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 (ICl) rotates, the position of the center of a base circle (BC), the radius (R) of the base circle, and a Z-axis, and interpolating the involute curve (ICl) and the Z-axis according to the commands. Interpolated distances are converted to those along the rotational axis, the linear axis, and the Z-axis for the control of a machine tool (9).

Abstract: Backlash compensation for a numerical control apparatus. Backlash compensation is intelligently applied based on a judgment as to a change in direction or velocity commanded for a cutting tool, table, or the like. Backlash compensation data is stored into a memory of a numerical control apparatus. A judgement is made as to the necessity of backlash compensation, based on velocity data of the feed mechanism, and deciding whether the feed mechanism is being stopped or reversed. Compensation data is output to a servo drive unit.

Abstract: An acceleration/deceleration control apparatus for servo control is provided, which is capable of securely restraining vibration of servomotors for use as drive sources for various machines.The acceleration/deceleration control apparatus comprises acceleration/deceleration control sections as many as servomotors mounted in a machine, and each acceleration/deceleration control section includes first to third acceleration/deceleration filters each composed of a predetermined number of delay units and connected in series with one another. The first to third filters deliver outputs (Pb, Pc, Pd) to a corresponding one of the second and third filters and a servo circuit, each of the outputs being obtained by dividing the sum of stored values of the delay units of each filter and a corresponding one of a commanded speed (Pa), a first output (Pb) and a second filter output (Pc) by the sum of a value of "1" and the number of units.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a rotary member, comprising: a rotational drive for driving the rotary member so as to rotate the rotary member about an axis of the rotary member; an encoder for detecting a rotational position of the rotational drive device; a control device for controlling, in response to an output signal of the encoder, the rotational drive device so as to rotate the rotational drive device at a uniform speed; a processing device for processing an arbitrary position of the rotary member rotating at the uniform speed; a position detecting device for detecting, on the basis of the output signal of the encoder, a rotational position of the rotary member by raising a resolution of the output signal of the encoder; and a processing control device for controlling the processing device on the basis of the rotational position of the rotary member detected by the position detecting device.

Abstract: A direct teaching type robot has a moving arm driven by an electric motor. The moving arm is directly moved to previously store data corresponding to the movement of the moving arm ina robot controller and when operated as the robot, the moving arm is operated on the basis of the stored data. Power lines for the electric motor are cut off in a teaching mode in which movement position of the moving are are taught in the robot.

Abstract: A control system for a multi-motor system such as a space telerobot having a remote computational node and a local computational node inter-connected with one another by a high speed data link is described. A Universal Computer Control System (UCCS) for the telerobot motors is located at each node. Each node is provided with a multibus computer system which is characterized by a plurality of processors with all processors being connected to a common bus leading to a command processor. The command processor controls joint hardware and/or software for a plurality of direct current torque motors of the type used in telerobot joints and telerobot hand-held controllers. The motors are connected to the joint processor cards and respond to digital control signals from the joint command processor and a joint motor control card.

Abstract: A master six-degree-freedom Force Reflecting Hand Controller ("FRHC") is available at a master site where a received image displays, in essentially real-time, a remote robotic manipulator which is being controlled in the corresponding six-degree-freedom by command signals which are transmitted to the remote site in accordance with the movement of the FRHC at the master site. Software is user-initiated at the master site in order to establish the basic system conditions and then a physical movement of the FRHC in Cartesean space is reflected at the master site by six absolute numbers that are sensed, translated, and computed as a difference signal relative to the earlier position. The change in position is then transmitted in that differential signal form over a high speed synchronized bilateral communication channel which simultaneously returns robot-sensed response information to the master site as forces applied to the FRHC so that the FRHC reflects the "feel" of what is taking place at the remote site.

Abstract: A reference-point return method for a numerical control system. When a return is made to a reference point, a numerical control unit (21) reads an absolute position of a motor (23) within one revolution thereof from an absolute position detector (24), obtains a distance B from a predetermined motor point (a grid point) to the absolute position that has been read, and initially sets the distance B as a command position REF.sub.n from the grid point. Thereafter, the numerical control unit (21) outputs a move command value .DELTA.R.sub.n to a digital servo-circuit (22) every predetermined time .DELTA.T, updates a commanded position REF.sub.n in accordance with the equationREF.sub.n +.DELTA.R.sub.n .fwdarw.REF.sub.nobtains REF.sub.n after a deceleration limit switch (25) is depressed, and outputs (N-REF.sub.n) to the digital servo-circuit (22) as a final commanded traveling distance .DELTA.R.sub.n to return the movable element to a reference-point position set at a predetermined grid point.

