Abstract: A numerical control device includes: a tool-side displacement measurement unit; a workpiece-side displacement measurement unit; a drive signal measurement unit; a relative displacement calculation unit between the tool and the workpiece; a relative displacement prediction unit calculating a relative displacement predicted value from the drive signal, from a prediction model representing a relationship between the drive signal and the relative displacement; a model parameter operation unit generating prediction model parameters constituting the prediction model, from the drive signal, the relative displacement, and the predicted value; and a command value correction unit outputting a post-correction position command obtained by correcting a position command to the drive unit using the prediction model parameters. The model parameter operation unit changes the prediction model parameters to reduce a difference between the relative displacement and the predicted value.

Abstract: A cutting tool includes a holder and at lest two first cutting inserts. The holder has a number of insert pockets in order to receive those cutting inserts. The cutting inserts are mounted in the holder such that their radially outermost portions lie substantially in an imaginary circle. The circle constitutes an effective diameter of the cutting tool. The cutting tool, in addition, includes at least one second cutting insert provided for a machining operation different from that of the first cutting inserts. The second cutting insert is spaced radially inwardly from the circle.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for measuring an original key, a line of the light is focused onto the key surface in a direction perpendicular to the key surface. A camera, or other type of detector is disposed to receive light deflected by the key at an oblique angle. The keyway and keycode of the key can be determined from the deflected pattern of light.

Abstract: The miller comprises a pair of benches situated on both sides of a framework, in such a manner that on the upper crossbar is mounted, displaceable and guidable, a transverse support that carries a couple of vertical arms on which are mounted the corresponding tools, the arms being dispaceable towards one side or the other with respect to the support, while the tool that is borne by each of the arms may move upward/downward, as well as rotate, in such a manner that a combination of these movements produced by their corresponding motors allows simultaniously making two pieces that are symmetrical or the same, as well as effect simultanious digitalized work with one arm and milling with the other, after having mounted the corresponding tool on one arm and a digitalizer on the other.

Abstract: A wookworking machine that can easily and exactly form digitizing data for a plurality of workpieces even during the working operation on the workpieces, thereby considerably increasing the working efficiency. The woodworking machine according to the invention for working of workplaces into specified three dimensional form is characterized in that the woodworking machine is combined with a copying digitizing device and a computer connected to an NC copying digitizing device. The computer loads the NC copying digitizing device with working conditions such as work-starting points and limits, which are calculated by a CAD of the computer. The computer controls and stores the digitizing data formed by the NC copying digitizing device as a control file integrated by a main program. On the basis of the working conditions, the data is stored through the copying operation of the copying head of the woodworking machine.

Abstract: A rotating body tracing control apparatus which performs a tracing while rotating a model and a workpiece. A plurality of point coordinates (P1 or P10) are set on the outer peripheral surface of the model (6), which points depend on a position of the central axis of the rotation and the angle of the rotating axis of the rotation, and a tracing is executed by using a line connecting the individual points (P1 to P5, P6 to P10) as a potential line. Therefore, even when tracing a model, such as a groove of a cylindrical cam having a shape which varies along the central axis of a rotating body, only the groove region can be set around the potential line, and thus the tracing time can be shortened and the groove alone can be treated with a high accuracy.

Abstract: A tracing control system for machining a workpiece through tracing by calculating speed commands of respective axes, using change amounts detected by a tracer head, and by moving a cutter relative to the workpiece through a control of the speed of the respective axes in accordance with the speed commands. First delay speed commands are obtained from the speed commands (Vx, Vz) at delay circuits (14a, 14c), respectively, and second delay speed commands are obtained at second delay circuits (14b, 14d), respectively, the differences between the first delay speed commands and the above second delay speed commands are calculated, and an X-axis main motor and a Z-axis main motor are driven in accordance with the first delay speed commands, and an X-axis sub-motor and a Z-axis sub-motor are driven in accordance with the calculated differences, thereby move the tracer head.

Abstract: A duplicating arrangement is provided for duplicating a workpiece. Data of the workpiece are obtained by scanning of a model, the data are then digitized and stored. The data which is obtained are transformed into NC sets. A relative tool correction consideration is performed in determining the control signals for the drives of the NC machine. The relative tool correction accounts for the generally variable dimensions of the scanning ball used in the scanning of the model and of the radius of the milling tool in the production of the workpiece. A correction movement is superposed on the relative movement between the milling tool and the workpiece if a collision consideration determines that contour surface parts are within the projection surface of the milling tool.

