirectional in the direction of the NC or CNC control.

In addition, from European patents EP-A-0109742 and EP-A-0086843, it can be seen that the connection established between the programming station and the NC or CNC control device, these connections sometimes only let the data between the process control computer of the programming station and the NC or CNC The flow between the process computers of the CNC control is sometimes blocked, ie the communication between the process computer of the programming station and the process computer of the NC or the CNC control is interrupted.

The prior art therefore does not at all propose a mutual process-interactive data exchange between the process computer of the NC or CNC controller and the process computer of an upstream programming station or CAM processing station.

In terms of keyboards and displays, European patent EP-A-0109742 also only provides alternative but not simultaneous access to programming stations or NC or CNC control devices.

It is therefore contrary to the prior art to direct the flow of data between the CAM processing station and the NC or CNC control in directions other than substantially only the direction from the CAM processing station to the NC or CNC control. In other words, the prior art only teaches the use of a CAM machining station before machining operations start, and the process-interactive use of a CAM machining station working with an NC or CNC control would contradict the prior art.

In particular, feeding back from the NC or CNC control to the CAM machining station any immediate conditions that are commonly used on equipment for machining and that relate to the machining geometry and/or machining technique of the current machining operation may be inconsistent with existing Technology is contradictory. As noted above, the data generated by CAM machining station processing cannot actually be delivered quickly enough to transfer them to the NC or CNC control on time for any meaningful use in the ongoing machining process.

Therefore, the prior art excludes the possibility of distributing and deploying the processing tasks of the common CAM station and the processing tasks of the common NC or CNC control device in a way other than the traditional way and allocating the corresponding processors of the CAM processing station. Traditionally, all the tasks of the CAM processing station are processed by the processor of the CAM processing station, and all tasks of the NC or CNC control device are processed by the processor of the NC or CNC control device.

In any case, it is impossible to completely transfer the processing tasks of ordinary CAM processing stations to ordinary NC or CNC control devices, because in terms of data volume, ordinary NC or CNC control devices cannot handle the tasks of ordinary CAM processing stations of. In addition, it is in no way possible to completely transfer the processing tasks of ordinary NC or CNC to ordinary CAM processing stations, because ordinary CAM processing stations cannot process quickly enough, at least for process-related events where the time factor plays a decisive role. speed of reaction.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method that combines the beneficial properties of common NC or CNC control devices and common CAM processing stations to comprehensively solve the above problems, so that the equipment is generally used for machining and is compatible with the machining geometric conditions of the current machining operations. And/or any immediate conditions related to machining technology can be fed back from the NC or CNC control device to the CAM processing station, where the processing is carried out, and the data and/or instructions required to enable the processing process to be carried out are transmitted in time into the NC or CNC control.

In the processing station of the present invention, the following equipment is assembled: a processing device; a NC or CNC control device, including a process control computer equipped therein; a CAM processing station, including a process control computer equipped therein; a single console, equipped with A monitor keyboard and optionally a printer for human-machine interaction with the NC or CNC controls and the CAM processing station; and a two-way data transmission line (two-way line, "bus") for two-way data transmission.

The embodiment of the machining station according to the invention therefore has the advantage that all throughput and machine-performing functions which are not time-determining factors can be transferred to the CAM machining station. This further facilitates rationalization and reduces costs, since the NC or CNC control only needs to handle part of the functions of a conventional NC or CNC control and can thus be manufactured more simply. In addition, this can avoid repeated input of the same or similar data multiple times. For example, converting the data code from the CAM format to the NC or CNC format according to the West German industrial standard DIN66025 can also avoid ambiguous meanings. and the resulting error sources.

In summary, there have hitherto existed two separate "fields", namely the "CAM field" and the "NC or CNC field", and the present invention makes it possible to transfer larger equipment from the "NC or CNC field" to the "CAM field", Thereby transferred to the operation interface device and transformed into language. Embodiments of the machining station of the present invention now include a two-way link representing real-time changing processes between the CAM machining station and the NC or CNC control. At the same time the actual NC or CNC control is reduced to "incomplete" control, since some parts of the traditional tasks of the NC or CNC control are carried out by the CAM machining station, which brings about a significant rationalization effect.