Abstract: A desired curved path is approximated by spline segments, which in their entirety define the path of motion for a machine-tool or for a robot. The deviation in position of this path of motion from the desired curved path is maintained within a specified tolerance band. Through an iterative process, the path of motion is formed with the fewest possible spline segments. If two many spline segments were used, they could overtax the processing speed of a numerical control system. But, on the other hand, the interpolation of spline segments is technically a relatively simple process.

Abstract: For controlling the rotation angle of a main shaft of a numerical control machine tool in synchronization with the position of a feed shaft, the learning control method according to the present invention comprises steps of reading the positional command value of the feed shaft corresponding to the detected value of the current revolutional angle of said main shaft out of the table which stores in advance the positional instruction values corresponding to the angle equivalent to one rotation of the shaft, subtracting the detected value of the current position of the feed shaft from the read out positional value to obtain the positional deviation table of the shaft, renewing the correction value table of the positional deviation values of the shaft which are stored in advance by using afore-mentioned deviation table, and suspending the renewal operation of the correction table of the positional deviation when the difference between the positional deviation table which has been added with the correction value ta

Abstract: When a spindle (10) of a machine tool is rotated and moved relative to a workpiece linearly along an axis (Z) thereof during a machining process such as screw cutting, a spindle servomotor (12) and a feed servomotor (22), each of which is the primary drive, must be rotated synchronously. In general, the spindle servomotor directly drives the spindle without a reduction gear, and the feed servomotor feeds a spindle head (18) through reduction gears (26, 28). Therefore, in general, the synchronous work is controlled in accordance with an acceleration and deceleration capacity of the spindle servomotor. Consequently, the spindle servomotor is rotated along the torque limit curve line (L1, L2) to drive the spindle, to thereby effect the synchronous work at a high efficiency.

Abstract: A method of correcting and playing back positional instruction data in a robot which performs the teaching by moving an arm or wrist axis constituting a robot body and recording its locus at intervals of a predetermined time or a predetermined moving distance corrects positional data recorded after the completion of the teaching onto a predetermined pattern such as a straight line or a circular arc and plays back the corrected positional data. Further, the method corrects the positional data onto the predetermined pattern before the beginning of the playback previously and records the corrected data.

Abstract: A positioning controlling device for improving the machining accuracy of a work of a non-circular shape. A control axis is driven in accordance with an input function consisting of position instruction data corresponding to a machining shape of a work, and a response function of the position of the control axis is measured actually. Then, a transfer function of the servo system is determined from Fourier transformation of the input function and Fourier transformation of the response function, and a corrected input function with which a response function of the control axis ideally corresponds to the machining shape of the work is obtained from the transfer function. Even if the control axis is driven in accordance with the corrected input function, a response function obtained does not correspond to the ideal machining shape of the work.

Abstract: A control device for an industrial machine comprising a numerical control device and a programmable controller, the numerical control device comprising: a data processing section essentially comprising a memory and a central processing unit, for analyzing and operating input numerical data, outputs of the data processing section being used for performing numerical control of a machine to be controlled and of rotation of a spindle of the machine; a gear ratio data memory for storing gear ratio data of gears through which a spindle motor is coupled to a spindle head holding a tool, the gear ratio data being applied to the gear ratio data memory through a bus from the programmable controller adapted to perform sequence control of the machine; and synchronous operation controller for calculating actual speed of rotation of the tool through operation using the gear ratio data and a feedback signal of the spindle motor, and performing synchronous operation control of the tool and a feed shaft.

Abstract: A movement trajectory generating system of a dynamical system uses neural network units (1, 2, 3) including cascade connection of a first layer (11, 21, 31), a second layer (12, 22, 32), a third layer (13, 23, 33) and a fourth layer (14, 24, 34), to learn a vector field of differential equations indicating forward dynamics of a controlled object (4). Conditions concerning trajectories of a final point and a via-point of movement of the controlled object and locations of obstacles are given from a motor center (5). While smoothness of movement is ensured by couplings of electric synapses using errors with respect to those conditions as total energy, least dissipation of energy is attained, whereby trajectory formation and control input for realizing the trajectory are obtained simultaneously.

