Abstract: A method for efficiently interpolating sub-span position commands for control of a machine member. The method includes storing a set of coefficients defined by a parametric function relating member position and time, calculating the distance between a target coordinate axis position command and a current coordinate axis position command, generating first and second command modifiers from the stored coefficients, the calculated distance, and a current coordinate axis position command, and summing the current coordinate axis position command and the first and second command modifiers to generate a subspan position command.

Abstract: The method and apparatus according to the present invention interpolates curves with arbitrary accuracy. The accuracy is predetermined by a scalar value and indicates the maximum deviation (d) of a linearization segment of the curve (K). The maximum deviation (d) in this case is defined as the length of a vertical (d) which results from the intersection of the vertical from the rectilinear interpolation line between the points P1 and P2 of an interval with the curve (K) itself and the rectilinear interpolation line (K.sub.i). The increment width is determined dynamically, that is, the number of interpolating linearizing segments depends on the concrete properties of the curve such as the curve parameters.

Abstract: Method and system for trajectory or path planning to move a device such as a robot along a Cartesian path to achieve high path accuracy and ease of programming. Cascaded linear filters are utilized to perform acceleration/deceleration control in Cartesian space having six Cartesian components. Generally, six sets of such linear filters are used, three for location components and three for orientation components. Cartesian path blending is also provided. First and second path segments are planned and blended together and a corner distance is formed at a transition between the first and second path segments. A method is also provided for adjusting the corner distance. The corner distance is adjusted by corner distance variables which are independent of program speed so that the resultant Cartesian path can be maintained regardless of program speed changes.

Abstract: A system for robotic control of an object having x, y and z axis translational movement and C and D axis rotational movement capability. The object, which may be a robotic element such as a manipulator or machining tool or a laser beam positioner is controlled by the system for automatic tracking and orientation of the object over the surface of a workpiece including automatically determining the normal vector to the surface of the workpiece. It provides controllable movement and orientation of the object along selectable axes for accurate tracking of the workpiece surface by the object. The system allows processing of the workpiece by the object even when the axis of the object is oriented at an angle other than normal to the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: A numerical control unit for a non-circular workpiece fabricating machine automatically smoothes and interpolates lift data containing errors so as to obtain new substantially error-free lift data, and allows the fabricating machine to fabricate a non-circular workpiece with a smooth rotation of a main spindle and with less vibrations of a wheel spindle stock. The numerical control unit converts lift data whose pitch is unequal into lift data whose pitch is equal. Errors in the equal pitch lift data are extended by a second finite difference calculation, are repeatedly smoothed and interpolated until they meet an application criterion. Then, the lift data are subject to inverse calculation to obtain new lift data. The new lift data are used to obtain X/C-axis data taking a diameter of the wheel spindle stock and period of time per rotation of the workpiece into consideration. Thereafter, the workpiece is fabricated on the basis of the X/C-axis data.

Abstract: A numerical control device is arranged to calculate offset curves and generate signals for the movement of tools along the offset curves. The offset curves are derived from contour data, preferably in the form of cubic splines, describing the shape of a workpiece to be machined and from an offset value. By using Hermite's formula for approximation of the offset curves by splines, the number of spline segments is minimized while limiting the deviation between the splines and the offset curve to a preset tolerance value. Even when using moderate computing power, the calculation of the splines will in most circumstances be fast enough to be performed on-line without slowing down the throughput of the machining apparatus.

Abstract: A robot carrying a milling cutter or other multi-axis machine cuts a physical model and is directly driven in real time from a CAD generated mathematical model. The path planning is carried out in parametric space but with velocity constraints in the machine coordinate space. The method will generate proper points in parametric space and then map to machine space to minimize interpolations needed by machine controller to improve tracking accuracy while achieving the desired cutting velocity. Point data is computed by the microcomputer and transferred to the machine controller continuously while the machine is cutting. Long pre-cutting computation times are eliminated.