Preferably, the two process control computers are permanently connected to each other and the control console is permanently connected to the two process control computers at least when the process plant is in operation.

An advantage of this is that the data that must be displayed both from the CAM processing station and from the NC or CNC control can be displayed simultaneously on a single display by means of common windowing techniques. In contrast, in the prior art, the operator has to look at two displays at the same time, one of which is assigned to the CAM processing station and the NC or CNC control device, or according to the European patent EP-A- 0109742 In this prior art approach, the operator must assign the display to data from the CAM processing station or to data from the NC or CNC control, and refuse to display unassigned data.

Preferably, such a machining station can be used in conjunction with a machine tool, in particular for machining workpieces by electroerosion machining (spark erosion machining).

The bidirectional data transmission line is preferably formed as a data transmission network, to which additional processors and/or an external computer can be connected.

This has the advantage that administrative tasks can be carried out by an external computer and its data can be retrieved, for example, from a production plant without operator intervention. An external computer can be easily connected to the processing station according to the invention, since the data network can be (in principle also) formed according to the basic laws of modern network layouts.

The processing equipment is preferably a machine tool, especially a machine tool that processes workpieces by electrolysis (spark corrosion).

Preferably, at least while the machining plant is in operation, a bidirectional data transmission line can be put into operation to transmit information pertaining to the machining plant, the tools used therein and/or the workpieces used therein from the NC or CNC control to the CAM machining station direction of transmission.

The method of the invention for operating a processing station is characterized in that the process control computer of the NC or CNC control device operates in real time and handles at least part of the time the processing volume of the determining factor, while the process control computer of the CAM processing station handles all the computational workload Large but not time-dependent processing volumes.

The advantage of this is that when transmitting all the functions that do not involve time as a determining factor and processing actions of processing equipment to the CAM processing station, it is not necessary to repeatedly input the same or similar data. For example, the data code is set to The West German Industrial Standard DIN 66025 is converted from CAM format to NC or CNC format, thereby also avoiding ambiguities and sources of error.

The process computer of the CAM processing station preferably also handles the throughput of the determining factor part-time. In other words, a CAM station can also be used to assist the process computer of an NC or CNC controller to calculate real-time problems if the process computer of the CAM station works very fast because of the way it is aggregated and coupled.

The advantage of this is that the process control computer of the CAM processing station receives the latest information about the machining geometry and technical requirements of the current processing technology. At the same time, the process control computer of the CAM processing station handles a large amount of processing data, thus making it possible to intervene in the current processing process. For example, especially when the processing equipment is used to process workpieces by electric corrosion (spark erosion), the process control computer of the CAM processing station can adapt to the processing process when changing the parameters of the pulse generator, or optimize the processing process, The method is to change the geometric data when reducing the radius, or it is also possible to change the so-called escape strategy when the process is unstable, especially when the flushing conditions are unstable.

When the processing device is a machine tool, in particular a machine tool for machining workpieces by means of galvanic erosion (spark erosion), in a preferred embodiment of the process, the bidirectional data transmission line is at least part of the time between the slave NC and/or the CNC The direction of the control device to the CAM processing station transmits information about the processing plant, the tools used therein and/or the workpieces used therein. This information essentially represents the current machining geometry and technical requirements of the current machining process, and its feedback to the CAM machining station is in addition to data and/or instructions from the NC and or CNC control device to the CAM machining before the machining process begins. station in addition to normal transmission.

In other words, before the machining process starts, the lines are used in the usual way to transfer data and technical data about the workpiece and machining geometry from the CAM machining station to the NC or CNC control. In addition, the circuit is also used to reload and update the above-mentioned data during the processing (this may be required when the internal storage capacity of the NC or CNC control device is limited due to cost), and use By exchanging machining geometry and technical data between the NC or CNC control unit and the CAM processing station, it is possible to utilize the capacities of the process control computers in an optimal manner, and thus also enable the exchanged data themselves to reach optimize.

