Abstract: A method for continuous-path control includes predefining at least two global tolerances to a numerical control and predefining, to the numerical control, a tool path including support points, a non-continuously differentiable corner of the tool path being situated at each support point. The method also includes assigning, by a tolerance-assignment unit, one of the at least two global tolerances determined to the corner at each support point. A global edge tolerance may be predefined when the tolerance-assignment unit recognizes that the corner at the support point leads to an edge in a workpiece. A global curve tolerance may be predefined when the tolerance-assignment unit recognizes that the corner at the support point approximates a curvilinear, continuously differentiable curve. A global edge tolerance may be predefined to be smaller than a global curve tolerance.

Abstract: Upon analyzing a processing program (5) in an analyzer (11, 31), a numerical control apparatus extracts information about a contact position between a tool and a workpiece, and based on the information, it calculates a main spindle revolution instruction value in a main spindle revolution calculator 14, 38). In a CAM system, information about the contact position between the tool and the workpiece to be supplied to the numerical control apparatus is calculated and added to the processing program.

Abstract: A sinker electric discharge machine jump control device for reciprocating a tool electrode along a Z-axis with respect to a workpiece using a servo motor in order to expel contaminated fluid from a work gap. The jump control device includes a commanded current generator, the current generator generating a commanded current for the servo motor, and a commanded velocity generator, the velocity generator dividing a locus of a jump stroke into a plurality of segments and generating a commanded velocity for each of the plurality of segments. Additionally, the jump control device includes a velocity override calculator, the calculator generating a velocity override according to the commanded current, and a commanded velocity modifying device, the modifying device modifying the commanded velocity according to the velocity override during the jump stroke.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for synchronous control of a leading element and a follower element in which synchronism is started smoothly and a mechanical shock at the start of synchronism is reduced. When the follower element is started to move to be synchronized with the leading element, motion of the follower element is started before the follower element reaches a start position of the synchronism, and brought into synchronism with the leading element at the start position of synchronism. A positional relationship between the leading element and the follower element in synchronism, and a start position for starting the synchronism of the follower element and the leading element is set. An acceleration control of the follower element is performed between a motion start position preceding the start position of the synchronism and the start position of the synchronism.

Abstract: A synchronous controller capable of easily controlling a slave axis in synchronism with a master axis performing a composite motion of a plurality of axes. Motion commands for two axes X, Y constituting the master axis are subject to interpolation/distribution and acceleration/deceleration processing, to determine distribution motion amounts, and the determined amounts of motion of the two axes X, Y constituting the master axis for every interpolation period are combined to determine an amount of motion M of the master axis, from which is determined an amount of motion of the slave axis for every interpolation/distribution period. The determined amounts of motion of the X, Y and slave axes are output to respective servo control means, thus driving the respective axes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method and machine are provided for tuning compensation parameters in a motion control system associated with a mechanical member. The method includes the steps of receiving an indication of a compensation parameter to be tested, based on the compensation parameter to be tested causing a signal associated with a desired motion of the mechanical member to be commanded, acquiring control data associated with the signal, acquiring measurement data associated with actual motion of the mechanical member in response to the signal, analyzing the control and measurement data; and based on the step of analyzing the control and measurement data, implementing a value of the compensation parameter.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of and apparatus for self-calibrating a motion control system is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving a test parameter, ensuring a reasonable test can be executed based on the test parameter, generating a part program based upon the test parameter, instructing a user of the motion control system regarding set up of a device capable of acquiring data associated with the test, and executing the test, wherein the part program is executed as part of the test.

Abstract: It is strongly demanded that a stable thread machining process be attained by carrying out a thread machining operation while varying the rotational frequency of a spindle, and thereby restraining the occurrence of cutting chatter. According to the present invention, in which a thread machining process is carried out on the basis of a rotation of the spindle and a movement of a feed axis, the above-mentioned demand is met by executing the steps of determining a relative phase error of the spindle positions and feed axis during a thread machining operation, and determining a movement quantity of the feed axis on the basis of a pseudo spindle position set by error-compensating the quantity of the relative phase error with respect to the spindle position.

Abstract: An electrical discharge machining (EDM) apparatus includes a plurality of machining heads, at least one EDM control system, and a plurality of programmable servo drives. Each one of the programmable servo drives is connected to the EDM control system and to a respective one of the plurality of machining heads. The programmable servo drives receive a velocity command from the EDM control system and feed a control signal to a respective one of the plurality of machining heads to control electrode positioning.

Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit sets the setting values of each defining a driving pulse period corresponding to a number of velocity steps at the time of accelerating or decelerating a stepping motor in a register, and performs calculation so as to divide each difference between driving pulse periods in between respective setting values into a predetermined number of pieces to change the driving pulse period. By doing so, this smoothly controls the acceleration and deceleration of the stepping motor without enlarging circuit scale and stepping out even if there is no excessive torque margin.

Abstract: A method for generating nominal position values for a position control loop of a numerically continuous-path controlled machine. The method includes presetting nominal position values with a defined interpolator clock rate, digitally filtering the preset nominal position values and transmitting the digitally filtered nominal position values to a position control loop, which with them controls motion of a machine on a path curve at a defined position control clock rate. Adjusting the digitally filtering nominal position values as a function of dynamic characteristics of the machine and adjusting an interpolator clock rate as a function of the dynamic characteristics of the machine.

Abstract: It is strongly demanded that a stable thread machining process be attained by carrying out a thread machining operation while varying the rotational frequency of a spindle, and thereby restraining the occurrence of cutting chatter. According to the present invention, in which a thread machining process is carried out on the basis of a rotation of the spindle and a movement of a feed axis, the above-mentioned demand is met by executing the steps of determining a relative phase error of the spindle positions and feed axis during a thread machining operation, and determining a movement quantity of the feed axis on the basis of a pseudo spindle position set by error-compensating the quantity of the relative phase error with respect to the spindle position.

Abstract: A method for controlling an automatically operated lathe provided with at least one spindle and at least one tool rest includes the following steps. First, each of a plurality of transfer position data required in a sequence of machining programs in connection with at least one spindle and at least one tool rest is provided in a form of either one of two types of transfer position data, one of which is cam-reference data directing a transfer position as a function of a cam rotation quantity and the other is time-reference data directing a transfer position as a function of an elapsed time. Next, a time-series allocation of the cam-reference data and the time-reference data is designated in the sequence of machining programs. Then, the cam-reference data and the time-reference data are processed in accordance with the time-series allocation, so as to control a relative feed motion between at least one spindle and at least one tool rest in the sequence of machining programs.

Abstract: A profile data compensating method comprises a step of generating effective profile data by operating a machine tool under a non-load condition in accordance with theoretical profile data, a step of generating first error profile data representing error components of a control system, a step of generating first compensated profile data based upon the first error profile data, a step of generating measured profile data by measuring the shape of the workpiece machined in accordance with the first compensated profile data, a step of generating second error profile data representing error components of a mechanical system, and a step of generating second compensated profile data based upon the first and second error profile data.

Abstract: A robot controller capable of minimizing an increase in the tact time during work, reducing changes in joint axes of the robot, thereby providing the structure with long mechanical life. The robot controller i) stores a plurality of movement data formed of amount and time for movement; ii) checks whether a movement of a robot has acceleration exceeding a predetermined level by calculation on the basis of the stored movement data; iii) increases the time for movement of the corresponding movement data, the preceding and following data to the movement data, if the calculation indicates over-acceleration; and iv) controls the robot according to the time-increased movement data.

Abstract: The invention makes it possible to execute the pre-control and the fine interpolation in the drive (A) in the fast drive clock (tDR) with a slower path pre-setting in the clock (tNC) of the NC. For this purpose, in each NC clock (tNC) a setpoint speed value (nNC*) and the P gain (kP) of the NC position controller (L_NC) and the desired axle speed (nNC) and the average axle speed (nNCMW) during the last NC position controller clock are transferred from the NC to the drive. From this information, polynomial segments of the third degree are in each case generated on the drive side, valid for the duration of an NC position controller clock (tNC). They are constructed in such a way that the speed at the polynomial transitions is constant. A variable component of the position polynomial is determined as the fine position component xF, with which the setpoint position values are finely interpolated in the drive.

Abstract: There are provided a curved-surface state evaluating unit for forming evaluation data by arranging, virtually, a tool on a given scheduled path locus not interfering with a processed surface of a processing object and by setting tool path sample points to evaluate a state of the processed surface, a tool position data forming unit having a command speed deciding portion for deciding a command speed, at which the tool is moved, based on evaluation data of the tool path sample points, and a tool position deciding portion for deciding the tool position based on the command speed and a shape of a worked surface such that the tool does not interfere with the worked surface, wherein operation of the curved-surface state evaluating unit and operation of the tool position data forming unit are executed in real time.

