Abstract: A control system is proposed which is integrated in a single housing and is designed for a numerically controlled machine. The control system comprises a PC board which includes an input device, a processor, a memory, and a PC bus; a plurality of CNC boards, each including a processor, a memory, and a CNC bus; a common control-system bus connected to the CNC bus of each CNC board; and a PC matching circuit provided between the control-system bus and the PC bus. The matching circuit includes a read-write memory, an address multiplexer, a bidirectional data multiplexer, and a control circuit, which depending on the control signals on the control lines of the control-system bus and the PC bus, drives the address multiplexer, the bi-directional data multiplexer, and the read-write memory such that by the control-system bus and also by the PC bus, data can be written into and read out from the read-write memory under desired addresses.

Abstract: A controller for an injection molding machine controls the injection ram by means of profiles having segments with programmable setpoints and boundary points. A profile associated with a particular stage of the injection molding cycle may be assigned one of several control functions having dependent variables of velocity or pressure and independent variables of time or ram position. The particular control function may be changed between injection stages. The programmable setpoints permit accurate representation of complex profiles with a limited number of segments.

Abstract: A method for detecting the coordinate position of the grinding point of a grinding wheel supported on a swiveling table comprises the steps of: rotating drivably the swiveling table through a specified angle from a start position so as to arrive at a first turning position; measuring a first displacement of the grinding point of the grinding wheel from the start position by displacement measuring means; rotating the swiveling table through the specified angle from the first turning position so as to arrive at a second turning position; measuring a second displacement of the grinding point of the griding wheel from the first turning position by the displacement measuring means; and calculating the position of the grinding wheel with respect to the swivel axis of swiveling table according to the first and the second displacement and the specified angle.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing, dispensing and keeping track of articles, such as keys, has a plurality of compartments for the articles arranged in a cylindrical array, with openings, one for each compartment, being arranged on the surface of the cylinder. The apparatus is in a protective cabinet or housing. An access port arrangement is moveable in a slot in the cabinet parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and means are provided for rotating the cylinder and for moving the access port mechanism so that the access port can align with a selected one compartment to permit access to that compartment only at any one time. Control means, such as a computer, controls the rotating and the access port moving means so that, by identifying each article by a unique value, and dedicating an individual compartment to each separate article, the compartment specific to that article is accessed as required. A hierarchical access system for persons using the apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring the shape and dimensions of a workpiece which is to be cut by a sawing machine. The method includes detecting the width of the workpiece, detecting the contact angle or contact position when the saw blade contacts the workpiece, detecting the presence or absence of a workpiece vertical side surface, judging whether the cross-sectional shape of the workpiece is round or square from data including the width of the workpiece, the contact angle or contact position, and the presence or absence of a workpiece vertical side, and displaying and calculating the dimensions of the workpiece. The device includes a width detector for the detecting the width of the workpiece, a contact angle detector for detecting the contact angle or contact position when the saw blade contacts the workpiece, and a vertical surface detector for detecting the presence or absence of a workpiece vertical side surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data signal monitoring system for monitoring data signals in a data wire without interrupting data signal flow. In the illustrative embodiment, the data signal monitoring system is connected to the data wires between a fuel dispenser and the the dispenser control console. The design is such that the data signals flow into the monitoring system without interrupting the communication between console and dispenser. The monitoring system interprets the data and analyzes pump status and commands. The data signal monitoring system translates the physical signals in the wire into serial signals which are sent to a microprocessor in the monitoring system for processing. The microprocessor then controls other electrical devices from information extracted from the communication between the pump and console. Such electrical devices include a price sign displaying the price of the fuel and an audio message system which is activated when the pump nozzle handle is lifted.

Abstract: A method is provided for the confirmation of the diameters of plural drills of different diameters in a PWB working machine in which the drills are interchangeably mounted to perform drilling. The method comprises storing, with respect to each of the drills, data on whether or not the drill has already been used, checking the data of one of the drills upon drill replacement, and measuring the diameter of the drill only where the drill has not previously been used.

Abstract: A numerical control method controls a machining path of a tool. A second feed speed data is determined which causes a machining path error that is N times as large as a prescribed first path error when the machining path of the tool is driven according to an instructed first machining path data. An actual machining path of the tool is predicted according to the first machining path data and the second feed speed data. A second path error data is determined according to a difference between the predicted machining path and the first machining path data. A positional correction data is obtained by subtracting the first path error data from the second path error data. Then, second machining path data is calculated by adjusting the first machining path data by an amount corresponding to the positional correction data. A machine tool is driven according to the second machining path data and the second feed speed data.

Abstract: A computer-produced carved sign having three-dimensional surfaces, is produced by a method which comprises designing on a computer-aided design system, a three-dimensional graphical model of the signage work having three-dimensional surfaces to be carved in a signboard. On the computer-aided design system, a desired mathematical representation of the three-dimensional graphical model of the signage work to be carved in the signboard, is determined, and the desired mathematical representation is provided to a computer-aided machining system having a carving tool. Material constituting the signboard is removed using the carving tool moving under the controlled guidance of the computer-aided machining system. The CAD system allows the user to input an alpha-numeric character. The CAD system automatically creates the machining path by developing similar outlines of the alpha-numeric character and projects these outlines into the 3D graphical model.

Abstract: The invention consists in using a transmitter (23) of light to reproduce, in the plane of an optical detector (24), the profile of an object or a set of objects in contact or overlapping on a conveyor belt (21), e.g. newspapers (20), the profile being reproduced in the form of a function Y=f(X), then in scanning the profile by means of two receivers (27, 28) delimited by two slots (30, 31) in such a manner that the intersections of the function Y and the lines representing the two receivers are reduced approximately to two points with the distance between the two points being as small as possible, and finally in permanently determining the derivative Y'(X) and in actuating an electronic circuit associated with the detector (24) to generate an output signal proportional to the value of the derivative Y'(X).