Abstract: A modular robotic system is provided with one or more robotic arm sets constructed from modular components and controlled by a central processor to displace an end effector or tool through a desired movement or movements as a function of time. Each arm set comprises a custom assembled combination of passive and active members of selected sizes and shapes, wherein each active member includes a drive motor for rotating a driven member with one degree of mechanical freedom. The active members of each arm set are connected to the central processor via a common communications cable for receiving position commands in the form of end effector position signals. The active members include individual on-board microprocessors for translating each end effector position signal to obtain individualized displacements of the active members which, in combination, result in the desired end effector displacement.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus is provided for controlling a position of a feed shaft in relation to a rotational angle of a main shaft of a machine tool. A value denoting the actual position of the feed shaft is subtracted from a positional command value to obtain a positional deviation value. The positional command value is one of a plurality of prestored values corresponding to a given rotational position of the main shaft. The positional deviation values for a single rotation of the main shaft are stored in a data table and displayed on a display device. Another data table having a plurality of correction values stored therein is provided. Each of the plurality of correction values stored in the correction value data table corresponds to a given rotational position of the main shaft. For each rotational position of the main shaft, the positional deviation value and a corresponding correction value are added together to obtain a corrected deviation value.

Abstract: A tool posture control method for a robot is provided, which is capable of always controlling the posture of a tool as intended, between a starting point and an ending point of operation, in moving the tool from the starting point toward the ending point along a straight line or a circular arc. Based on positions and postures of the tool at a starting point and an ending point, previously given to the robot for instruction, and a tool position at an intermediate point, additionally given as required for instruction, a control device calculates (S2) a first angle formed between the tool and a datum plane, at the starting point, a second angle formed between the tool projected on the datum plane and a datum line set on the datum plane, at the startingt point, and the rotational position of the tool at the starting point around a tool axis, and then calculates (S3) the first angle, the second angle, and the rotational position around the tool axis, at the ending point.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus for machining non-circular workpieces such as a cam and the like has been disclosed. The cam and the like are used in changing the operation from rotational to linear motion. In designing the shape of the cam and the like, lift data prescribing the relationship between the rotational and linear motions is used. The lift data is given by the position sequence on the linear motion corresponding to a number of discrete rotational angles. Also, the tolerance of the positions is given from a functional aspect. The lift data is converted into profile data prescribing the shape of the cam and the like after being smoothed within the tolerance by a regression analysis, and machining of the non-circular workpieces is effected according to the profile data.

Abstract: The method of the invention includes determining a circular arc (CAR) passing through three discretely given consecutive points (P.sub.i-1, P.sub.i, P.sub.i+1), determining a tangent vector of a tangent line contacting the circular arc (CAR) at the central point (P.sub.i) of these three points, thereafter performing a spline interpolation between the two points P.sub.i-1, P.sub.i using position vectors and tangent vectors at the points (P.sub.i-1, P.sub.i), thereby obtaining a curve smoothly connecting the two points P.sub.i-1, P.sub.i, and thereafter determining a point sequence connecting curve (CVL) by similarly performing an interpolation between every two adjacent consecutive points.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus according to the invention for interpolatory control of a tool along the shape of a workpiece to be machined. In order to perform offsetting of a cutting tool by an amount equivalent to the tool diameter when involute interpolation is carried out, an involute curve is approximated by a circular which is set in dependence upon the intersection angle of a machining trajectory at a command point commanding the start of machining.

Abstract: The method of controlling a mechanical hand includes releasing the head in its initial position, moving the hand to its target position and retaining the hand in its target position. With the hand moving towards its target position, the path of its travel is divided into a portion registering the parameters of its motion and a portion correcting the law of its motion. With the hand moving over the registering portion, a reference voltage is supplied to the drive motor, and the speed and running coordinate of the moving hand are measured and registered. With the hand moving over the correcting portion, its speed is measured, and the difference between the speeds measured at the two portions is computed to shape an additional voltage. A voltage is then fed to the drive motor, which is an algebraic sum of the reference voltage and additional voltage.

Abstract: The scanning micromechanical probe control system for controlling relative movement between a sensor probe and an adjacent sample surface includes a sensor probe for measuring a parameter which varies relative to the relative positioning of the probe and the adjacent surface adapted to generate an error signal indicating one of at least two discrete position conditions; an up/down counter for integrating the error signal and for generating an up/down count signal; and a position control servo for controlling the relative positioning of the probe and the surface responsive to the up/down count signal. An adaptive feedback control most preferably controls the rate of up/down positioning of the sensor probe and the rate of raster scanning of the probe relative to the target surface.