Abstract: A machining-error of a non-circular shape machining apparatus is corrected by controlling a movement of a tool which is synchronous with a rotation of a workpiece. A position of the tool is detected when the tool is according to a command position which is coincident with or close to a target position of the tool. At least an amplitude ratio and a phase difference of an amplitude ratio, a phase difference, and an offset difference between the target position and the detected position; is obtained. At least a process of increases and/or reducing the command position and a process of phase shift of the process for increasing and/or reducing the command position on the basis of the amplitude ratio, a process for shifting a phase on the basis of the phase difference, and a process for changing an offset of the command position on the basis of the offset difference are performed, whereby a first corrected command position is obtained.

Abstract: The desired path for each axis is predefined and converted to a first series of coarse position increments at time intervals. The coarse position increments are converted to a second series of spaced, (in time), fine position increments and expected values of velocity v. The latter parameters requiring splining and interpolation of values. The actual position of each axis is measured and compared with that required (by the fine series of position increments) to determine the resulting error E which is then compared with a calculated allowable error, e.sub.allowable calculated as a function of the then current planned velocity value v i.e. the planned value of velocity v corresponding to the current fine position increment and a signal is triggered when the actual error E exceeds the allowable error e.sub.allowable to prevent processing of the next increment in the second series of increments.

Abstract: An acceleration and deceleration controlling apparatus in which a positional moving amount supplied from a host is converted into an accumulated value of absolute positions by two serially connected accumulators to be output to a first stage of a buffer registers 4. A switch 5 is provided to read out a value from a desired register among the buffer registers 4. The switch 5 changes the substantial number of stages of the buffer registers 4. At the same time, by correspondingly switching the divisor of the divider 7, the time constant for the acceleration and deceleration are desirably changed, which contributes to optimize the acceleration and deceleration time and to reduce the processing time.

Abstract: A numerical control device for driving at least two mechanical axes which are not orthogonal to each other, including an inclination ratio setting device for setting an inclination ratio (angle) between actual mechanical axes corresponding to axes of a pseudo-set orthogonal coordinate system; an orthogonal axis direction mechanical error storage device for storing a mechanical error measured in the axial direction of the virtual orthogonal coordinate system; and an error converting device for obtaining a mechanical error in the actual mechanical axis direction from the orthogonal axis direction mechanical error and the set inclination of the mechanical axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically operating the controls of a vehicle and, more specifically, a gearshift lever pattern in a manual transmission to determine an envelope of movement of the gearshift lever, is provided. X and Y motors can be operatively attached to a manual gearshift lever with appropriate encoders to determine positions. A computer circuit controls an automatic learning cycle of movement of the gearshift pattern, while appropriately storing the spatial positions of the gearshift lever, to thereby enable an automatic driving of the gearshift during an automatic operation of the vehicle in a controlled situation.

Abstract: In a method of operating a numerically controlled machine tool having tools for processing workpieces, the paths to be calculated for the movements of axes of the tools are not calculated in real time on the processing of a workpiece, but are calculated previously by a programming unit before the processing of the workpiece, and are stored by a compiler into an object file for each axis the movement of which is to be controlled. All the object files run in synchronism on the processing of the workpiece under the timing of a central clock.

Abstract: A computer-based system and method is provided for positioning a cutter tool to an edge of a solid model in a computer aided manufacturing environment. A shortest distance and direction required to position the machine tool cutter to the edge of the solid model is determined. Edges are defined as three dimensional space curves. The machine tool cutter is defined as a convex envelope. Using the space curve definition, the cutter location, and the center axis of rotation for the cutter, computations are executed to determine a directional vector and distance such that moving the cutter along the vector for the prescribed distance will cause it to be in contact with the curve. Adjustments are available which cause the cutter to travel to offsets from the curve, including aligning the front of the cutter to the curve, the end of the cutter on the curve, or the back of the cutter past the curve.

