JP2000029915A - Sheet picking method and apparatus in CAD / CAM system for sheet metal - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] Even if each cut figure with respect to a workpiece has a complicated shape, it can be arranged at a target interval at a position intended by an operator, thereby improving the arrangement efficiency and yield of each cut figure. Provided is a sheet picking method and apparatus in a sheet metal CAD / CAM system that can be achieved. SOLUTION: A virtual outer shape 3b 'is created by expanding the outside of the outer shape of a member (cut figure) 3b to be arranged on a material (workpiece) 2 by a member interval, and the virtual outer shape and a member already arranged. The overlap distance in the XY direction of each of the overlapped portion with 3a and the end portion of the material 2 is calculated, and the virtual outer shape 3b 'is moved so that the smallest one of the overlapped distances becomes zero in order. When all the overlapping portions are finally eliminated, the member 3b to be arranged is moved in the same direction and the same distance as the virtual outer shape 3b 'has moved to determine the arrangement position of the member 3b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CAD / CAM for a sheet metal for determining an arrangement position of each cut figure with respect to a workpiece.
The present invention relates to a sheet removing method and an apparatus for the same in a system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a sheet picking method in a CAD / CAM system for sheet metal, the same grid as a figure interval (hereinafter, referred to as a member interval) of each cut figure to be arranged on a workpiece (hereinafter, referred to as a material) is used. An operator drags a cut figure (hereinafter, referred to as a member) to be displayed by the mouse with a mouse, and visually arranges the cut figure (or member) by relying on the grid interval.
By specifying the direction (four directions in the x and y directions) and the member interval to be actually arranged, the distance between the member existing in the specified direction and the temporarily arranged member is calculated, and the amount of movement to reach the target member interval Is calculated to determine the arrangement position.

[0003] In addition, in the board removing method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-40279, a virtual outer shape (B) is added by adding α between minimum blocks in the vertical and horizontal directions of the size of a rectangular member (block) to be arranged.
OX), and all the BOXes are arranged on the material. If an overlap occurs in the arranged BOXes, it is determined whether the resolution width of the overlapping portion is larger or smaller than the empty space on the material. The BOX is moved in the direction of the empty space. If the BOX is large, the BOX is moved downward or to the right, and the operation is repeated until there is no overlap. This publication describes only a case where one rectangular member overlaps one rectangular member.

[0004] In addition, in the plate removing method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-134383, a first member is arranged at a reference position on a material, and the next member (second member) is arranged and moved to the left. ,
Returning a predetermined amount to the right when the first and second members overlap, and then moving the second member downward and returning a predetermined amount upward when the two members overlap to determine the position of the second member. It is.

[0005]

However, in the method of arranging the members visually by the grid display as described above, as the size of the members becomes smaller and more complicated, the monitor must be stared at, and the burden on the operator is increased. And the efficiency is low. Also, in the method of moving the temporarily arranged member in the designated direction, it can be moved only in one designated direction, which is very troublesome, and the distance calculation is performed for all members in the designated direction. Therefore, there is a problem that much processing time is required until the arrangement is completed.

In the plate picking method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-40279, a case is considered in which a rectangular member to be arranged next overlaps an already arranged rectangular member, and the member to be arranged has a rectangular shape. No consideration is given to the case other than the above and the case where it overlaps with a plurality of members already arranged, and there is a problem that it is impossible to cope with it. Further, when the member to be arranged overlaps with one member, and the width of elimination of the overlap portion is larger than the empty space of the material, the member is moved rightward or downward, and the overlap occurs with this movement. If the members are moved only in the overlapping width of the overlapping portion, there is a problem that the yield is very likely to be extremely low.