Abstract: An improvement in a numerical control apparatus for controlling a threading operation with a tap. A numerical control apparatus of the present invention which is simple in construction and needs no dummy mechanism such as a floating tapper; and which minimizes the drift of the tap in the bottom of a tapped hole by an instruction to a feed shaft which switches an acceleration or deceleration time constant, and a simultaneous instruction to a spindle device which controls the position of the spindle device. Thus, the machining precision of the bottom of the tapped hole is improved, and a high-speed tapping operation is possible. Furthermore, the numerical control device also is capable of preventing the tap and the threaded portion machined by the tap from being damaged upon an occurrence of an abnormal condition by an instruction from the removing control unit.

Abstract: An involute interpolation method for machining operations is used in a numerical control apparatus.A rotational direction (G03.1) of an involute curve, an incremental distance along the involute curve or an incremental angle, a center position (X.sub.0, Y.sub.0) of a base circle and a radius (R) of the base circle are obtained per the instruction. The involute curve is interpolated using a predetermined distance or predetermined angle.The above processing is executed with a numerical control apparatus and pulse distributions are continuously carried out. Therefore, the involute curve can be interpolated without need for a special program producing system.

Abstract: Linear interpolation is applied to each pair of placement coordinates in a data driven surface mount component placement robot in order to eliminate component misplacement due to board artwork dimensional inaccuracies. The linear interpolation algorithm is derived by measuring the actual dimensions of the artwork of a given board by an integrated vision system via a camera attached to the robot arm.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a numerical control apparatus for controlling drive spindle heads in a rectangular coordinate system of machining apparatuses such as a lathe, a miller, a laser beam machining apparatus, an electric discharge machining apparatus, a robot and the like, to thereby perform positioning control.

Abstract: A numerical control system performs path interpolation calculations for the control of highly dynamic processes having different path contour geometries wherein a vector having a length L connects in linear form a first point P1 to a second point P2. These points are located in three dimensional Cartesian space having axes x, y, and z. Length L has Cartesian components X, Y and Z and is subject to an angular rotation C about the z axis. The system also has process parameters S and K wherein S is an address identifying the parameter to be modified and K identifies the modified parameter value. A coarse interpolator outputs the path elements L, X, Y, Z and C and the parameters S and K between path increments as course interpolations which are a function of the path contour geometry but are independent of time frame. A fine interpolator having an intermediate memory is connected downstream from the course interpolator. The fine interpolator outputs the path elements and parameters as fine interpolations.

Abstract: An involute interpolation method for use in machining by a numerical control apparatus.A rotational direction (G03.1) of an involute curve, coordinates of an end point (Xe, Ye), a center position (I, J) of a base circle as viewed from a start point, and a radius (R) of the base circle are instructed, from two equations representing the involute curve sequence of points are obtained, and interpolation of the involute curve is performed while interpolating those points in a range of the angle .theta. corresponding to the start point on the involute curve to the end point thereon.The increment of .theta. is decremented in proportion to the increment of the angle owing to the factor K/ (R.multidot..theta.), so that the interpolation is performed in such a manner that the speed in the tangential direction is made at constant, whereby a machining speed of the involute curve is maintained at constant.

Abstract: An electric control apparatus for an industrial robot the arm of which is actuated to carry out machining of a workpiece by means of a machining tool attached thereto. The control apparatus includes a force sensor arranged to detect reaction force acting on the tool, a memory for memorizing a maximum reaction force detected by the sensor during each machining process of the workpiece in a plurality of split sections of a teaching line, a comparator for comparing the memorized maximum reaction force with a set value indicative of a limit of reaction force acting on the tool and for producing a signal therefrom when the memorized maximum force exceeds the set value.

Abstract: A velocity control apparatus according to the invention controls velocity when moving the movable element of a robot hand or NC machine tool and includes velocity override control for changing the movable element command velocity at a predetermined rate, and acceleration/deceleration circuits (2X, 2Y) of a time constant inversely proportional to a velocity set by the override control. When the amount of a velocity override is changed, the time constant of the acceleration/deceleration circuits (2X, 2Y) is altered in dependence upon the commanded velocity, and an accumulated quantity of command pulses at the time of acceleration/deceleration is controlled so as to be held constant. This makes it possible to control movement at a predetermined velocity without changing the trajectory of the movable element at a corner portion.

