Including Velocity Or Acceleration Control Patents (Class 700/188)
  • Patent number: 11669074
    Abstract: To enable turning-on/off of constant surface speed control during machining. A numerical control device has a constant surface speed control function for controlling a spindle rotation rate to make a surface speed constant, and includes: a surface speed calculating unit for calculating a surface speed based on a spindle rotation speed having been designated and a distance from a rotation center; a cutting speed setting unit for setting a minimum cutting speed and a maximum cutting speed; a comparison unit for comparing the surface speed with the minimum cutting speed and the maximum cutting speed; and an operation control unit for controlling whether to activate the constant surface speed control function based on a result of the comparison made by the comparison unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Motohiko Ito
  • Patent number: 11644813
    Abstract: A numerical controller controls a motor for driving at least one axis based on a machining program including information about a characteristic shape. The numerical controller includes: a characteristic shape reading unit configured to read information about a characteristic shape to be machined from a machining program including information about a characteristic shape; a section setting unit configured to set one or more set sections on a tool path is response to the information about the characteristic shape; and a motion parameter change unit configured to change at least one parameter to be used for controlling the at least ore axis outside the set section and inside the set section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiwamu Saitou
  • Patent number: 11625019
    Abstract: An automated computer-implemented method for generating commands for controlling a computer numerically controlled milling machine to fabricate a machined object from a workpiece, the machined object being configured to facilitate subsequent finishing into a finished object, the method including defining a surface of the finished object, defining an offset surface defining an inner limiting surface of the machined object, defining a scallop surface defining an outer limiting surface of the machined object and calculating a tool path for the milling machine which produces multiple step-up cuts in the workpiece resulting in the machined object, wherein surfaces of the machined object all lie between the inner limiting surface and the outer limiting surface and the number of step-up cuts in the workpiece and the areas cut in each of the step-up cuts are selected to generally minimize the amount of workpiece material that is removed from the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SOLIDCAM LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Berman, Doron Osovlanski, Christopher Matthew Calderone, Anthony Joseph Calderone
  • Patent number: 11507058
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for ascertaining a rough trajectory from a specified contour for controlling a machine tool which has at least two mutually redundant drive devices for carrying out superimposed movements, wherein the contour is determined by a contour function which is defined in portions at least by contour nodal points P0-Pn+1 with ascending indices and contour portion functions p0-pn assigned to the contour nodal points P0-Pn+1 and has a contour starting nodal point P0, wherein the rough trajectory is determined by a rough trajectory function which is defined in portions by rough trajectory nodal points Q0 to Qn+1 with ascending indices and has a rough trajectory starting nodal point Q0, wherein the rough trajectory starting nodal point Q0 is equated to the contour starting nodal point P0 and then in a first iteration step, on the basis of the contour nodal points Pj to Pn+1, the index value k of which is greater than or equal to the index value j of the respective rough trajectory sta
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KEBA INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GERMANY GMBH
    Inventor: Eugen Saffert
  • Patent number: 11467554
    Abstract: A position correcting system, method and tool for guiding a tool during its use based on its location relative to the material being worked on. Provided is a system and tool which uses its auto correcting technology to precisely rout or cut material. The invention provides a camera which is used to track the visual features of the surface of the material being cut to build a map and locate an image on that map used to reference the location of the tool for auto-correction of the cutting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: SHAPER TOOLS, INC.