The advantage of this is that for the part of the processing station corresponding to the CAM processing station and the part of the processing station corresponding to the NC or CNC control device, the same display, the same keyboard, and the same application programming language can be used, and usually same form of interaction.

Among the many other advantages that the processing station of the present invention has, it can be listed as follows:

- It is always possible to use a complete data structure during machining to describe the three-dimensional design of workpieces, tools and machining paths, and a logical database to describe planetary movements and retraction or discharge strategies of tools, etc., thereby making it possible to make machining Optimum or improved process technology, pre-determination of geometric paths and selected sequence of steps;

- Possibility of connecting the processing equipment itself to a high-performance network (local area network), which makes it possible to collect operating data smartly and transfer them from the central operating computer to the processing equipment;

- Possibility to measure the geometrical dimensions of the workpiece and machining during machining, to observe geometrical errors, thus making it possible to compensate or correct geometrical errors by changing geometrical and technical parameters;

- it is possible to use better performing data structures to make generic ISO or EIA codes available for processing (but not to stop there);

- It is possible to use the high performance of the CAM system structure for adaptive control of the machining process.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The drawing shows the processing station of the invention in the form of a block diagram.

In view of the fact that the gist of the present invention does not lie in the machining process itself but lies in its interaction with NC or CNC control device and CAM machining station, so the following is to introduce the content of the present invention with reference to an embodiment of the machining equipment for cutting workpieces by galvanic corrosion , where the tool used is a wire electrode.

In this exemplary embodiment, the processing equipment of the present invention includes:

- Wire cutter EDM equipment 1;

- pulse generator 2 for spark erosion;

- NC or CNC controls3 for tool and workpiece;

-CAM processing station 4;

- the first processor 6 of the NC or CNC control device 3, which processor works in real time, and the processing time is the determining factor of the processing capacity;

- a second processor 7 of the CAM processing station 4, which processes all computationally intensive but not primarily time-determining processes;

- console 5 equipped with a monitor, keyboard and printer, the monitor being connected to the first processor 6 and the keyboard and printer connected to the second processor 7; and

- a high-performance bidirectional line 8 serving as a data network and connecting together the first processor 6 and the second processor 7;

The first processor 6 may be supported by further processors 6', 6", if necessary.

The processing station of the present invention can be connected to an external computer 9, which in this example is the central operating computer of the production plant. This connection can take place in the usual way via a high-performance local area network, or directly via the data network 8 of the processing station, as shown in solid lines and numbered 10 . Since the processing machine 7 of the CAM processing station 4 performs calculation operations, and each quantity and data are respectively fed back to the CAM processing station 4 from the NC or CNC control device 3, the central operation computer 9 can record the operating conditions of the processing station and, for example, stop Or make statistics in time during operation.

Due to the corresponding programming of the two process control computers 6 and 7, the processor 6 of the NC or CNC control device 3 can handle the processing time of the determinant processing capacity, and the processor of the CAM processing station 4 has a large workload but The main factor is not the amount of processing time is the main factor. This division of labor is possible because both process control computers of the data network 8 have access to all the data required for this purpose.

The amount of time that can be processed by the first processor is the determining factor can be listed as follows:

- interpolation;

- control of servo drives;

- control of the pulse generator;

- control of the tool transmission;

- monitoring of processing;

-Adaptive optimization of the geometric parameters of the workpiece and machining and the technical parameters of the machining process based on the data measured during the machining process;

- Selection of optimal conditions for tool retraction or discharge strategies, depending on the workpiece and machining geometry as well as the geometric and technical requirements of the machining process.