Abstract: An ideal motion trajectory for a robot arm is first resolved into N successive linear segments comprising N+1 points. These N successive linear segments are then converted into a lesser number of linear robot arm linear motion sections in accordance with the predetermined position tolerance of the robot arm. The sum total of the linear robot arm motion arm. The lesser number of linear motion sections results in a substantial savings in data memory and at the same time tends to optimize an approximation of the ideal motion trajectory.

Abstract: A numerical control method is provided which is capable of forming a circular are on a cylindrical surface of a cylindrical workpiece with high accuracy by the use of a simplified program. At first, a circumferential distance interval between the start and end points of a circular arc to be machined is calculated on the basis of a moving command value for a rotation axis indicative of an angular interval in the circumferential direction of the workpiece (S3). Then, a circular are interpolation processing is executed on the thus calculated distance interval and a moving command value for a linear axis indicative of an interval between the start and end points in the axial direction of the workpiece, to thereby calculate distribution amounts for the rotation and linear axes, respectively (S4).

Abstract: A digital position and velocity feedback system is provided for a multiaxis robot control and it employs an LSI chip to process incremental position signals for position change and velocity computations. At low speeds, velocity is computed from the reciprocal of elasped time. At higher speeds, velocity is computed from the rate at which incremental position signals are generated.

Abstract: A digital robot control is provided with position/velocity and torque control loops with microprocessor servo controllers in each. The position/velocity servo controller includes two microprocessors that operate as a servo engine in providing position/velocity control for six robot axes. One microprocessor operates as a manager to perform data processing and coordination tasks supportive to position/velocity control. The other microprocessor performs position and velocity servo calculation tasks and operates as a slave processor to the position/velocity control manager. The programming for the position/velocity control sends manager position and other commands and position and velocity feedback from other control levels to the position/velocity calculator and sends torque commands received from the calculator to the next lower control level. The calculator employs position/velocity control algorithms in making torque command calculations.

Abstract: An industrial robot device in which deviation between an offline-teaching instruction and an actual movement of a robot according to the instruction can be eliminated. The elimination of deviation is accomplished by adjusting absolute X, Y and Z axes of software for driving the robot with respect to those of a processing machine which operates together with the robot.

Abstract: A coarse interpolator is adapted for use in a numerical control system for performing path interpolation calculations for the control of highly dynamic processes. These processess have different path contour geometries wherein a vector having a length L connects in linear form a first point P1 to a second point P2. These points are located in three dimensional Cartesian space having axes X, Y, and Z, Length L has Cartesian components X, Y and Z and is subject to an angular rotation C about the z axis. The interpolator responds to a group of predetermined vector lengths, starting with the maximum length, in order to calculate the path elements L, X, Y, Z and C for the maximum length vector. A path error E is then determined for the path elements so calculated. The error E is then compared with a praedetemined maximum error value. If the error E does not exceed the maximum value, the calculated path elements are outputted.

Abstract: A look-ahead sensor attached to the its effector end deviates upon each control action upon the robot toward a new position along the seam path. The chord across the seam path from the present effector end to the contemporaneously sensed seam path location is determined and used with the present orientation of the effector end to determine an additional yaw angle compensating for the deviation. As a result, the look-ahead sensor is constantly brought back on track.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of teaching a moving part to trace a path, the method comprising the steps of determining a curved condition of the teaching path on the basis of a difference between a path length and a straight distance from a first point to a second point on the teaching path and an angle made by the first and second points and a third point, and selectively storing the first, second and third points in accordance with the results of the determination. The first, second and third points are stored as path data in a memory when the difference is greater than a reference length and the angle is smaller than a reference angle. On the other hand, the first and second points are stored therein when the difference is greater than the reference length and the angle is greater than the reference angle.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a method and associated apparatus, in the manufacture of flat tension mask cathode ray tubes, for detecting the edges of a mask receiving surface in a plane, identifying its coordinates and subsequently delineating the path of an attachment device for permanently affixing a tensed foil shadow mask to the mask receiving surface of a mask support structure.

