Abstract: An automated vise is disclosed. A gross moveable jaw drive has a stroke longer than the stroke of a fine moveable jaw drive. With this construction, the gross moveable jaw drive can be utilized to actuate the one or more moveable jaws of the vise over a distance greater than the fine moveable jaw drive stroke to a position in which actuation of the fine moveable jaw drive is capable of positioning the one or more moveable jaws in a clamp position to apply pressure to hold the workpiece for machining by, e.g., a CNC machine. In this way, the automated vise can account for workpieces of differing size.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing tool configured to couple to a spindle of a CNC machine, comprises a plurality of drive wheels movable between an engaged position wherein they compress filament from a filament source against a drive disc and a disengaged position wherein they are spaced apart from the filament, and a delivery assembly including a heating element and a nozzle having an outlet opening. When the plurality of drive wheels are in the engaged position and the drive disc is rotated, the filament is drawn into the tool from the filament source and routed around the drive disc to the nozzle, where heat transferred from the heating element to the nozzle melts the filament so that the filament flows through the outlet opening.

Abstract: An interchangeable unit adapted to couple to a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine is disclosed comprising a holder that couples to a spindle of the CNC machine, a controller, wherein said controller is configured to receive the rotational speed of the spindle as an input, and a material processing unit, wherein said material processing unit executes a first function in response to a first rotational speed range of the spindle and executes a second function in response to a second rotational speed range of the spindle.

Abstract: An interchangeable unit adapted to couple to a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine is disclosed comprising a holder that couples to a spindle of the CNC machine, a controller, wherein said controller is configured to receive the rotational speed of the spindle as an input, and a material processing unit, wherein said material processing unit executes a first function in response to a first rotational speed range of the spindle and executes a second function in response to a second rotational speed range of the spindle.

Abstract: An interchangeable unit adapted to couple to a computer numerical control (“CNC”) machine is disclosed comprising a holder that couples to a spindle of the CNC machine, a controller, wherein said controller is configured to receive the rotational speed of the spindle as an input, and a material processing unit, wherein said material processing unit executes a first function in response to a first rotational speed range of the spindle and executes a second function in response to a second rotational speed range of the spindle.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method for use on a machine tool system having a controller, three linear axes of motion and at least one rotary axis, for determining the orientation of the rotary axis relative to the linear axes, including mounting a sphere to a system component that rotates about the rotary axis, rotating the component to move the sphere to at least three positions about the rotary axis, measuring a center of the sphere at each of the positions by using the controller to move a probe mounted to a spindle of the system into contact with the sphere, computing, using the controller, a plane fitting the center measurements, and computing, using the controller, a vector normal to the plane passing through a center of rotation of an arc lying in the plane and fitting the center measurements, the vector corresponding to the orientation of the rotary axis.

Abstract: A hinge is disclosed including a first connecting plate, a second connecting plate, a hinge element rotatably coupling said first and second connecting plates, a first pin coupled to the first connecting plate, wherein said first pin extends through a first end of the hinge element, a locking bracket coupled to the second connecting plate, and a second pin coupled to a second end of the hinge element, wherein said second pin extends through the locking bracket. The hinge optionally includes one or more friction locks, cableways, or cable tabs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for virtual machine management are disclosed. A virtual machine manager may communicate with a storehouse, which may include one or more virtual machines. The virtual machine manager may select one or more virtual machines, or may create one or more virtual machines, depending on the requirements of an input.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling movement of machine tool systems by providing a conversational programming interface that permits a user to create a universal program for execution by various machine tool systems for machining a part, each system having at least four movable axes. The user defines program blocks including geometry definitions which are independent of any axis kinematics configuration. A first tool path relative to a first Cartesian coordinate system is generated for forming the geometry, then mapped to a second Cartesian coordinate system corresponding to the part. The mapped path is transformed to a third Cartesian coordinate system corresponding to an orientation and location of the part relative to an axis kinematics configuration of a current machine tool system. The transformed path is processed to generate positions for the movable axes of the current system.

Abstract: A system for remotely monitoring one or more machine tool systems is disclosed. The system may monitor a plurality of machine tool systems which are associated with different customers and at a plurality of facilities. A remote user may access information regarding the machine tool system through a user interface and specific that notifications be sent upon the occurrence of various conditions. A system for updating software of a machine tool system is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a machine tool system having multiple zones. The zones may be areas divided by physical barriers or virtual zones. The zones may include a first zone having a first kinematics arrangement and a second zone having a second kinematics arrangement. The first zone and the second zone may share one or more machine axis and at least one of the first zone and the second zone has at least one non-shared machine axis. The present disclosure also includes multi-interface machine tool systems.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a generalized kinematics library which may be used to control the motion of a machine tool system and to process data for other applications, such as simulation graphics. Methods are disclosed to interpolate the movement of various axes of a machine tool system through a machine singularity point.

Abstract: A machine tool control simulator for a machine tool control having a plurality of first user-actuatable devices and a first display screen is disclosed. The machine tool control simulator may include a console and a laptop computer. The console may include a plurality of second user-actuatable devices each corresponding to a respective one of the first user-actuatable devices, and having a layout substantially similar to a layout of the first user-actuatable devices. The laptop computer includes a keyboard and an attached second display screen. The keyboard may be placed between a tabletop and the second user-actuatable devices. The computer receives user inputs from the second user actuatable devices and displays images on the second display screen to simulate images that would be displayed on the first display screen of the machine tool control in response to the user inputs.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method for use on a machine tool system having a controller, three linear axes of motion and at least one rotary axis, for determining the orientation of the rotary axis relative to the linear axes, including mounting a sphere to a system component that rotates about the rotary axis, rotating the component to move the sphere to at least three positions about the rotary axis, measuring a center of the sphere at each of the positions by using the controller to move a probe mounted to a spindle of the system into contact with the sphere, computing, using the controller, a plane fitting the center measurements, and computing, using the controller, a vector normal to the plane passing through a center of rotation of an arc lying in the plane and fitting the center measurements, the vector corresponding to the orientation of the rotary axis.

Abstract: A method and system are provided which reorders a sequence of operations of a part program to reduce the number of tool changes during execution of the program. The reordered sequence maintains a sequence of at least a first portion of the operations.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method for providing an activation of a requested software option associated with a base system software. The method may include receiving a request for an activation of a requested software option including an option part number for the requested software option. The software option being installed on the customer system. The method may further include the step of generating an activation code based on the option part number for the requested software option.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a motion control system for a machine tool system configured to shape a part with a tool, including an I/O module with machine configuration information that defines limits of a three-dimensional working space of the machine tool system. The I/O module further includes a part program that specifies first and second positions of the tool without reference to the working space limits. The motion control system further includes a software controller configured to internally process moves to determine whether the tool can be repositioned from the first position to the second position while maintaining the tool above a minimum clearance from the part and within the working space limits, output the internally processed moves to the machine tool system to cause movement of the tool if the tool can be safely repositioned, and output an error if the tool cannot be safely repositioned.

Abstract: A machine tool is controlled using a pointing device coupled to two rotatable hand wheels. The pointing device tracks movement of the two hand wheels and communicates the movement to a control system which controls a moveable element.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a generalized kinematics library which may be used to control the motion of a machine tool system and to process data for other applications, such as simulation graphics. Methods are disclosed to interpolate the movement of various axes of a machine tool system through a machine singularity point.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a motion control system for a machine tool system wherein a value of a surface finish quality parameter of the motion control system is adjusted to control the surface finish of a part machined with the machine tool system. The machine tool system may include a conversational mode of operation and a NC mode of operation.