Further, in the plate removing method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-134383, as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), for example, a substantially triangular notch is formed at the center. When a substantially rectangular member 101 integrally having a notch and a substantially rectangular member 102 integrally having a projection having the same shape is arranged, the substantially rectangular member 1
02 to the left without overlapping (see FIG. 6).
(A)), shifted to a position where it does not overlap downward (FIG. 6)
In the case of (b)), there is a problem that the gap is large and the yield is low as compared with the target arrangement (indicated by a two-dot chain line). Further, when the predetermined amount of movement in the left or right direction is set to be large, it becomes larger than a target component interval, and when the predetermined amount is set to be small, it takes a long time to process.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and even if each cut figure for a workpiece is a complicated shape, it can be arranged at a target interval at a position intended by an operator. CAD / C for sheet metal that can improve the layout efficiency and yield of each cut figure
It is an object of the present invention to provide a board removing method and an apparatus therefor in an AM system.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a CA for sheet metal according to the first invention is provided.
A sheet picking method in a D / CAM system is a sheet metal CAD / C that determines an arrangement position of each cut figure with respect to a workpiece.
In the plate picking method in the AM system, (a) the cut figure to be arranged is smaller than a predetermined interval or partially overlaps with the end of the work or the cut figure already placed on the work. A first step of arranging
(B) a second step of creating a virtual outline expanded by a predetermined distance outside the outline of the cut figure arranged in the first step, and (c) the virtual outline and the virtual outline already formed on the workpiece. A third step of obtaining respective overlapping distances in the X and Y directions between the arranged members and (d) selecting the smallest overlapping distance among the overlapping distances and virtually setting the overlapping distance to zero. A fourth step of moving the outer shape by the distance, (e) a fifth step of repeating the third step and the fourth step until the overlapping portion is eliminated, and (f) a virtual outer shape arranged in the fifth step. A sixth step of restoring the cut figure to be arranged or moving the cut figure to be arranged by an amount corresponding to the movement of the virtual outer shape to determine the arrangement position of the member is provided. .

According to the first aspect, the overlapping portion between the virtual outer shape created based on the cut figure to be arranged and the already arranged cut figure or the end of the workpiece has the smallest overlapping distance. It becomes zero in order from the thing, and the overlapping part is finally eliminated. In this way, even when a cut figure having a complicated shape is arranged, the cut figure can be easily and efficiently arranged at a position intended by the operator. Therefore, without burdening the operator,
The processing time can be reduced, and the yield can be improved. In addition, when the width of expanding the cut figure when creating the virtual outer shape is set to a plurality of cut figure intervals to be arranged on the workpiece, the cut figure can be arranged at a position intended by the operator at a target interval.

In the first invention, the cut figure to be arranged in the first step is smaller than a predetermined distance at least at two places with respect to the arranged cut figure on the work or the end of the work. Preferably, they are arranged so as to partially overlap each other. By doing this,
The efficiency of arranging the cut figure to be arranged can be more reliably improved, and the yield can be improved.

A sheet picking apparatus in a sheet metal CAD / CAM system according to a second aspect of the present invention is a sheet picking apparatus for a sheet metal CAD / CAM system for determining an arrangement position of each cut figure with respect to a workpiece. A figure interval setting unit that creates a virtual outline expanded by a predetermined distance outside the outline of the cut outline to be arranged, and (b) the virtual outline and the cut outline already arranged on the workpiece. Alternatively, an overlapping portion detecting section for detecting an overlapping portion between the overlapping portion and the end of the workpiece, and (c) X of the overlapping portion.
A calculation unit for determining each distance in the Y direction and selecting the smallest overlap distance among the overlap distances;
(D) a virtual outer shape moving unit for moving the virtual outer shape by the minimum overlapping distance in a direction to make the minimum overlap distance zero, and (e) an arrangement in which the virtual outer shape is moved by the virtual outer shape moving unit. A cutting position to be determined by moving a cut figure to be arranged, or a figure position arranging unit for determining a placement position by restoring a cut figure to be arranged based on the arranged virtual outer shape. It is.

[0013] The second invention relates to a sheet metal C according to the first invention.
The present invention relates to a board removing apparatus for specifically performing a board removing method in an AD / CAM system. In the second invention, the cut figure to be arranged on the work is set to the end of the work or the cut figure already arranged.
By arranging the cut figures to be arranged so as to be smaller than the predetermined interval or partially overlapping, a virtual outer shape is created by expanding the outer shape of the outer shape of the cut figure to be arranged by the predetermined interval by the graphic interval setting unit. You. The overlapping portion between the virtual outer shape and the end of the workpiece or the arranged cut figure is detected by the overlapping portion detecting portion, and the arithmetic portion calculates the respective distances of the overlapping portion in the X and Y directions. Selects the smallest overlap distance.

Next, the virtual outer shape is moved by the virtual outer shape moving unit so that the virtual outer shape becomes zero sequentially from the minimum overlapping distance.
The position of the virtual outer shape is determined when all of the overlapping portions have disappeared. Thereafter, the cut figure to be arranged is moved by the figure arrangement unit by an amount corresponding to the movement of the virtual outline, or the cut figure to be arranged is restored based on the arranged virtual outline, and the arrangement position is determined. Is done.

According to the second aspect of the invention, even when a cut figure having a complicated shape is arranged, the cut figure can be easily and efficiently arranged at positions and intervals intended by the operator. In addition, the processing time can be shortened without imposing a burden on the operator, and the yield can be improved.

[0016]

Next, a CAD for sheet metal according to the present invention will be described.
A specific embodiment of a sheet picking method and its apparatus in a / CAM system will be described with reference to the drawings.