Abstract: A control system for an industrial robot having a hand which traces a pre-stored standard course defining its position and posture and which has a foresight function. The hand is provided with a tool and a work shape sensor, where the tool and the work shape sensor have a known spatial relationship. The foresight function is realized by a control system comprising temporary storing means for temporarily storing a future position and/or posture data of the tool calculated from a sensed position and/or posture data of the present sensor position. The stored data is output after a delayed time interval when it is compared with a pre-stored standard data. When the difference is small, the data is used to control the future position and/or posture of the hand. When the difference is great, an abnormality process is started.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a method and apparatus in the manufacture of flat tension mask cathode ray tubes, for detecting the edges of a mask receiving surface in a plane, recording its coordinates and subsequently delineating the path of an attachment device for permanently affixing a tensed foil shadow mask to the mask receiving surface of a mask support structure.

Abstract: A method for generating a path to be followed by the end effector of an industrial robot includes defining the location of points on the path, recording the coordinates of the points in cartesian space, determining the slope of the path at each of the taught points with reference to a code that defines the nature of the path in the vicinity of each point, calculating the direction vector representing the slope at each taught point, locating the position and slope of a point midway between successive taught points, connecting the taught points and the midpoints with a circular arc whose slope is equal to the slope at the taught points and midpoints, and generating points between the taught points with reference to the desired velocity of the end effector at each of the generated points on the path to be traversed.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a control arrangement for an industrial robot, which is capable of teaching a continuous path operation, and playing back the operation thereby. According to the present invention, it is so arranged that, in a process for automatically memorizing the operating path information of the industrial robot by direct teaching, data for the operating distance on the taught path is also computed so as to be stored together with positional data, and during play back of the function, interpolation is effected based on the operating distance data, whereby the robot is caused to function at a predetermined speed, according to the path at the teaching, and thus, it becomes possible to effect the playing back operation without being influenced by the operating speed during the teaching.

Abstract: In reference point return control, a grid point position at which a one-revolution signal (RTS) is first generated by a rotary encoder (24) following restoration of a deceleration limit switch (29) is adopted as a reference point. When a zero point return mode (ZRN="1") for returning a movable element to the reference point is in effect, a numerical controller (21) regards the position at which the one-revolution signal (RTS) is generated by the rotary encoder (24) as being zero. A commanded position REF.sub.n, until the next one-revolution signal is generated, is monitored at every predetermined time, such monitoring of the commanded position being repeated until the movable element arrives in the vicinity of the reference point. When the movable element approaches the reference point and the deceleration limit switch (29) is restored, the commanded position REF.sub.n at an initial time every .sub..DELTA. T is obtained, a distance (N-REF.sub.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus is disclosed by which tools are controlled concurrently with respect to their translations in the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis in synchronism with or independently of each other. The numerical control apparatus comprises a memory region for storing the translation axis data; a memory region for storing the distance data; a memory region for storing synchronous-translation velocity data; a memory region for storing independent-translation velocity data; and a memory region for storing independent-translation axis data.

Abstract: A digital servo-control system used for driving a machine with a plurality of drive shafts having a digital type multi-axis position control unit, provided in common to all of the drive shafts, for computing a torque command value for each drive shaft on the basis of a position detection value detected by a position detector provided for each drive shaft and a position command value for each drive shaft, and torque control units, respectively provided in correspondence to a plurality of motors adapted to drive the respective drive shafts, for controlling output torque of a corresponding motor in accordance with the computed torque command value.

Abstract: A control system for a movable robot, having a movable member which is linearly movable on and articulated about a base and having an articulated arm with a work element, executes a prestored continuous path program for moving the work element through a continuous path by simultaneous coordinated linear and articulation displacements of the movable member and arm in all degrees of freedom. These simultaneous coordinated displacements are produced by interpolating in advance the position of the movable member at a teaching point and by loading the interpolated position of the movable member into an interpolation calculation of the arm position.

Abstract: In machining a workpiece along a spiral line with a numerical control machine, an interpolation method is employed in which, in order to maintain the machining speed constant, the spiral line is divided into a number of segments, and a small movement in the direction of the rotational axis and a small movement in the linear axis direction are calculated for each of the segments.

Abstract: An industrial robot arc control method subjects the position of a working member to circular-arc control by interpolation while controlling the target angle of the working member with respect to a surface to be worked, which working member is mounted on the wrist of an industrial robot. The industrial robot circular arc control method includes obtaining corresponding points (P1, P2 . . . ; Q1, Q2 . . . ;) of the tip and base of the working member (TC) at plural taught points for circular-arc control of the tip of the working member, which is mounted on a wrist (HD) of the robot, finding interpolated points of the tip and base of the working member by interpolation from the corresponding taught points, and obtaining command quantities for the motion axes of the robot from the interpolated points.