Abstract: A synchronized operation system by which a plurality of independently controlled numerical control apparatuses (CNCs) are made to carry out a synchronized operation. An external signal generation circuit (1) supplies an external timing signal to respective CNCs (2,3), from the outside, and internal signal generation circuits (10, 20) generate internal timing signals for independently operating the CNCs (2, 3). Selection circuits (9, 19) select one of the external timing signals and the internal timing signal, and when the external timing signal is selected, the respective CNCs (2, 3) are operated by using the selected external timing signals as basic timing signals. Therefore, no time lag occurs between the basic timing signals of the respective CNCs (2, 3) an and thus the respective CNCs (2, 3) can carry out an extremely a closely synchronized operation, such as an interpolation, based on the basic timing signals.

Abstract: Disclosed is an NC data creation method for creating NC data by designating a cutting amount to be cut by a single cutting operation carried out by a cutting tool, and a target cutting amount of a workpiece when a cutting operation program is created by an interactive mode, to thereby set a final cutting amount to an optimum value. The NC data is created in such a manner that a lower limit value is set with respect to a cutting amount to be cut by a single cutting operation carried out by the cutting tool, a required number of cutting operations and a final cutting amount are calculated based on the cutting amount and a target cutting amount, and the NC data is created by changing the NC data to a value in which each cutting amount is not smaller than the above lower limit value.

Abstract: Machining apparatus wherein the cutting tool is controlled to follow a path defined by successive splines, the geometry of a spline being described as a function of a parameter other than arc length along the spline and which is related to time. At a present position along a spline, the change in such parameter corresponding to a change in arc length is explicitly determined by approximation and used to determine an incremented position on the spline. A desired constant tool speed can thereby be maintained. By using only the first or the first two terms of a Taylor series approximation, a change in the parameter can be explicitly approximated as a linear or quadratic predictor. Alternatively, polynomial or rational approximations may be employed.

Abstract: A multi-system numerical control device which receives input commands for each system and is operative to control the speed and acceleration/deceleration of corresponding moveable objects, such as a motors. Each system has an interpolation unit and an acceleration/deceleration unit that is responsive to a corresponding time constant. A speed override device is operative to generate a speed reduction control signal that is applied to the interpolation unit to reduce the speed and to the acceleration/deceleration unit to reduce the time constant, thereby ensuring that the position relationship between the systems will not be lost even when override is applied.

Abstract: A one-dimensional, actual-value-specific path parameter F.sub.I (t) is derived from a motional function F.sub.B (t) to trigger switching functions related to position during the movement along a trajectory path of a numerically controlled system, for example a robot or a machine tool. This allows triggering of a switching operation such as switching on a welding or bonding tool with high precision at the actual position of the tool.

Abstract: A cylindrical interpolation system for machining a cylindrical surface of a cylindrical workpiece, wherein a tool diameter correcting means (104) obtains a tool center path by calculating a tool diameter offset vector for a machining shape specified with reference to an assumed orthogonal coordinate system, and an interpolating means (107) interpolates the tool center path and outputs an interpolation pulse (PCyi) related to an assumed linear axis and an interpolation pulse (PZi) related to a cylindrical axis. To effect a reverse conversion from the assumed orthogonal coordinate system to the cylindrical coordinate system, a pulse converting means (108) converts the interpolation pulse (PCyi) into an interpolation pulse (PCi) for rotating the rotary axis. A block-start correction component calculating means (105) and synchronous correction component calculating means (109) calculate correction components (Vcy, .DELTA.Vcy), and these correction components (Vcy, .DELTA.

Abstract: A carriage is moved along a track by a motor connected in a first control loop to a carriage position sensor. The carriage carries a chassis which is coupled to it by a flexible linkage. The chassis carries an accelerometer connected by a second control loop independent of the first control loop to a linear actuator acting on the chassis and bearing on the carriage. The chassis carries a primary mirror fastened to it and a secondary mirror coupled to it by a piezo-electric actuator controlled via a third control loop by an optical path difference OPD error signal generated in the recombination station that includes the interferometer. The third control loop is desaturated by the first or second control loop, preferably by the second control loop. The preferably stellar interferometer may be on board a spacecraft.