Abstract: An improved control method that constrains the operation of a manipulator in a control system is provided. Modifying a conventional control system to conform to this new method requires the selection of a preferred or desired direction of adjustment for the manipulator and the selection of a reset value for the manipulator. The conventional control system, which normally adjusts the manipulator as necessary to achieve a desired value for a system variable, is constrained by this new method so that the system variable achieves the desired value as a final or direct result of using manipulator adjustments that are in the selected desired direction of adjustment.

Abstract: The invention makes it possible to execute the pre-control and the fine interpolation in the drive (A) in the fast drive clock (tDR) with a slower path pre-setting in the clock (tNC) of the NC. For this purpose, in each NC clock (tNC) a setpoint speed value (nNC*) and the P gain (kP) of the NC position controller (L_NC) and the desired axle speed (nNC) and the average axle speed (nNCMW) during the last NC position controller clock are transferred from the NC to the drive. From this information, polynomial segments of the third degree are in each case generated on the drive side, valid for the duration of an NC position controller clock (tNC). They are constructed in such a way that the speed at the polynomial transitions is constant. A variable component of the position polynomial is determined as the fine position component xF, with which the setpoint position values are finely interpolated in the drive.

Abstract: A two-axis or three-axis digitally controlled microprocessor for remotely controlling an existing manually operated geared head uses digital technology to provide full precise control of the geared head from a remote distance. Additionally, by utilizing the system's electronics, the system operator has ten gear ratios instead of the three gear ratios that typically exist in the prior art manual geared head. Another feature permits the camera operator to set four predetermined soft stop positions. The system has the capability of being able to record the X/Y/Z position precisely and to precisely duplicate the same camera motion repeatedly. The system is very simple and ergonomically advantageous to operate. One single umbilical cable between the controller and the geared head provides the most necessary communication between the controller and the geared head and supplies power to the camera.

Abstract: A numerical controlling device and a tooling apparatus having thereof, in which performance required for the machining is greatly improved correspondingly to a degree of importance according to a type of the machining and thus high efficiency and high accuracy in the machining can be obtained, by referring a database based on a type of a specified cutting tool and workpiece, and of a machining mode including an operating path of a movement of the cutting tool and workpiece, and by selecting a control parameter which relates to an adequate operating speed and operating position in the entire operating path during machining and non-machining.

Abstract: An adaptive control system for adaptively controlling a turning operation performed at a work piece by a turning tool adjusts a controlled input operation parameter F to maintain an output operation parameter &Dgr;M substantially at a predetermined value &Dgr;Mo to compensate variation of the output operation paramemeter &Dgr;M caused by the variation of at least one operation condition B=B (t). The system comprises a sensor (8) of the output operation parameter &Dgr;M for providing a signal Uc proportional to a current value &Dgr;Mc and an adaptive controller (10) for determining a value Fc to which the input operation parameter F should be adjusted, as a function of kUc, where k is a signal transmission coefficient which comprises an invariant signal transmission coefficient component ko inversely proportional to &Dgr;Mo.

Abstract: The present invention preferably employs non-contact, small-displacement, capacitive sensors to determine Abbe errors due to the pitch, yaw, or roll of a near linear mechanical stage that are not indicated by an on-axis position indicator, such as a linear scale encoder or laser interferometer. The system is calibrated against a precise reference standard so the corrections depend only on sensing small changes in the sensor readings and not on absolute accuracy of the sensor readings. Although the present invention is preferred for use in split-axis positioning systems with inertially separated stages, the invention can be employed in typical split-axis or stacked stage systems to reduce their manufacturing costs.

Abstract: A structure comprising firstly a differential sensor of linear displacement comprising a body and a core slidably mounted relative to said body, and secondly a rod of a servo-control actuator in which the core is mounted, said rod terminating in an endpiece which has a bore in which the core is received close to its end, said bore and the core having complementary threads which co-operate to hold said core relative to said bore, and means enabling the engagement of the core in said bore to be adjusted, wherein said means comprise an adjustment screw extending through the actuator rod and whose thread co-operates with complementary means carried by the core so that turning movement applied to the adjustment screw by an operator gives rise to axial displacement of the core in the bore of the endpiece.