The amount of processing that can be processed by the second processor that is not time-dependent can be listed as follows:

- Calculation of machining paths (eg feature geometry points);

- calculation of the sequence of machining operations;

- the selection of the correct processing method, which depends on the information stored in the database;

- selection of optimal machining algorithms and strategies;

- selection of the correct sequence of machining geometrical operations, depending on the difficulty of machining geometrical conditions, such as determining the planetary movement of the tool electrode;

- Measurement of workpiece geometry, and determination of corresponding corrective machining operations to compensate or correct errors in workpiece geometry by changing geometric and technical parameters.

The console includes a single monitor, a keyboard, and a printer. This console forms the only interface between the operator and programmer on the one hand, and the processing equipment on the other. The functions of the console can be listed as follows:

- input of data on workpiece and machining geometry as well as technical data;

- Input the instructions of the machine tool during manual operation,

- Display of data about the machining process such as workpiece and machining geometry, technical data, operating data, etc.

This has the great advantage that only a single console is needed to operate the entire processing station: in particular, the operator does not need to run back and forth between the various consoles to read or enter data when some operational problem arises. Hitherto, this advantage could not be achieved in such a comprehensive and logical form, especially together with the present guarantee of simultaneous monitoring and unified operation.

Claims (10)

1, a kind of processing station, wherein compiling has following equipment:

One process equipment (1);

One NC or CNC control device (3) comprise the process computer (6) of distributing to it;

One CAM processing station (4) comprises the process computer (7) of distributing to it;

One single control desk (5) is equipped with display, keyboard, also can be equipped with printer, supplies and NC or CNC control device (3) and the mutual usefulness of CAM processing station (4) people's one machine; With

One circuit (8) is in order to carry out bidirectional data transfers (bidirectional line, " bus ") between two process computers (6,7).

2, processing station according to claim 1 is characterized in that, at least when process equipment (1) is worked, two process computers (6,7) permanently be connected to each other, and control desk (5) permanently is connected on two process computers (6,7).

3, processing station according to claim 2 is characterized in that, data double-way transmission line (8) is to constitute a data transmission network, this network can connect other processor (6 ', 6 ") and/or an outer computer (9).

4, processing station according to claim 1 is characterized in that, process equipment (1) is a lathe.

5, processing station according to claim 4 is characterized in that, process equipment (1) is a lathe of borrowing electrocorrosion (spark erosion) processing work.

6, according to claim 2 and 4 described processing stations, it is characterized in that, at least when process equipment (1) is worked, can make bidirectional data transfers circuit (8) work, with relevant process equipment, wherein employed cutter and wherein the information of employed workpiece transmitting from NC or CNC control device to the direction of CAM processing station.

7, a kind of method of operating of processing station, this processing station have process equipment (I); NC or CNC control device (3) comprise the process computer (6) of distributing to it; CAM processing station (4) comprises the process control processor (7) of distributing to it; Single control desk (5) permanently is connected on two process computers (6,7), and is equipped with display, keyboard, also can be equipped with printer, for carrying out man-machine interaction's usefulness with NC or CNC control device (3) and CAM processing station (4); With nonvolatil bidirectional data transfers circuit (8), in order to swap data between two process computers (6,7);

It is characterized in that, process computer (6) real time execution of NC or CNC control device (3), and the processing section time is the treatment capacity of determinant at least, and the process computer of CAM processing station (7) is then handled amount of calculation greatly but be not to be the treatment capacity of determinative the time.

8, method according to claim 7 is characterized in that, also the processing section time is the treatment capacity of determinative to the process computer (7) of CAM processing station (4).

9, according to claim 7 or 8 described methods, wherein process equipment (1) is a lathe,

It is characterized in that, bidirectional data transfers circuit (8) at least during part-time along transmit relevant process equipment, the information of employed cutter and/or wherein used workpiece wherein from NC or CNC control device to the direction of CAM processing station.

10, according to claim 7 or 8 described methods, wherein process equipment (1) is a lathe by means of electrocorrosion (spark erosion) processing work,

It is characterized in that, bidirectional data transfers circuit (8) at least during part-time along transmit relevant process equipment, the information of employed cutter and/or wherein used workpiece wherein from NC or CNC control device to the direction of CAM processing station.

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