Abstract: In the invention, shapes of an insertion head, a jig and components are indicated to enable updating and new registration, and the relative position between the components and the mounter and the mounting process, the mounting sequence and the collision state of each component are indicated. Thereby input of data is facilitated and error of the data can be easily found. Data required at indicating the collision state indication and the name of the mounter to mount the component and the mounting direction, need not be stored by the user.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a control device containing a device detecting a velocity or an acceleration parameter of the main robot body. The velocity or acceleration parameters are expressed in a robot coordinate system and is detected from the detection device. The output from the detection device is even added to a desired value that is expressed in an absolute coordinate system that is in an inertial reference frame for an arm of the robot. In this way, the robot arm can be made to follow any desired path, by using desired positions in the absolute coordinate system that is an inertial coordinate system.

Abstract: The device is provided on a machine tool, wherein the drilling or milling operating head (12) comprises an axially movable spindle (14) and a workpiece hold-down (17), and wherein the working depth is controlled according to the relative position of the tool (16) with respect to the hold-down (17), defined by sensing a reference member (56) by means of the tool (16). To avoid the errors due to the thermal expansion in defining the reference position between the tool and the hold-down, before the reference member (56) is sensed, an electric power supply heats the spindle (14) by sequentially energizing the phases of the statoric coil of the spindle electric motor (76). The reference member (56) comprises a proximity sensor (64) operated by the tool (16) through an air pad piston (67).

Abstract: Drive control units are provided each for one of plural drive shafts for controlling driving of the drive shaft in response to an individually imparted set value. A state parameter generation section generates, for each of the drive shafts, a parameter representing a state concerning a predetermined object of harmonization control among drive control states of the respective shafts produced by the drive control units. As the object of harmonization control, a desired factor may be selected depending upon necessity for the harmonization control. A position loop gain or a velocity loop gain, for example, may be selected as the object of harmonization control. A reference parameter generation section generates, responsive to the generated parameter representing the drive control state of each drive shaft, a reference parameter to be used as a reference of the harmonization control.

Abstract: A servomotor control system for multi-axes in which a single servo-amplifier can operate m rotational speed control loops and m current control loops as well for m servomotors simultaneously, where m is a predetermined integer greater than unity, while a single positioning controller with a signal teaching box can handle n servo-amplifiers in parallel, where n is a predetermined integer greater than unity, thereby mn servomotors in total can be controlled by a single system. In the system of the invention, the multiple servomotors can be divided into groups each including up to six servomotors to be controlled as a group and independently from servomotors belonging to other groups. The system of the invention can easily be expanded by a minimum addition of servo-amplifiers and/or positioning controllers to include servomotors more than mn, in which addition of one or more teaching boxes is possible whenever they become necessary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for machine member motion control are provided which reduce position path errors in sampled data motion control systems. Position commands defining locations of a moveable machine member are periodically produced at a predetermined interval as is conventional in sampled data motion control. Intermediate position commands are produced at a predetermined sub-interval less than the predetermined interval in response to a parametric function relating member position and time, the parametric function being continuous through positions defined by the position commands. The intermediate position coordinates are computed as the sum of products of coefficients and coordinates of selected member position commands. To reduce processing time, the coefficients are computed and stored in advance of execution of motion for recall as motion progresses.

Abstract: A numerical control device for controlling a machine tool or a robot accepts a mixed program including both conventional G-codes and codes for nonuniform rational B-spline. The blocks of G-codes and rational B-spline codes are discriminated by a respective head code or symbol. Once a set of order, number of control points, and knot vector is input via code blocks of a program, the same setting for the B-spline basis functions is used for generation of the rational B-spline curves until a new set of order, etc., are input.

Abstract: An acceleration/deceleration control method for a numerical control device (CNC) which subjects a command value of a velocity in a tangential direction of a traveling path, which is instructed by a pre-interpolation feed command, to an acceleration/deceleration control. A command is read (S1), and an angle .theta. of a traveling direction of a tool with respect to an X axis is calculated (S2). Tangential accelerations .alpha.vx and .alpha.vy are derived based on preset maximum permissible accelerations for individual axes and the angle .theta. (S3). A smaller of the tangential accelerations .alpha.vx and .alpha.vy is set as a tangential acceleration .alpha.v (S4). The command velocity F is subjected to the acceleration/deceleration control by using the acceleration .alpha.v (S5), and then the interpolation is effected (S6). Since the tangential acceleration .alpha.

