JPH02198737A - Storing method for magazine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a magazine indexing time by allocating the magazine address of a fixed area on each work objective machine kind, and storing at random a tool or head in this area. CONSTITUTION:In executing a memory/random method in the area within 90 deg. with four tools as an object, the total indexing angle becomes at 150 deg. by limiting so as to store the four tools only in the area of 90 deg. shown at a slant line part. In performing rearrangement (change of the kind of working machine), the final tool is once stored without fail in a limited storing area to make it difficult to take the tool of the next kind in the state of no tool on a spindle. Namely, no storing is made absolutely even for one hour excepting the limited storing area. For that sake, the conditions of (magazine pot number >= tool number) are necessary. By the way, there is a relation of (magazine pot number >=tool number +1) ordinarily.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Utilization> The present invention is applicable to ATC (Auto Tool C) of machine tools.
hanger) magazine or AHC (Auto Hea)
d Changer) Regarding the magazine storage method.

<Prior art> Conventionally, there are two storage methods for ATC magazines or AHC magazines: fixed number local method and memory random method.
There is a method. The fixed number location method is a method in which the positions of tools or heads and magazine pots are in one-to-one correspondence, and is highly reliable, but has the disadvantage of increasing cycle time.

On the other hand, the memory random method is a method in which the magazine can be stored in any pot as long as it is empty, and the replacement time is greatly reduced. However, it is necessary to store these relative relationships in the memory of the control device.

<Problem to be solved by the invention> - For a, the memory random method is often used from the viewpoint of high speed, but as the number of magazine pots increases, it becomes difficult to allocate tools or heads to process one workpiece. It takes a lot of time to release the battery, which increases the cycle time and reduces the advantage of high speed.

For example, in Figure 4, the ATC with 12 magazine pots
An example of a magazine is shown, but in this case, if four tools are required to process a certain workpiece, the tool ■ shown in Figure 4 will be shifted by 30 degrees and the tool will be in a stopped state. When starting a cycle from , a total indexing angle of 540a is required. Of course, if you change the setup (change the machining machine type), the condition will change, but (i) the indexing time may become longer, and (ii) even in the same type of machining, the tool distribution condition will change. There are two problems that the cycle time will be different if the values are different.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a magazine storage method that performs high-speed indexing based on a memory random method.

Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention, which achieves the above-mentioned objects, allocates magazine addresses in a certain area for each model of machine to be machined in a magazine that stores tools or heads, and stores the tools or heads within this area. The feature is that the items are stored randomly.

Effect> By limiting the storage area for tools or heads required to process one model, the total indexing time can be shortened. Within a limited storage area, memory is exchanged using a random memory method.

<Example> The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 shows an example of a magazine corresponding to FIG. 4, and is an example in which the memory random method is executed in an area within 90° for four tools. If we limit the storage of the four tools to only the 90° area shown in the shaded area, the total indexing angle will be 150', which is a significant decrease compared to the 540° in the example in Figure 4. . The key point of this method is that when changing setups (changing 81 types of machining), the final tool must be stored in a limited storage area, and the tool for the next model must be retrieved with no tool on the spindle. This is a necessary point. In other words, never store anything outside the limited storage area, even temporarily, and in order to do so, it is necessary to satisfy the condition that the number of magazine pots≧the number of tools. Note that there is usually a relationship of the number of magazine pots≧the number of tools+1. Further, when implementing this method, care must be taken when a common tool or head is used for each machining gap work. As a countermeasure for this, (1) Common tools or heads should be used as dedicated tools or heads for each workpiece. In this case, the tool or head may be changed even if the tool or head is the same.

(2) Allocate a storage area for common tools or heads to avoid crowding with other dedicated tools or heads.

is possible. Measure (1) above is not a good idea because it requires a large number of magazine pots and costs for tools and heads, but measure (2) is an effective measure, although the indexing angle increases.

A magazine storage method limited to 120° will be described with reference to FIG. That is, the heads (1) to (4) (marked with O) are stored in the magazine pots 1 to 4, and there is no head (1) in this figure.

Magazine pots 5 to B have heads (5) to (8) (
Δ mark) is stored. In addition, heads (9) to (1) are stored in magazine pots 9 to 12, and in this figure, heads 0
There is no head.

In order to establish such a storage relationship, a head space corresponding to each magazine pot is created in the sequencer memory as shown in the following table.

/' / / / / If the head is stored so as to satisfy such correspondence on the memory, the head will be stored in the limited area.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the head storage situation.

In FIG. 3, first, the magazine bot is searched to determine whether pot 1 is empty or not. If it is not empty, proceed to the next step. If it is an empty pot, search for a head in that empty pot, and find the head Nαj, (i ) to j4 (determine whether il is compatible.

If the head Nα matches, the head is stored in that empty pot, and if it does not match, the next empty pot is searched. .

To describe the case where the head is stored in both Figures 2 and 3, empty pots are searched in order from pot 1-1, and pot 4 is found to be empty first.However, , pot 4 is head (11, +21, +31, (4
This is not possible because it cannot store 1L. Next pot 10
It turns out that the pot is empty, and since the head Na (13) can be stored, the head (1) is stored in the pot 10.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, according to the method of the present invention, by using a memory random type ATC or AHC magazine with limited storage area, the magazine indexing time is reduced and the cycle time is shortened. I can do things. This method is particularly effective in AHC, where the work to be machined and the head used correspond, and it takes time to index the magazine.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 show examples of the present invention; Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of one example, Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of another example, Figure 3 is a flowchart of the method of the embodiment, and Figure 4 is a conventional method. FIG. In the figure, fil~(la is Herad N01, 1 to 12 are magazine pots.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A method for storing a magazine in which a magazine for storing tools or heads is assigned a magazine address in a certain area for each model to be machined, and the tools or heads are randomly stored within this area.