JPH03213238A - Tool change method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention selects a predetermined tool from a tool magazine that removably holds a plurality of tools, and calls the selected tool to a tool exchange position. The present invention relates to a tool exchange method for exchanging tools.

[Prior art] Conventionally, in machine tools equipped with automatic tool changers,
It is configured to process a corrugated workpiece by selecting a predetermined tool from a tool magazine, calling the selected tool to a tool exchange position, and mounting it on the spindle. In this case, among the tools held in the tool magazine, a plurality of particularly frequently used tools are stored, and the tool life of each tool is managed so that the tool is selected according to the tool life. It is being

For example, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-1134, a plurality of tools of the same size are stored in a tool magazine,
Depending on the remaining life time of the tool and the predicted usage time for each tool used in the carnivorous program set in advance for a specific wave workpiece, the remaining life time is greater than the predicted usage time and the remaining life time is the smallest. Some specify a tool as the tool to be used in that Canadian program.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned device, among the tools of the same size scattered at appropriate positions in the tool magazine, only the tools that can be used for the cannibal program, that is, the remaining life Even if there are multiple tools stored that have a longer than expected usage time, by specifying the tool with the least remaining life time, the tool stored closer to the tool change position will be skipped and the tool that is furthest away will be selected. There were problems such as this, which hinders the reduction of tool exchange time.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and while managing the life of the tools stored in the tool magazine, it shortens the tool exchange time as much as possible, and improves the processing efficiency of the workpiece. The first objective is to improve

[Means for Solving the Problems 1] In order to achieve this object, the tool changing method of the present invention manages the tool life of each tool stored in a tool magazine, and replaces at least one type of the same tool with the tool. A plurality of tools are stored in a predetermined position in the magazine, and when a tool exchange command is issued to the tool, the tool life of each tool is determined, and the tool located at the storage position closest to the tool exchange position is selected from among the tools with remaining tool life. Calling to tool change position.

[Operation] According to the tool changing method of the present invention having the above configuration, among the same tools stored in the tool magazine, tools that can be used for machining and have remaining tool life are placed in the tool changing position. By calling up the tool located at the closest storage position, tools can be replaced in a short time.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a small-sized machining center as an example, and FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) show a tool magazine attached to the machining center.

The machining center 1 directs the spindle rad 5, which removably holds the tools 3now used for machining, to the column 9 so as to be able to approach and move away from the work table 7. A tool magazine 11, which can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise as shown in FIG.

In the machining center 1, continuous machining of a workpiece is executed while automatically exchanging a plurality of tools 3 stored in a single tool magazine 11. During machining, the spindle motor 13 is driven to rotate the current process tool 3now held in the spindle head 5 to process the workpiece. When it is time to change the tool, the vertical motor 15 is driven to retract the spindle head 5 upwards.
Furthermore, the spindle motor 13 is driven to execute spindle orientation. Next, the magazine motor 17 is driven to rotate the tool magazine 11, and the eight tool pots 19a to
From within 19h, the tool pot 19next containing the tool 3next for the next process is rotated and indexed, and the swing motor 2 is rotated.
1 to activate a swing mechanism (not shown), swing the tool bot 19next downward, and change the tool change position V1 (NP
) allows the tool to be taken out downwards. Furthermore, the tool exchange motor 23 is driven to operate the exchange arm 25, and for the current process tool 3now and the next process tool 3next,
At the same time, the tool is replaced by gripping, extracting, rotating, inserting, and releasing operations. Continuous machining of the workpiece is performed by repeating these series of operations.

After completing this series of tool exchange operations, the tool bot 19nex containing the current process tool 3nov that has been used up until now is installed.
t is swung upward by the swiveling mechanism, causing the tool to rise again in the horizontal direction.

FIG. 1 shows the electronic control device 40 in relation to each motor, sensor, etc.

The electronic control device 40 includes a master CPU 41 that controls overall various controls such as workpiece processing, tool exchange, and life management, a slave CPU 42 that controls workpiece processing, and an automatic tool change CPU (ATC section CPU) 43 that controls automatic tool exchange. It is mainly composed of two CPUs.

The master CPtJ41 includes a master partial ROM 44 that stores programs and constants for operating the control device itself, a first master partial RAM 45 that temporarily stores variables and flags during control execution, and a workpiece machining L program and tools. It is connected to a second master partial RAM 46 that stores the upper part of a life management table for managing the remaining life of each tool stored in the magazine 11. Note that this second master partial RAM 46 is backed up even when the power is turned off.

The slave CPU 42 has a slave part ROM 47 that stores a motor drive program and constants for adding the workpiece.
and a slave RAM 48 that temporarily stores variables, flags, etc. during execution of workpiece machining control.

The ATC unit CPU 43 includes an ATC unit ROM 47 that stores an exchange arm drive program and constants for tool exchange.
and an ATCffRAM 48 that temporarily stores variables, flags, etc. during tool exchange IIgg execution.