CAD / C for sheet metal according to one embodiment of the present invention
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the plate removing device 1 in the AM system. A plurality of cut figures (hereinafter, referred to as “materials”) 2 having various shapes are formed on a rectangular plate-shaped workpiece (hereinafter, referred to as a material) 2. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where the member 3 is disposed.

The plate removing apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a member position reading section 4 for reading the position information of a member 3 arranged on the material 2 and a member 3b to be arranged on the material 2 in advance. For the set member interval (preferably 0.5 m
m to 6 mm) A member interval setting unit (corresponding to a figure interval setting unit in the present invention) 5 that is expanded to create a virtual outer shape 3b ′, and is already arranged based on information read from the member position reading unit 4. A detecting unit 6 for detecting an overlapping portion between the end of the member 3a or the raw material 2 and the virtual outer shape 3b ', and determining the overlapping distance of the overlapping portion in the XY directions to find the smallest of the overlapping distances. A calculating unit 7 for selecting an overlapping distance, a moving unit 8 for moving the virtual outer shape 3b 'by the distance in a direction to make the minimum overlapping distance zero, and a virtual outer shape 3b' arranged by the moving unit 8 as a member. 3b to determine the position of the member 3b, or move the member 3b by the amount of movement of the virtual outer shape 3b 'to determine the position of the member 3b. Corresponding to the mark arrangement portion in the bright.) And a 9. In this manner, the member arrangement positions of all the members 3 arranged on the material 2 are determined, and the member arrangement position information is input to the processing machine 10.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are explanatory views for sequentially explaining a sheet picking method performed by using the sheet picking apparatus 1 configured as described above. In this plate removing method, first, the member 3b to be arranged on the material 2 is arranged so that the interval with the already arranged member 3a is smaller than a preset member interval, and a part of the member 3b is arranged. It is arranged so as to overlap the end of the material 2 (protrude outside the end). Next, a virtual outer shape 3b 'is created by expanding the outer shape of the member 3b to be arranged by the member interval setting unit 5 by the member interval (FIG. 3A).

Subsequently, an overlapping portion (shown by oblique lines) of the member 3a or the material 2 already arranged and the virtual outer shape 3b 'is detected by the detecting section 6, and the overlapping portion in the XY direction is overlapped. The distance is obtained by the calculation unit 7, and the smallest overlapping distance A among the overlapping distances is selected (FIG. 3).
(B)). Next, based on the calculation result of the calculation unit 7, the moving unit 8 moves the virtual outer shape 3b 'by the selected minimum overlapping distance A in a direction to make the selected minimum overlapping distance A zero (FIG. 3 (c)). )).

Next, the overlap distances of the overlapped portions in the X and Y directions are calculated again by the arithmetic unit 6,
The smallest overlapping distance B is selected from the overlapping distances (FIG. 4A). Then, the virtual outer shape 3b 'is moved by the moving unit 8 in a direction to make the minimum overlap distance B zero (FIG. 4B). The above-described operation is repeated until there is no overlap between the virtual outer shape 3b 'and the member 3a or the material 2 (FIG. 4C). When the overlapping portion disappears in this way, the member disposing portion 9
Moves the member 3b in the moving direction of the virtual outer shape 3b 'to determine the position of the member 3b. Thus, the members 3 are sequentially arranged, and the arrangement position is determined in the same manner.

Next, the processing from the placement of a new member 3b on the material 2 to the determination of the placement position will be sequentially described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the member 3 to be arranged by the operator
b is arranged on the material 2 at a position where the distance between the member 3b and the already arranged member 3a or the material 2 is smaller than a predetermined member interval or a part thereof overlaps. The processing is started when the member 3b is arranged as described above.

S1: A virtual outer shape 3b 'is created by expanding the outer shape of the member 3b to be arranged by the member interval by the member interval setting unit 5. S2: The virtual outer shape 3 of the member 3b is detected by the detection unit 6.
An overlapping portion where b ′ overlaps the arranged member 3a or the material 2 is detected. S3: The number of movements of the virtual outer shape is initialized. S4: Next, the overlapping distance in the XY directions is calculated for each of the overlapping portions of the virtual outer shape 3b 'detected by the detecting unit 6 with the arranged member 3a or the material 2 by the calculating unit 7. The minimum overlap distance is selected from these overlap distances.

S5 to S9: If the minimum overlap distance is not 0, the number of movements of the virtual outer shape is counted up. If the number of movements does not exceed a specified value, the minimum overlap distance is reduced to 0. The virtual outer shape 3b 'is moved by the overlap distance, and the operation returns to step S4 and thereafter, where the calculation of the overlap distance and the minimum overlap distance are selected. If the number of times of movement exceeds the specified value, an error is displayed and the process ends. On the other hand, if the minimum overlap distance is 0, the process proceeds to step S10.