Abstract: Disclosed is an axis control system for a numerical control apparatus having first and second microprocessors (11, 21) for interpolating axes that each have a different axis arrangement and first and second interpolation signal generation circuits (17, 27) provided with each of the microprocessors for generating an interpolation cycle signal. The second interpolation signal generation circuit (27) receives an output signal (DO) from the first microprocessor and the interpolation cycle signal (ITP1) from the first interpolation signal generation circuit. The second interpolation signal generation circuit (27) generates an interpolation cycle signal synchronized with the first interpolation signal generation circuit (17) based on a logic of the received signals. When the interpolation cycle signal is synchronized, the first and second microprocessors (11, 21) can interpolate axes that each have a different axis arrangement.

Abstract: An involute interpolation speed control system for effecting an involute interpolation to which cutter compensation is applied when machining by a numerical control apparatus and the like, comprises a method of outputting commands for a direction in which a first involute curve as an actual machining configuration is rotated, the coordinates of the end point of the first involute curve, the position of the center of a basic circle viewed from a start point of the first involute curve, the radius of the basic circle, a feed speed, a direction in which a cutter is offset, and the radius of the cutter. The offset vector of the cutter is created based on the commands. The calculating the equation of a second involute curve connecting the start point and the end point after the offset vector has been created, is calculated. The radius of curvature of the second involute curve at the center of the cutter is determined.

Abstract: An involute interpolation error correcting method corrects an error on involute interpolation in a numerical control system for machining gears and pump vanes. The method corrects an insufficient cut in an actual configuration of a workpiece which is machined along a first involute curve (In1) that is commanded. A radius of curvature (Rs) from a base circle (C) to a starting point (Ps3) of the insufficient cut on the first involute curve (In1), and an error (De) which occurs at an ending point of the first involute curve (In1) in a direction normal to the insufficient cut, are determined from the machined configuration, and set as parameters in the numerical control system. On interpolation from the starting point (Ps3) of the insufficient cut to the ending point (Pe1) of the first involute curve, a first offset at the time the first involute curve is interpolated is changed to a second offset which is increased from the first offset by the error (De).

Abstract: When the movement of a machine element is guided by a multi-axial, numerically controlled machine through the selection of interpolation points which are calculated and stored off-line, a tool-radius correction is rendered possible. This occurs because correction interpolation points are calculated on the basis of interpolation points and thus, with the least possible expenditure of time, a new trajectory curve can be generated, with which the radius changes are considered. In addition, a change in feedrate can be achieved through the selection of override values by placing fine interpolation points between two interpolation points at a time.

Abstract: An interpolation method in an automatic programming, capable of properly determining and programming target movement amounts for individual axes in each interpolation cycle at the time of executing a numerical control program. In the case where the length (P') of the last one of a plurality of sub-sections, obtained by dividing a section from the starting point (A) to the end point (B) of each block in a program by a target movement amount (P) per interpolation cycle, is smaller than the value (P), and when an angle (.theta.) between the paths of the block concerned and the next block is smaller than a reference angle or when the angle (.theta.

Abstract: A servo motor control device which performs suitable interpolation when given an external move command and for setting a target position on each coordinate axis is provided. The device comprises a revolution controller and a position detector for each axis of movement as well as a control gain controller. The revolution controller controls the number of revolutions of each of the servo motors involved using a control gain set individually for each coordinate axis and in accordance with a deviation between the current position of an object and a target position thereof. Based on control response delays which occur relative to each axis, the control gain controller changes a control gain individually set for each coordinate axis. In turn, the revolution controller controls the revolutions of each servo motor using the changed control gain. For any coordinate axis having no response delay, the control gain controller leaves a reference control gain unchanged.