Abstract: A device for analyzing NC program is provided with a machining method analyzing means (34) which extracts machining conditions for every machining work element by analyzing an actual NC machining program, and data base creating means (35). The device extracts necessary machining information from the actual NC machining program and allows the data bases (21, 22, 23 and 24) to reflect the information.

Abstract: A scanner motor acceleration method that uses a software driver and a flexible process method to enable a scanner to perform fast scanning operation without increasing motor cost or complex hardware design. Motor acceleration and deceleration may be done through software control on existing scanner hardware which do not support acceleration and deceleration function. Through positioning and speeding mechanisms of existing scanner hardware, and software which may be changed flexibly, scanner positioning function may be accurately performed without deviations.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus (1 or 20) comprising pecking operation controlling means (12) which make a feed drive system (14) retracted when a cutting load detected by cutting load detecting means (7) exceeds a reference value during a drilling process, the cutting load detecting means (7) comprise a bite load detecting section (8) to detect the cutting load at a biting stage wherein a tool bites a work piece, and a stationary load detecting section (10) to detect the cutting load after the biting stage. The numerical control apparatus (1 or 20) comprises pecking judgement means (11) to judge that the feed drive system (14) should be retracted when a fluctuation load exceeds a specified reference value wherein the fluctuation load is obtained by reducing the bite load from the detected stationary load. When it is judged that the feed drive system (14) should be retracted, the pecking operation controlling means (12) make the feed drive system (14) retracted.

Abstract: The main spindle (1A) for the main spindle device of a diesinker electric discharge machine is connected to a high rotor inertia, high output servo motor (15) without passing through a speed reducer; the servo motor (15) is equipped with a high resolution encoder (14). A main spindle rotation speed detection signal is detected by the encoder (14) when the main spindle (1A) is rotating in the high speed mode, and a main spindle angle position and rotation speed detection signal are detected when the main spindle (1A) is being angle divided, and these signals are fed back to the servo motor (15) motor driver (16). High speed rotational control and angle position precision angle division control are accomplished by a single servo motor and a single encoder.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a motor control circuits and a control system comprising the motor control circuits.

Abstract: A control system controls the movement of an object based on desired position data. The control system includes a first regulator configured to regulate the position of the object, a feed forward control configured to feed the desired position data forward to a second regulator at a lower level than the first regulator, and a modeling filter configured to receive the desired position data and to provide the desired position data to the first regulator with a predetermined time delay.

Abstract: A substrate handling system comprises a robot containing mico-environment in communication with a plurality of processing stations. The robot has a robot arm comprising an end effector linkage mounted to an extensible linkage. Each of the linkages is independently actuatable using an associated motor, with the extensible linkage serving to convey the end effector linkage to the vicinity of a target processing station for delivery or retrieval of a substrate. Motion of the linkages may be synchronized to reduce travel time, and multiple end effectors may be mounted to the extensible linkage for increasing throughput.

Abstract: A device for controlling load on a first motor whose load is affected by a second motor, comprises a controller having a first input for being connected to a horsepower transducer connected to the first motor being monitored and an output for being connected to the second motor; and a program configured to receive the first input and generate the output responsive to the input.

Abstract: The present invetion involves a tolerance based motion controller. The controller is capable of processing a group of tolerance constraints. The tolerance constraints specify where and when each tolerance constraint is to be applied, along with the information specifying the desired trajectory of motion. There are also a group of velocity constraints, specifying the maximum allowable velocity at each point along the desired trajectory. This information along with sensor feedback is used to modify the velocity along the actual trajectory of motion. This results in the time required traverse the trajectory being as short as possible. Also, the actual trajectory of motion should never exceed the permissible deviation from the desired trajectory, as specified by the tolerance constraints, with the velocity always being bounded by the specified velocity constraint.

Abstract: Tool feed speed Fa (mm/min) is calculated for each tool feed step on the basis of a tool feed speed F (mm/rev) specified in advance and the actual rotational speed Sact of the spindle (rev/min). The tool feed speed Fa (mm/min) and the tool feed speed Fold of the previous cycle (initially, a value based on the maximum rotational speed S of the spindle as a tentative feed speed Fold) are compared, and if a change has been detected, a tool feed speed Fb (mm/min) for the subsequent tool feed step is calculated based on the relation between the tool feed speed Fc (mm/min) based on the subsequent maximum rotational speed S of the spindle (rev/min), the maximum rotational speed S of the spindle (rev/min), and the rotational speed Sact of the spindle (rev/min); and the tool feed speed undergoes pre-interpolation acceleration/deceleration control on the basis of the subsequent tool feed speed Fb (mm/min) and the tool feed speed Fa (mm/min).