Abstract: A machine for grinding the edges of a spectacle lens, including shaft halves for holding the lens therebetween, a grinding wheel for machining the periphery of the lens, a support for the template that is held by one of the shaft halves, and a measuring head that is connected to a computer and serves for measuring the position of the front and rear sides of the lens at the grinding or contact point, in the vicinity of the periphery of the grinding wheel, relative to a prescribed plane. The measuring head has a fork-like configuration, including fork legs that are disposed parallel to one another and to the prescribed plane, and are spaced from one another by a distance that is greater than the greatest width of the periphery of the lens, whereby the shaft halves with the lens, or the grinding wheel with the measuring head, carries out an oscillating back and forth movement relative to the other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pick-feed method in rotating body tracing for performing tracer control by rotating a model (MDL), advancing or retracting a stylus (ST) in contact with the model, in dependence upon the shape of the model, in a direction of the center of rotation (O.sub.M), and pick-feeding the stylus in a plane parallel to a rotational axis of the model every revolution of the model. This pick-feed method includes forming first and second areas (AI, AII) by dividing the full circumference of the model in half by a straight line (LL') connecting a point (P.sub.L) having a predetermined rotational angle (.theta..sub.L) and the center of rotation (O.sub.

Abstract: An improved profiling apparatus performs a profiling operation after a profiling surface on a modelwork, and includes a vector arithmetic unit for calculating a projection component in an X-Y plane of the profiling surface in accordance with a signal from a tracer head, that is, a contact detector and a profiling direction arithmetic unit for calculating a profiling direction and a pick feeding direction on the basis of an output from the vector arithmetic unit. The profiling apparatus is effective with high accuracy in the profiling operation, less useless operation and short processing time, and is useful for a processing machine such as a diesinking machine and a machining center.

Abstract: In a profiling method constructed so that NC working is performed on the basis of profile locus data obtained by profiling a shape of a model by a profiling machine, a digitized method of the profile locus is characterized in that position data of the model surface, obtained by adding a position of the profiling machine and a displacement signal from a tracer head at each sampling time, are rounded through a low-pass filter upon a profiling operation, and a time constant of the filter is automatically changed in response to the rate of change of the shape of the model. According to this method, fluctuation of the profiling machine, which can not be corrected by the filter heretofore and is an error as it is, is corrected, and a stylus displacement signal, delayed as compared with a response of a profiling machine position signal upon high speed profiling operation, is greatly improved so that high speed profiling operation can be attained.

Abstract: Provided is a tracer control method in a master-slave type tracer system having first and second tracer units in each of which a tracer controller (TCC.sub.1, TCC.sub.2) generates velocity commands (V.sub.x, V.sub.y, V.sub.z) along respective axes by using a detection signal generated by a tracer head (TC.sub.1, TC.sub.2), motors (XM.sub.1, YM.sub.1, ZM.sub.1 ; XM.sub.2, YM.sub.2, ZM.sub.2) provided for respective axes are driven on the basis of the velocity commands and a workpiece (WK.sub.1, WK.sub.2) is subjected to tracer machining conforming to the profile of a model (MDL), tracer machining being performed by tracing a model (MDL.sub.1) with the tracer head (TC.sub.1) on the first tracer unit side and providing the second tracer unit with a move command on the basis of the tracing. In the tracer control method, the first tracer unit (TCC.sub.1, TCM.sub.1) produces the velocity commands (V.sub.x, V.sub.y, V.sub.z) in digital form to drive the motors (XM.sub.1, YM.sub.1, ZM.sub.

Abstract: In a method for bevelling an ophthalmic lens, the lens is rotated about its own axis and is also displaced parallel to its axis as a function of its angle of rotation. Simultaneously, the edge of the lens is kept in contact with a grinding wheel. Thus the point of contact of the lens with the grinding wheel is constrained to follow a specific path. The specific path to be followed by the point of contact is an intermediate path selected between two paths resulting from a comparison between a collection of predetermined paths and two reference paths. The reference paths are each obtained from a plotting operation carried out prior to the bevelling operation on the ophthalmic lens using feelers. This method is used in grinding machines such that trimming and bevelling of ophthalmic lenses can be automatically performed.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a tracer control system for a system performing tracing in an arbitrary direction using a combination tracer control-numerical control unit which is a combination of a tracer control unit and a numerical control unit, and is intended to increase the cutting accuracy and cutting speed by controlling the feed by tracer control, as compared with a conventional system which controls the feed by numerical control.The numerical control unit is provided with a signal generating device, such as a controller, for generating a signal representing the angle of a feed shaft according to numerical information indicating a path of cutting.