Abstract: A servo motor control device includes a commanding section for outputting a move command signal to drive and control a plurality of servo motors. An interpolating section is provided for performing interpolation based on the move command signal output by the commanding section, and for outputting an interpolating signal based on that interpolation. The interpolating section is capable of performing circular arc interpolation when the commanding section outputs a circular arc move command signal. A distributing section outputs distribution pulse trains into each of the servo motors based upon the interpolating signal output by the interpolating section and an acceleration and deceleration time constant which is also received by the distributing section. The value of the acceleration and deceleration time constant is determined and adjusted by an acceleration and deceleration time constant determining section. The value of the acceleration and deceleration time constant is set to a predetermined initial value.

Abstract: A complete-circle operation of a machine tool controlled by an NC-device. Even if the NC-device gives operation commands for respective shafts of the machine tool on the basis of a control locus which is to be a complete circle, the actual operation locus of the machine tool is not a complete circle because the machine tool generates errors due to various causes such as thermal deformation, machine accuracy, etc. If the errors are corrected individually to improve the accuracy, the complexity of the processing cannot be avoided. It is assumed that the operation locus of the machine tool which is controlled for a complete circle becomes an ellipse due to errors involved. A simple process corrects the ellipse such that it is converted to a complete circle.

Abstract: A position correcting system is incorporated in a machine tool having a plurality of workpiece machining positions. A control block (80) has a position correcting register (81) for storing position correctives corresponding to the respective workpiece machining positions. Distributed data (X1, Z1) are calculated from a machining program (71) by a pre-processing means (72). The position correctives (.DELTA.X1, .DELTA.Z1) are added to the distributed data (X1, Z1) by an adder (82), which outputs position commands for machining heads corresponding to the workpiece machining positions. In response to the position commands, an interpolating unit (83) carries out pulse interpolation and produce output pulses. Such control blocks (80, 90, 100) are associated with the respective machining heads. Errors between the workpieces and the machining heads are corrected in all the machining positions, so that the workpieces can be machined with accuracy.

Abstract: A computerized numerical control system controls the axes of a computerized numerical control apparatus (20) from a programmable machine controller (10) coupled to the computerized numerical control apparatus (20). Command values for the axes, information with respect to the grouping of the axes, and execution times for the axes in respective groups are sent from the programmable machine controller (10) to the computerized numerical control apparatus (20). When all commands for the axes in the respective groups are received by the computerized numerical control apparatus (20), pulses start to be distributed to the axes, and the pulses are distributed within the execution times. Linear interpolation can be performed on any desired combination of axes of the computerized numerical control apparatus (20) for preventing physical interference which could otherwise occur between axes when an automatic tool changing (ATC) mode is controlled by the programmable machine controller (10).

Abstract: An acceleration and deceleration method with steps that calculate transferring distance, average transferring speed in the x-direction and y-direction, intermediate destination position at every sampling time and the number of sampling times based on final destination position, initial current position and rectilinearly transferring speed; a step of determining initial position; and steps which calculate position pattern and destination position with linear equations, detect intermediate current position with linear equations, sequentially calculate position deviation and transferring speed per sampling time, so that the next step outputs a driving signal for a servo motor. Therefore, an object is transferred in exponential acceleration and deceleration according to linear equations describing rectilinearly transfer speed, and transferring distance in x-direction and y-direction.

Abstract: A spline interpolation method of subjecting given points to interpolation by using a cubic spline curve is provided. A first-derivative vector is derived from a preset number of points including a starting point (P.sub.1), and a cubic equation between the starting point and a next point is derived based on the coordinate values of the preset points including the starting point (P.sub.1) and the extreme point condition of the starting point (P.sub.1), to derive a spline curve between the starting point (P.sub.1) and a point (P.sub.2) next to the starting point (P.sub.1). Next, the first-derivative vector at P.sub.2 and a new next point are used instead of the starting point (P.sub.1), to derive a cubic curve between P.sub.2 and P.sub.3.

Abstract: A robot operating method capable of easily performing manual correction of a previously taught teaching point during an automatic robot operation, and of accurately and effectively performing a desired robot operation without the need of employing a visual sensor. After switching is made from an automatic operation mode to a manual operation mode in response to reading of a predetermined command code from a program (S1, S2), a robot tool positioned at a first teaching position is moved to a first working position on a workpiece by a control apparatus which responds to an operation of a remote operation board by an operator, so as to compensate for a dislocation of the teaching point attributable to a positional dislocation of the workpiece (S3), and then a correction data indicative of the results of a manual adjustment is calculated in response to supply of an external signal generated by an operator's operation and is stored in a memory (S4, S5).