Between the master CPU 41 and slave CPU 42,
A common RAM between MSs in which commands from the master CPU 41 to the slave CPU 42 and information in the opposite direction are stored.
51 is connected. Information is written or referenced in the inter-MS common RAM 51 from both the master CPυ41 and slave CPυ42. Similarly, master C
An inter-MA common RAM 52 is connected between the PU 41 and the ATC section CPU 43.

In addition, the master CPU 41 has a keyboard 53 for manually inputting various information such as a life management table for managing the lifespan of a crab program or a tool, and a keyboard 53 for displaying and referencing input information regarding the life of a crab program or tool. A CRT 54 is connected for the purpose. The master CPU 41 is also connected to a vertical position sensor 55 that detects the vertical absolute position of the spindle head 5 as the vertical motor 15 rotates, and receives and receives this detection signal.

The slave CPU 42 is also connected to an X-axis motor Tab that moves the work table 7 in the X-axis direction and a Y-axis motor 7b that also moves the work table 7 in the Y-axis direction, and sends control signals to these to perform wave processing on the workpiece W. Change position. Further, the slave CPU 42 is connected to the second lower movement motor 15 and the main shaft motor 13, and sends control signals to these to perform machining on the workpiece W using a predetermined tool.

On the other hand, the ATC unit CPU 43 is connected to the magazine motor 17 and the swing motor 21, and the magazine motor 17
A control signal is sent to rotate the tool magazine 11 to index the next process tool 3He)ct, and a control signal is sent to the swing motor 21 to swing the next process tool pot 19next from the tool exchange position NP. Prepare to take out the next process tool 3next. Further, the ATC unit CPU 43 is connected to the tool exchange motor 23, and sends a control signal to this to execute tool exchange.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a tool information table TB that stores information related to tool life, etc. inputted from the keyboard 53.

The tool information table TB is stored in the second master part RAM 76 and consists of three areas ARI to AR3.

The first area ARI is a designated tool area, and stores the designated tool number Tprog designated on the Kani program.

The second area AR2 represents the correspondence between the pot number Pn and the tool number Tn, and stores information indicating which of the tool pots 19a to 19h of the tool magazine 11 stores the tool and the tool number. are doing. Hereinafter, the second area AR2 will be referred to as a magazine tool setting area AR2. Main tool information Qm is given in the rightmost column of the magazine tool setting area AR2, and if there is a tool designated as the main tool for each tool, the tool number is written therein. For example, it can be seen that the tool with tool number 60 stored in the tool pot with pot number 7 is a spare tool whose main tool is tool number 2. Note that if the main tool is not specified, it indicates that the main tool itself is the main tool.

Further, in this example, the main tools are stored in the tool pots numbered 1 to 4 and 6, and the spare tools are stored in the tool pots numbered 5 and 7. Although tool pots No. 9 and No. 10 do not exist in this embodiment, they are special areas. Therefore, for example, the number 10 may be configured to display the number Tn of the tool held on the spindle.

The information in the magazine tool setting area AR2 is rewritten by the master CPU 41 every time a tool is replaced.

The area AR3 at the third opening is a tool life management area that indicates how many minutes of life L'' remain for the tool with the tool number. L'' can be managed, and the master CPU 41 sequentially rewrites each tool used for machining by subtracting the actual usage time from the remaining 17 lifespan L''.

The original lifespan of each tool with tool numbers 1 to 60 is
It is manually input from the keyboard 53 in advance. For example, tools No. 58 and No. 59 are not currently stored in the tool magazine 11, but the remaining life L'' information is backed up. When set, it will be referenced in the lifespan management process of the rear guard.

Next, the tool selection process executed by the master CPU 41 will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

In the tool selection process, the specified tool number Tprog is read with reference to the machine program (Sl), and then the magazine tool area A is read for this specified tool number Tprog.
Please refer to main tool information Qm of R2), main tool information Q
If m cannot be found, the remaining life Lr of the tool having the same tool number Tn as the specified tool number Tprog is referred to in the tool life management area AR3 (S3).

Next, it is determined whether or not the tool life L" is greater than zero (S4), and if it is greater than zero, the designated tool number T
The pot number Pn in which the tool with the tool number Tn corresponding to prog is stored is stored in the magazine tool setting area AR2.
, and sends a command to the ATC unit CPU 43 to determine this pot number Pn (S9).

On the other hand, if the remaining life Lr is less than zero, an error display is output to the CRT 84 and the process ends (S8).

Further, in S2, the main tool information Qm is referred to, and if the main tool information Qm exists, the specified tool number Tprog, the tool number Tn, and the spare tool of the main tool are matched according to the designation of the tool information Qm. The remaining life Lr of the tool number Tn is referred to one after another in the tool life management area AR3 (S5).

