Abstract: An automatic programming system is provided for a lathe which has more than one spindle. The system has one program which controls the machining processes which are performed using the spindles. The same program also controls a process which transfers a workpiece between the spindles. Additionally, the programming system is able to relocate the origin of a coordinate system used as a reference for the machining based on data relating to the length of the workpiece and the distance between the chucks of the spindles.

Abstract: The program for a numerical control device for controlling a numerically controlled lathe includes translation commands for translating the tool and the machining mode switching commands for switching between the normal mode by which only the tool is translated and the Swiss mode by which both the tool and the work are translated. A machining program analyzer unit analyses the program commands into translation commands and the machining mode switching commands. In response to the machining mode switching commands, the interpolation data generator unit converts the commands for translating the tool two-dimensionally into translation data for the tool along a first axis and a translation data for the work along a second axis. Thus, the programming for the machine tool capable of operating both in the normal and the Swiss mode is made easier.