Abstract: Numeric controller (3) for controlling a rotating mechanism (1) having a rotor rotated by a linearly moving driving source has a rotating position command means (311) for transmitting angular position commanding value (&thgr;), a radius setting means (312) for setting rotation radius (R) of the rotor, and a linear position operation means (313) for operating linear position command value (L) of the driving source based on the angular position command value (&thgr;) and the rotation radius (R). Since the linear position operation means (313) is provided, the linear position command value (L) can be calculated to drive the driving source only by commanding angular position command value (&thgr;), thereby facilitating to construct programs inputted to the numeric controller.

Abstract: A single shaft type table feed device comprises a movable body and an auxiliary movable body 34. The movable body is supported by a guide rail 31 and can be freely moved by a feed screw shaft 35 in the axial direction thereof. The auxiliary movable body 34 includes an inside diameter portion through which the feed screw shaft 35 can be inserted. The auxiliary movable body 34 is supported by the guide rail 31 and freely movable in the axial direction thereof. The inside diameter portion 38a of the auxiliary movable body 34 is slidingly contacted with the feed screw shaft 35.

Abstract: It is the object of the invention to correct a quadrantal protuberance depending on machining conditions, to improve a machining efficiency, and to improve the accuracy of a machining operation. A numerically controlled machine tool is provided with quadrantal protuberance correction storage means (301a and 301b) that stores a plurality of sets of the amount of quadrantal protuberance correction.

Abstract: The duty of a current to be supplied to an injection motor is calculated on the basis of the ratio between set injection time for which the injection motor operates and molding cycle time, a shaft torque of the injection motor is calculated on the basis of a set maximum injection force of the injection molding condition, a maximum current for the injection motor is determined on the basis of the calculated shaft torque, and it is decided that the injection motor is overloaded, an alarm is given, a duty for a current that enables continuous molding is retrieved for the maximum current, a state that enables continuous molding is displayed and the molding cycle time determining the duty of the current that enables continuous molding is corrected when the current having the calculated desired duty is smaller than the maximum current.

Abstract: An electric path (E) is formed by connecting a spindle (11), a tool (12), a table (4), a base (2), a column (5) and a housing (13) including a capacitor (C0) having the spindle (11) and the housing (13) as electrodes, and electric current is sent to the electric path (E) by a current generator (51). An electro-capacitance change is detected by measuring a current value in the electric path (E) by an electro-capacitance detector (52) to detect a state of a bearing gap between the spindle (11) and the housing (13). No multiple sensors are necessary and the spindle state detector (50) can be simplified.

Abstract: A control device which controls a tapping device provided with a feed motor for feeding a spindle in an axial direction thereof and a spindle motor for rotating the spindle about its axis. The spindle installs a composite tool having a boring section for forming a bore in a workpiece and a subsequent tapping section for forming a female thread at the bore. An asynchronous control is initially performed for independently controlling rotation of the feed motor and the spindle motor for boring. If the tapping section reaches the workpiece, a control is switched to a synchronous control for controlling the motors in synchronism with each other.

Abstract: A motion controller and a method of controlling the motion of a plurality of axes which prevents a discontinuous position command being generated to a follower axis. A follower mode transfer function circuit or routine generates a position command in response to a master axis position. This function can be in the form of electronic gearing or camming. A bias latch is utilized to offset any change in position resulting from a change in mode, such as changing from electronic gearing to electronic camming, changing cam profiles or gearing ratios, or changing the master axis. The latch is summed with the transfer function position command and a standard move command profile generator position command to provide the follower axis position command. The latch is recalculated each time the follower mode is changed.