Next, it is determined whether there is a tool whose tool life L is greater than zero among each tool number Tn (S6), and if there is a tool whose tool life L is greater than zero, then the All pot numbers P where tools are stored
n in the magazine tool setting area AR2 and determines the pot number Pn that is stored in the index position most at the tool exchange position NP (S7), and then goes to the ATC unit CPU 43 to index the pot number Pn. Send command (S9)
.

On the other hand, if there is no tool whose tool life L is greater than zero, it is assumed that the life of the same tool has disappeared and C
Outputs an error display to RT84 and ends the process (S8
).

Next, the processing during this time will be explained with reference to the pot number positions in the tool magazine shown in FIG.

First, when the designated tool number 2 is instructed (Sl) with the tool number 24 stored in the pot number 8 after the specified machining is completed, the magazine tool setting area AR2
It can be seen that the spare tool for the main tool with tool number 2 is number 60. Furthermore, it can be seen that the spare tool for the main tool with tool number 60 is number 58 (S2). Here, the remaining life L of the tools No. 2, No. 60, and No. 58 above is the tool life management area A.
R3 is referenced (S5), and it can be seen that the remaining life L'' of each tool is not all less than zero (S6).

Next, refer to each pot number Pn in which tool numbers 2, 60, and 58 are stored in the magazine tool setting area AR, and find that the pot number closest to tool change point 11NP is number 7. I understand (S7) Therefore, in this case, for the instruction of designated tool number 2, the tool magazine 11 is
By rotating the tool clockwise by one step, the pot number is designated so that the tool with tool number 60 stored in pot number 7 is called to the tool exchange position (S9).

Here, the use of each tool is repeated and tool numbers 2 and 60 are used.
If there is a tool among Nos. and No. 58 whose tool life L" is less than or equal to zero, the processing from 87 will be executed only with tools whose tool life L" is greater than zero, excluding the tool.

When this tool selection process is completed, the master CPU 41 instructs the ATC section CPU 43 to index the tool for the next process. Based on this command, the ATC unit CPU 43 drives the magazine motor 17, the swing motor 21, and the tool exchange motor 23 to execute tool exchange.

The master CPU 41 transfers the tool number Tn of the current process tool 3now returned to the tool magazine 11 as a result of this tool exchange to the tool pot 19 that had stored the next process tool 3next.
The magazine tool setting area AR2 is rewritten to correspond to the next board number Pn.

At the same time, the master CPU 41 subtracts the driving time tuse of the spindle motor 13 accumulated by the slave CPU 42 during the previously executed workpiece machining from the remaining life Lr, and rewrites the corresponding part of the evaluation life management area AR3.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, the remaining life of the tools stored in the tool magazine is managed, and when multiple identical tools are stored, they are stored in the storage position closest to the tool exchange position. Since the existing tool can be called up, even if the next tool to be used is stored very close to the tool change position, a tool stored further away is called up and wasted in changing the tool. This eliminates the need for a lot of time.

As a result, simply by registering an appropriate number of frequently used tools according to their frequency, long-term unmanned operation can be carried out very efficiently and productivity can be improved.

In addition, in this embodiment, a method of subtracting the usage time was adopted to manage the remaining lifespan, but the remaining lifespan may be determined by adding up the usage time and comparing it with information on the limit usage time.
Of course, the remaining life may be determined according to the number of times of use.

In addition, although we adopted an automatic tool changer that uses an exchange arm to return tools to random storage positions in the tool magazine, we also adopted a turret-style automatic tool changer that always returns tools to a fixed storage position. It goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to devices. In this case, when the tool is returned to the tool magazine, there is no need to rewrite the tool number corresponding to the pot number, and by placing the same tool at approximately equal positions in the tool storage position of the tool magazine, the tool It is also possible to always replace the magazine with the tool from any position in the shortest possible time.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description below, according to the present invention, the tool life of each tool stored in a tool magazine is managed, and the tool life of each tool stored in a tool magazine is managed. Since the tool located at the storage position closest to the tool exchange position is called from the machine, continuous operation is possible according to the tool life, and the tool exchange time is shortened as much as possible, improving production efficiency. It has effects such as being able to.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 show embodiments embodying the present invention, and FIG. 1 shows a control device and each motor. A block diagram showing the relationship between sensors, etc., Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the machining center, Figures 3 (a) and 2 (b) are front and side views of a tool magazine added to the machining center, and Figure 4 is a tool FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the tool selection process. In the figure, 3 is a tool, 11 is a tool magazine, 40 is an electronic control unit, and NP is a tool exchange position.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Select a predetermined tool (3) from a tool magazine (11) that removably holds a plurality of tools (3), and move the selected tool (3) to the tool exchange position (NP). ), the tool life of each tool (3) stored in the tool magazine (11) is managed, and at least one type of the same tool is transferred to the tool magazine (11). A plurality of tools are stored in a predetermined position, and when a tool change command is issued to the tool, the tool life of each tool is determined, and the tool is located at the storage position closest to the tool change position (NP) from among the tools with remaining tool life. A tool changing method characterized in that the tool is changed by calling the tool to a tool changing position (NP).