Abstract: In a multi-jointed robot, position controllers are located at each of the joints of the robot and are interconnected by a unitary bus. The bus carries a loosely-regulated voltage to all of the controllers and also includes data conductors connected to the controllers for disseminating position commands which are time-division multiplexed.

Abstract: A numerical control (NC) device 10 for a machine tool 1 provided with a measurement probe 2b effects measurements of a work 4 on the machine table 5 after a working process. A measurement program, generated by the NC device by modifying a working program, controls the relative movement of the probe 2b with respect to the workpiece 4 such that the probe 2b moves along the contour of the worked portion of the workpiece 4 with a displacement from the neutral position thereof, wherein the displacement of the probe is sampled at a predetermined sampling period. A working error calculation program 17 calculates the working error from the sampled displacements. If the working error is judged correctable, a outside tolerance range and correction re-working is effected so as to reduce the working error. The measurement/re-working cycles are repeated until the working error is within tolerance.

Abstract: A direct teaching type robot in which in the playback of the robot an electric power corresponding to a playback command is supplied to an electric motor from a servo driver so that the electric motor is driven to move a moving arm of the robot and in the teaching operation the moving arm is directly moved by an instructor to teach its movement to the robot includes breaking means provided in the servo driver for breaking a current generated by the electric motor when the electric motor is rotated in response to the teaching operation of the moving arm so as not to flow into the servo driver, whereby operation force by the instructor for moving the moving arm of the robot in the teaching can be reduced.

Abstract: An involute interpolation speed control method controls a machining speed during a numerical control machining process with involute curve interpolation. A radius of curvature is determined from equations of the involute curve (S3), and whether said radius of curvature is smaller than a predetermined value is then determined (S4). The machining speed is reduced with an override value if the radius of curvature is smaller than the predetermined value (S5, S6, S7). In the vicinity of a base circle for the involute curve, since the radius of curvature is small, any well machined surface would not be produced at a given tangential speed. Therefore, the machining speed is reduced with the override value in the vicinity of the base circle.

Abstract: A high speed machining system for machining a curve while interpolating pulses at a high speed is disclosed, wherein data of a curve (1a) to be machined by instructions from a custom macro (1b) is divided into data representing fine amounts of movement by a user through a custom macro instruction means (2) and stored in a memory (3) as machining data before machining. The data representing fine amounts of movement is pulse interpolated by a pulse interpolator (4) for machining, whereby a cam curve and the like can be machined a high speed without the need for an automatic program creation unit and the like.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a vision-guided robot of the type having a slit light unit for illuminating a workpiece with a target image, a camera for detecting the target image, a tool for working upon the workpiece and a controller for positioning the tool in response to image signals from the camera so that the camera signals correspond to stored image signals. The method includes the steps of displacing the robot from a home position to a calibration position wherein the camera is oriented toward a target, determining a camera correction value between a desired camera position and the actual camera position by comparing a perceived target image with a stored target image and incorporating the camera correction value for robot positioning during a subsequent operational movement.

Abstract: An involute interpolation method for a computerized numerical control apparatus having a rotational axis and a linear axis is effected by giving commands for a direction in which an involute curve (IC) rotates, the position of the center of a base circle (BC), and the radius (R) of the base circle, and interpolating the involute curve (IC) according to the commands. Interpolated distances are converted to those along the rotational axis and the linear axis for the control of a machine tool (9).

Abstract: A numerical control device capable of controlling the drive of a plurality of objects to be controlled in a parallel mode. With a numerical control device, machining programs for the objects which should be executed in parallel, are able to being displayed or printed in a parallel mode so that the parallel driving condition can be detected visually. Further, the machining program is suspended to be listed in response to a queuing instruction as an empty block, so that the queuing instructions for the plural objects are arranged in the same line thus printed or displayed.