Abstract: A positioning control method (80) has a setting section (81) for setting a comparison reference value in accordance with a machine tool in advance, a detecting section (82) for detecting a command value by the rapid traverse command G00, a comparing section (83) for comparing the comparison reference value and the command value, and a determining section (84) for changing the rapid traverse command G00 to a linear interpolation command G01 when the command value is smaller than the comparison reference value, executing the rapid traverse value G00 when the command value is larger than the comparison reference value, and selecting either one of the rapid traverse command G00 or the linear interpolation command G01 when the comparison reference value is equal to the command value. Less effective short-distance rapid traverse command is converted to the linear interpolation command, thus speeding up positioning control to make an entire processing of the workpiece faster.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling pulse-driven actuators on multidimensional coordinates includes a cutting tool connected to the actuators of a machine tool. The cutting tool is controlled with a specified path and a specified velocity by controlling the output pulses of a multiplier. Data on the coordinates of a plurality of points including points A and B on the specified path and on the specified velocity F is received along with a command indicating an interpolation type. A linear interpolation is performed by a straight line between the point A and the point B, and the interpolated straight line is divided into minute lengths .DELTA.L and a minute length .DELTA.La correspondingly to a minute time .DELTA.T. .DELTA.T is changed by sending either a first control signal for keeping the specified velocity F corresponding to the minute length .DELTA.L or a second control signal for keeping the specified velocity F corresponding to the minute length .DELTA.

Abstract: A spindle acceleration/deceleration controlling method in a numerical control unit comprising a spindle control section for controlling a spindle motor and a servo axis controlling section for controlling a servo axis motor, and for synchronously controlling the spindle and servo axis; wherein a spindle motor in the position loop control state is controlled with an acceleration/deceleration pattern similar to that of the spindle motor in the velocity loop control state.

Abstract: The variation of deviations of actual positions of a moving body from corresponding command positions is quantitatively evaluated as a servo control error, whether a feedback control system is oscillating is decided on the basis of the servo control error, set values of parameters expressing characteristics of a closed loop or a control element included in the feedback control system are adjusted on the basis of the result of the decision whether the feedback control system is oscillating, and the values of the parameters are adjusted to optimum values slightly different from values which will cause the feedback control system to oscillate.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the invention generate a motion profile of a motor. A reference acceleration profile, a reference velocity profile, and a reference displacement profile are first defined. Displacement-velocity data defining displacement data with respect to velocity data is then stored in a memory. A plurality of conversion constants which include a maximum velocity ratio K1, a maximum acceleration ratio K2, and a displacement conversion constant K3, are calculated, are then calculated using following equations: ##EQU1## where A.sub.max represents a maximum acceleration value in the reference acceleration profile, V.sub.max represents a maximum velocity value in the reference velocity profile, a.sub.max represents a maximum acceleration value in the generated profile, and V.sub.max represents a maximum velocity data in the profile to be generated. The system then determines a position data of the motor and maps the position data into a reference displacement data.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the condition of a tool in a machining operation for producing a plurality of toothed workpieces. The process comprises measuring the temperature of at least a portion of the plurality of workpieces each at essentially a same predetermined amount of time after machining. The temperature of each measured workpiece is compared to at least one workpiece reference temperature value indicative of a wear condition of the tool. If the measured temperature is less than or equal to the workpiece reference temperature value, machining of subsequent parts continues, or, if the measured temperature is greater than the workpiece reference temperature, the machining operation is stopped.

Abstract: A system for controlling motion in machine tools and industrial robots. From the specification of a part to be cut or a path to be followed by a machine tool or a robot, the system calculates, for each axis, for each incremental step along the path, a position command, a time delay between successive position commands, and, optionally, a force command based on a prediction of predicted resistive forces. Calculations are specified for precisely controlling velocity, acceleration, and jerk. The generated data is stored in a memory device and subsequently directed to the machine tool or robot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the anticipatory speed control, effective over a plurality of blocks, of an electric drive, in an anticipatory analysis of the braking requirements of a plurality of subsequent control data blocks. The braking requirements are necessary for the reliable reduction to the programmed feed rate for the electric drive. The limiting conditions such as admissible track acceleration and block length, are projected onto the necessary braking path, so that the shortest braking ramp determined in each case represents the limiting condition. The braking ramps for a plurality of parametrable override transition values are assigned to each control data block analyzed as characteristic data in a data store.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling, in power failure, such a machine that a workpiece and a tool are required to be always synchronized in their motion. The method and apparatus allow the tool and workpiece to move back and stop at a safe area without causing any damage to them when the main power source is lost. When a power failure has happened in the middle of a synchronous operation of the motors (S1), a power regeneration function is first disabled (S2). Then a braking control command is issued so as to decelerate the tool drive motor and the workpiece drive motor while maintaining their synchronization (S3). In this step S3, the deceleration rate is controlled so that the motors regenerates energy just enough for driving the tool feed motor. The tool retracts back to an area where it is no longer engaged with the workpiece, by driving the tool feed motor with the regenerative energy produced by the deceleration of the tool drive motor and the workpiece drive motor (S4).