Abstract: The workpiece supporting bed of the present machine is provided with a ballast filled frame structure therebelow for forming a solid unitary support structure to dampen operational vibrations normally transmitted to the bed. A gantry extends above and across the workpiece supporting bed and includes a cast main beam formed of lightweight material to facilitate rapid movement, particularly rapid acceleration and deceleration during forward and rearward movement of the gantry. Integrally cast longitudinally and laterally extending ribs are provided on the main beam to provide additional stiffness and rigidity thereto. A single drive motor is provided to drive opposed sides of the gantry simultaneously and in accurate alignment with each other. A rearwardly extending housing is attached to the main frame and is filled with a lightweight plastic material for adding further rigidity and stiffness to the gantry, without substantially increasing the weight thereof.

Abstract: A tracer control system which performs tracer control based on a displacement signal from a tracer head tracing the surface of a model and is equipped with the function of freely setting the infeed of a cutter for machining a workpiece. The tracer control system is provided with a first drive system for feeding the tracer head in the Z-axis direction, a second drive system for feeding the cutter head in the Z-axis direction, first and second position detectors for detecting the positions of the tracer head and the cutter head in the Z-axis direction, and a superimposing circuit for superimposing on each other a position detection signal from the first position detector and an infeed command signal for setting the infeed of the cutter head. The cutter head is fed by the second drive system in the Z-axis direction so that the difference between output signals from the superimposing circuit and the second position detector may be reduced to zero.

Abstract: In a system which performs tracer control by calculating the direction and the velocity of tracing through utilization of signals from a tracer head tracing the model surface, there are provided an input unit for entering data defining the tracing operation, a memory for storing the data and processor for reading out the data from the memory to control respective parts of a control device. Data concerning clamp tracing is read out by the processor to change the clamp level by a predetermined value for each working, thereby performing repetitive clamp tracing.

Abstract: A process of and an apparatus for the automatic measuring of a workpiece. The workpiece is carried on a coordinate table which is mounted for movement relative to a scanning head in two mutually orthogonal directions. A control device moves the workpiece relative to the scanning head at a constant rate in one direction and at a rate in the other direction so as to maintain a constant pressure of the scanner head on said workpiece. The rates of movement in both directions are periodically compared and when equality is reached reversal occurs wherein control of the constant rate is switched to the scanning head and control from the scanning head is switched to a constant rate. This reversal permits uninterrupted measuring in an automatic mode.

Abstract: A tracing milling machine is provided with an automatic tool changer, for enabling an automatic tool change of a cutting tool attached to a spindle of the machine, and an adjusting means, for adjusting a positional relationship between each cutting tool attached to the spindle and a tracer of the machine for tracing a production model whenever the automatic tool change is carried out. The positional relationship is always kept constant during the entire course of the tracing milling of a product from a workpiece.

Abstract: A tracing milling machine having a conventional tracing milling machine controller for controlling a servo movement of the machine is provided with a novel tracing command controller for automatically generating tracing commands to be supplied to the tracing milling machine controller for the purpose of enhancing automation of the tracing milling operation of the machine. The tracing milling machine is further provided with an automatic tool changer, for enabling an automatic tool change of a cutting tool attached to a spindle of the machine during the automated tracing milling operation of the machine.

Abstract: A tracer mechanism having a stylus to scan the surface of a pattern or a template and to cause a congruent relative movement of a cutter and a workpiece, whereby to reproduce the contour of the pattern or template in the workpiece. The stylus is provided with an axial force element which can adjustably vary the endwise thrust of the stylus, thereby to vary the reaction force of the stylus against the workpiece. As a consequence, the stylus can be caused more accurately to track the pattern or template along a tracing plane, especially on a pattern which has a steep slope that tilts laterally relative to the tracing plane. Means is also disclosed to utilize the axial force element in a machine tool table control wherein a "box-cycle" movement is made in which the cutting tool is withdrawn from the workpiece, is stepped to a new tracing plane, and is returned in a non-cutting motion to the starting point of a subsequent cutting movement parallel to the first one.