S10 to S11: If the minimum overlap distance is 0, it is detected whether or not the member 3b overlaps another arranged member. If an overlap is detected, the operation of step S9, ie, an error, is performed. Is displayed, and the process ends. On the other hand, if no overlapping portion is detected, the virtual outer shape is restored, that is, the member 3b is moved by the moving distance in the direction in which the virtual outer shape moves to determine the arrangement position, and the arrangement position determination processing ends.

According to the present embodiment, the member to be arranged by the operator is temporarily set so that the space between the member 3a or the material 2 already arranged is smaller than a predetermined member interval or a part of the member 3a or the material 2 is overlapped. Just place it,
Members having various shapes, not limited to rectangles, can be efficiently arranged at predetermined member intervals, and the effect of improving the yield can be achieved. Also, since the operator does not need to stare at the screen when arranging the members,
This has the effect of reducing the burden.

In the present embodiment, the member 3b to be arranged on the material 2 is arranged so as to be narrower than a predetermined distance or partially overlap with the already arranged member 3a or the end of the material 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the member 3b may be arranged so that at least a part thereof is narrower or overlaps with the end of the already arranged member or material by a predetermined distance. The member 3b to be disposed is preferably a member only, a material only, or two or more portions that are narrower than a predetermined interval or partially overlap the member and the material. By doing so, the members of various shapes can be more reliably and efficiently arranged.

Further, in this embodiment, even when there is no member already arranged on the material, the member to be arranged is made to be narrower than a predetermined interval or partially overlap the end of the material. By arranging, the same operation and effect as described above can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a CAD for sheet metal according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a plate removing device in the / CAM system.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where a cut figure is arranged on a workpiece;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram 1 illustrating a sheet removing method in the CAD / CAM system for sheet metal according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a sheet removing method in the sheet metal CAD / CAM system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process from when a member is arranged to when the arrangement position is determined.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a problem of the conventional plate removing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 sheet picking device 2 material (workpiece) 3 member (cut figure) 3b 'virtual outer shape 4 member position reading unit 5 member interval setting unit 6 detection unit 7 calculation unit 8 moving unit 9 member arrangement unit 10 processing machine

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sheet picking method in a sheet metal CAD / CAM system for determining an arrangement position of each cut figure with respect to a work, wherein (a) an end portion of the work or a cut figure already arranged on the work. A first step of arranging the cut figure to be arranged so as to be smaller than a predetermined interval or partially overlapping, and (b) outside the outer shape of the cut figure arranged in the first step. A second step of creating a virtual outer shape inflated by a predetermined distance in (c) between the virtual outer shape and a member already arranged on the workpiece;
A third step of obtaining the respective overlapping distances in the XY directions, (d) selecting the smallest overlapping distance among the overlapping distances, and moving the virtual outer shape by the distance in a direction in which the overlapping distance is reduced to zero; (E) a fifth step in which the third step and the fourth step are repeated until the overlapping portion is eliminated, and (f) restoring the virtual figure arranged in the fifth step to a cut figure to be arranged. Or a sixth step of determining the arrangement position of the members by moving the cut figure to be arranged by an amount corresponding to the movement of the virtual outer shape. 2. The cut figure to be arranged in the first step is smaller than a predetermined space or at least two portions with respect to the arranged cut figure on the work or the end of the work. 2. The sheet picking method in the CAD / CAM system for sheet metal according to claim 1, wherein the sheets are arranged so as to overlap with each other. 3. A sheet picking device in a sheet metal CAD / CAM system for determining an arrangement position of each cut figure with respect to a work, wherein (a) a cut figure to be arranged on the work is determined by an outer shape of the cut figure. A figure interval setting unit for creating a virtual outer shape bulged outward by a predetermined distance, and (b) an overlapping portion between the virtual outer shape and an end portion of a cut figure or a workpiece already arranged on the workpiece. (C) an arithmetic unit for calculating respective distances of the overlapping parts in the X and Y directions and selecting the smallest overlapping distance among the overlapping distances; and (d) setting the minimum overlapping distance to zero. And (e) a cut figure whose layout is to be arranged by an amount corresponding to the movement of the virtual outline by the virtual outline movement unit. To determine the placement position,
Alternatively, there is provided a drawing apparatus for a CAD / CAM system for sheet metal, comprising a figure arranging section for restoring a cut figure to be arranged based on the arranged virtual outer shape and determining an arrangement position.