Abstract: Non-contact machining of workpieces on a mass production basis is accomplished with dynamic and adaptive feedback control to achieve accurate machining of a first and second feature to a specified combined size. The first feature is machined in the workpiece and measured to obtain a value which represents the size. A proces parameter is adjusted in accordance with the measurement value based on a stored transfer function so that the second feature will be machined with an extrapolated size such that the combined size will be within the acceptability limit. Additionally, the combined measurement values of successive workpieces is analyzed to determine the trend of change of the values with respect to the specified size and the parameter is adjusted to machine the first feature and the combined features more accurately.

Abstract: In a data preparing method and apparatus for an embroidery sewing machine, when a first memory stores outline data of an embroidery pattern, a reference direction determining device computes a length or a width of the embroidery pattern as a reference direction based on the outline data. Based on the outline data and the reference direction, a first computing device computes outline data of closed areas into which the embroidery pattern is divided by a segment intersecting the reference direction at a predetermined angle. Based on the outline data computed by the first computing device and the direction of the segment, a second computing device computes needle location data or block data that is related with needle location for embroidering the closed areas. The direction in which the segment extends corresponds to a stitch-forming direction. The needle location data or the block data is stored into a second memory device.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing items in selected configurations and a system and method for controlling the same. More particularly, an apparatus for producing mail pieces and a system and method for controlling it to produce mail pieces in a variety of configurations are disclosed. The apparatus includes a laser printer and folding sealing apparatus controlled by a data processor. The folder sealer apparatus combines sheets printed by the laser printer with pre-printed sheets and envelope forms, which also may be printed by the laser printer or may be windowed envelopes, folds the sheets as necessary and folds and seals the envelope form about the folded sheets to produce a mail piece. A user inputs a configuration for the mail piece which is translated by the data processor into a data structure and transmitted to the controller of the folder sealer apparatus.

Abstract: A surface grinder includes a bed or base, a table supported on the bed for reciprocating movement and a grinding wheel supported on a vertical column. An actuator connected to the table reciprocates the table relative to the grinding wheel. A programmable control system is operatively connected to the actuator to move the table from a home position to a feed or ramp-in position through a cutting motion, through a wipe cycle or spark out motion and to return the table to the home position. The part to be ground is held on the table by a magnetic chuck. The control system includes a manually operable teach input device which permits the operator to program the control system to set the table motion while manually moving the table through a grinding cycle. The control system provides accurate bidirectional control over the motion of the table. The operator may independently vary the speed of the table between its movement between various positions during programming.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for developing the contour of tools employed for forming aluminum alloy members exhibiting complex shapes. The members are precipitation, heat-treatable, aluminum alloys which are age formed. The resulting member is formed to the desired contour and, simultaneously, is heat treated to reduce residual stresses while improving its strength characteristics. The invention is particularly concerned with a new tool contour prediction method which is based upon the relationship, for a particular aluminum alloy, of the strain retained in a part after it has been subjected to an applied strain while constrained to a desired shape, then released after being heat treated in an autoclave or furnace.

Abstract: Centralized broadcast of a plurality of computer programs through a point to multipoint communications medium to a plurality of computers able to select, receive and execute computer programs from within said plurality of computer programs. Computer programs to facilitate the purchase of one or more computer programs from within the plurality of computer programs, and the computer programs to facilitate purchase being transmitted through the point to multipoint communications medium.

Abstract: An automatic tuner is provided for continuous, on-line tuning of proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) feedback controllers. The tuner compares the system input signals with the system response to generate estimates of system damping, frequency, and steady-state error, and then applies a set of if-then rules derived from mathematical and/or empirical analysis of the system parameters. The tuner represents each parameter of the rule-set by a "fuzzy" membership function, and an inference mechanism uses fuzzy logic for computing system outputs from the input values. The tuner also incorporates a self-monitoring mechanism to adjust the tuner output based on past performance. At each running cycle, the tuner computes a Euclidean distance between present values and desired values in the parameter-space represented by damping, frequency, and steady-state error. The output of the tuner is then scaled by a "reward factor" that is a function of the tuner effectiveness and consistency.

Abstract: A non-iterative method for selecting manufacturing process parameters set point values which result in a specified process response and which values are close to design parameter values is based on a second order response surface mapping representation of the manufacturing process. The best set point values are determined in a single computation.

Abstract: A programmable logic circuit includes a memory sector and other logic elements which are laid peripherally, wherein the memory sector is prestored with possible input data and output data which are derived by fuzzy reasoning. In application, observed data on an objective entity outside is first treated by a logic element to convert the data to digital form and then input as an address in the memory sector wherein the input observed data is converted by fuzzy logic to an operative data, which is sent to downstream to subsequent circuit elements to control a device. The illustrated embodiment is for an air-conditioning system wherein introduction of a memory sector having fuzzy logic based data will prevent erroneous actions in the downstrem devices which are caused by erroneously input data, in the process of processing data by a conventional programmable logic circuit.

Abstract: A complex curved surface (SS) is divided into a plurality of areas (ARj), a vertical relationship regarding a plurality of curved surfaces (SSi) present only in each of the areas is specified for every area, the vertical relationship conforming to an area (ARj) in which there exists a line of intersection (CLk) that is a projection of a cutting pass on an X-Y plane is used to obtain cutting passes (Pak) of the complex curved surface in this area (ARj), and the cutting passes of the complex curved surface are generated by combining the cutting passes of all areas (ARj).