Abstract: A tool or a workpiece is fed by the cut feed by cut feed commands during periods when the tool or the workpiece would normally be fed by rapid feed. These periods are chosen to occur when the distance of the sections to be fed is a predetermined distance or less. Then, in the case that the feeding distance is the predetermined distance or less, the tool or the workpiece can be fed more rapidly by cut feed rather than rapid feed. Thus, machining time is shortened to that extent.

Abstract: A tool move control method is disclosed. It comprises the steps of setting an interference area for an object which should not be interfered with a tool when a tool rapid move is instructed by a start point and a terminal point for the tool movement, setting an entry prohibit quadrant for prohibiting the tool entry and two or more of quadrants for permitting a move of the tool in the interference area, and controlling a move mode of the tool according to quadrants belonging to the start point and the terminal point in such a manner as to avoid the entry prohibit quadrant. A tool move control apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for searching for a fiducial point of machining in relation to the C-axis in a lathe capable of carrying out machining by C-axis control based on the C-axis origin. In a machining work applied to a workpiece having a C-axis-value-prescribed configuration whose C-axis value in relation to the fiducial point of machining is prescribed by a first angle, and second and third angles between the C-axis origin and each point of measurement located on the opposite sides of the C-axis-value-prescribed configuration facing the C-axis are measured, the angle between the fiducial point of machining and the C-axis origin is obtained on the basis of the second and third angles measured and the first angle prescribed between the C-axis-value-prescribed configuration and the fiducial point of machining, thus detecting the fiducial point of machining with respect to the workpiece having the C-axis-value-prescribed configuration.

Abstract: There are provided workpiece rotatably holding means for rotatably holding a pallet at a position opposite to a spindle, a pallet changer provided with a main body rotatably holded and formed with a plurality of wings arranged in a windmill shape, and workpiece supporting means for loading the pallet on each one of the wings, and an intermediate station for transferring a workpiece between the workpiece rotatably holding means and the pallet changer. The workpiece to be machined is loaded on each wing of the pallet changer, transferred to the workpiece rotatably holding means through the intermediate station and subjected to the machining there. After being machined, the workpiece is transferred back to the pallet changer through the intermediate station.

Abstract: A tool storing apparatus is disclosed. It includes a frame. The frame is provided with guide means. The guide means is movably provided with a plurality of tool racks in the shape of a band plate. The tool racks are provided with a plurality of tool pockets for storing tools and arranged in the longitudinal direction of the tool racks. The tools are stored in the tool pockets of the respective tool racks. When the tools are inserted therein and pulled off therefrom, the corresponding tool racks are moved in order to prevent occurrence of interference between the tool racks and the tools attached thereto, and means for delivering and feeding the tools.

Abstract: A tool storing and feeding apparatus is disclosed. It includes a plurality of tool racks in the shape of a band plate designed to be movable. The tool racks are provided with a plurality of tool pockets arranged in their longitudinal direction. An intermediate feed pocket for delivering and feeding tools to a machine tool, and means for delivering and feeding tools are provided. Tools to be fed to the machine tool are put in the tool pockets. The tools put in the tool pockets are delivered between the intermediate feed pocket and the tool racks.

Abstract: A first drive means is provided to an upper turret and a lower turret in such a manner as that the upper turret and lower turret can be synchronously rotated through a turret drive system, and a second drive means is provided to an upper metallic mold and a lower metallic mold in such a manner as that the upper and the lower metallic molds can be synchronously rotated within the respective turrets through a metallic mold drive system, and the metallic mold drive system is connected to the turret drive system through a differential gear mechanism. And, when the turrets are positioned, the second drive means is held stopped and the metallic molds each holding its own dividing angle are rotated within the respective turrets by the first drive means through the differential gear mechanism. The dividing of the angles for the respective metallic molds is carried out through the differential gear mechanism by the second drive means while maintaining the turrets positioned and stopped.

Abstract: A method of determining coordinate system in a machining center in which tool exchange is made after resetting the tool to the mechanical zero point. A reference position is set with respect to a program zero point at a position on a coordinate having the origin coinciding with the program zero point. The mechanical coordinate values of the reference position with respect to the mechanical zero point are computed and determined by making a reference portion of the tool coincide with the reference position. Then, the mechanical coordinate values of the program zero point are computed and determined from the reference position. In the tool exchange, the mechanical coordinate value of the program zero point in the direction of axis of spindle is corrected in accordance with the difference of length between two tools, by reading the data concerning the tool lengths from a tool file storing the tool lengths in the direction of axis of the spindle.

Abstract: A method of judging and controlling simultaneous machining in a quadriaxial numerical control lathe having two tool rests. A machining pattern pair memory stores a pair table showing possibility of simultaneous execution of different machining patterns. A judgement is made as to whether a simultaneous execution of two machining processes in accordance with input machining informations is possible, through a retrieval of the table in the machining pattern pair memory, and machining programs for two tool rests are formed through an automatic judging concerning the possibility of simultaneous machining to relieve the programmer from the work for making such a decision.

Abstract: A method of controlling selection of tools in a quadriaxial numerical control lathe provided with two tool rests each mounting a plurality of tools and adapted to perform machining by the use of the tool rests, without requiring a programmer or the like to give an instruction concerning selection of tools to be used in each of machining processes when he/she forms a machining program.

Abstract: The machining to be achieved is classified in accordance with the machining shape into a plurality of machining units. A tool combination memory stores tool combination lines each containing an array of tool information in the sequence of use in each machining unit. As the operator appoints some of the machining units, corresponding tool combination lines are read out from the tool combination memory and are stored in sequence in a machining program memory. The tools presented by the tool combination lines in the machining program memory are then rearranged and lined up on the basis of the tool to form a machining tool combination. The machining is made in accordance with the machining tool combination in such a manner that the machinings of different machining units achievable by a tool common to these machining units are conducted simultaneously without necessitating repeated mounting and demounting of such tool.

Abstract: A method of controlling the indexing of magazine pockets in a machining center. The tools used in a current machining program are compared with the tools to be employed in the next machining program. When there are tools used in both programs, the pocket numbers of the tools in the present machining program are indexed to the identical tools to be used in the next machining program. The data concerning such common tools are displayed together with the indexed pocket numbers.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of controlling a numerically controlled machine tool comprising the steps of classifying cutting tools and machining order for the respective machining patterns determined in response to the final machining contour of a workpiece machined by a numerically controlled machine tool like a machining center, for example in case of the final machining contour with a counter bore and a tap, the cutting tools and machining order of centering--drilling--end milling for a counter bore and centering--drilling--tapping for a tap, by the unit of machining patterns; storing the classification in the numerically controlled machine tool; reading, during machining of the workpiece, a unit of machining patterns corresponding to the machining contour of the workpiece on a display unit; machining the workpiece with numerical information as to each machining patterns entered in the numerically controlled machine tool; and displaying the machining process conditions on the display unit.