    Inventors: Alec Rothmyer Rivers, Ilan Ellison Moyer
  • Patent number: 11402821
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for ascertaining a rough trajectory from a specified contour for controlling a machine tool which has at least two mutually redundant drive devices for carrying out superimposed movements, wherein the contour is determined by a contour function (Pj, pj) which is defined in portions by contour nodal points P0?Pn+1 and respective contour portion functions p0?pn, wherein a respective contour portion function pj connects two adjacent contour nodal points Pj, Pj+1, wherein the rough trajectory is determined by a rough trajectory function (Qj, qj) which is defined in portions by rough trajectory nodal points Q0?Qn+1 and respective rough trajectory portion functions q0?qn, wherein a respective rough trajectory portion function q connects two adjacent rough trajectory nodal points Qj, Qj+1, wherein, for each contour nodal point Pj, a respective assigned rough trajectory nodal point Qj is ascertained in such a manner that a difference in the gradients of the two adjacent rough traject
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: KEBA Industrial Automation GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Martin
  • Patent number: 11196367
    Abstract: A control device of an electric motor that drives an axis influenced by gravity includes: a determination unit that determines whether an overrun operation to move past a target position of the axis is allowable; and a drive control unit that, in a case in which it is determined by the determination unit that the overrun operation is allowable and the axis is driven in an antigravity direction, controls driving of the electric motor so that, after the axis being driven to the overrun position past the target position in the antigravity direction, the axis is driven again in a gravity direction to stop at the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuya Senoo
  • Patent number: 11086300
    Abstract: A control method according to the present invention is a control method for a drive mechanism in a drive system which causes a mobile body to move by way of the drive mechanism in accordance with an instruction from a master controller, the method including: an abnormality detection step of detecting an abnormal state in which control by the master controller is not possible; a remaining distance calculation step of calculating a remaining distance until a movement limit position in a current movement direction of the mobile body, when having detected an abnormal state in the abnormality detection step; a limit deceleration calculation step of calculating a limit deceleration in which the mobile body can stop in the remaining distance which was calculated in the remaining distance calculation step; and a limit stop control step of controlling the drive mechanism so as to cause the mobile body to stop at a deceleration of at least the limit deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Reo Osada
  • Patent number: 11036206
    Abstract: A numerical controller for generating block information of a path by analyzing an axis movement command described in a machining program includes a command analysis unit for analyzing the machining program in which the axis movement command for a plurality of sections is described in one block in a reading processing for the one block to specify a plurality of coordinate values, a command synthesis unit for generating a plurality of direction vectors constituting the path based on the plurality of coordinate values and generating a resultant vector obtained by adding the direction vectors, and a block information generation unit for generating the block information based on the resultant vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Chihiro Abe, Manabu Saitou, Takenori Ono
  • Patent number: 10814448
    Abstract: A comprehensive performance evaluation method for the CNC machine tools based on an improved pull-off method belongs to the technical field of performance evaluation of CNC machine tools. A linear proportional method is used to standardize the performance index data of machine tool. The entropy weight method and mean variance method are used to determine the two objective weights of each level of indicator. Based on the principle of vector A comprehensive evaluation of three-level index is obtained from the linear weighted evaluation function. Finally, a similar method was used to calculate the comprehensive evaluation of a large system layer by layer. The present invention is used for the comprehensive performance evaluation of various CNC machine tools and also for a lateral comparison of specific performance of different machine tools, providing a scientific and possible evaluation method and process for the comprehensive performance evaluation of machine tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kuo Liu, Haibo Liu, Te Li, Heng Chu, Yongqing Wang, Zhenyuan Jia
  • Patent number: 10782217
    Abstract: A system and method for applying force to at least one device at least one force actuator including a processor accessing at least one description of the at least one device, the processor creating command information based at least on the at least one description, and a controller accessing the command information, the controller creating at least one motion command based on the command information, the controller issuing the at least one motion command, the motion command enabling the testing of the at least one device by controlling the at least one force actuator based on the at least one motion command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Christopher C. Langenfeld, Dirk A. van der Merwe, Grant A. Peret, John C. Anastasiou, Jonathan Parker, Michael A. Baker
  • Patent number: 10693410
    Abstract: A control device and a control method for a rotary electric motor, and a rotary electric motor drive system capable of reliably suppressing vibration of the rotary electric motor are provided. A rotary electric motor is controlled by PWM at a predetermined carrier frequency, and in a case where a vibration frequency in a space zero-order eigenmode of the rotary electric motor and a frequency of a frequency component of electromagnetic exciting force that generates the eigenmode overlap with each other, a value of the carrier frequency is switched from a first value to a second value different from the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Takafumi Hara, Katsuhiro Hoshino, Kazuto Oyama
  • Patent number: 10564619
    Abstract: A machine learning device performs machine learning with respect to a servo control device including a velocity feedforward calculation unit. The machine learning device comprises: a state information acquisition unit configured to acquire from the servo control device, state information including at least position error, and combination of coefficients of a transfer function of the velocity feedforward calculation unit; an action information output unit configured to output action information including adjustment information of the combination of coefficients included in the state information, to the servo control device; a reward output unit configured to output a reward value in reinforcement learning based on the position error included in the state information; and a value function updating unit configured to update an action value function on the basis of the reward value output by the reward output unit, the state information, and the action information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoutarou Tsuneki, Satoshi Ikai, Naoto Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10520913
    Abstract: A numerical controller analyzes a machining program, generates movement command data for moving a main spindle relative to a workpiece, causes an interpolation unit to perform interpolation processing based on the generated movement command data, and generates and outputs interpolation data for each interpolation cycle. Further, the interpolation unit performs provisional interpolation processing according to command speed F on a non-rotating coordinate system, converts a start point and an end point of provisional interpolation to positions on a rotating coordinate system to obtain speed F? on the rotating coordinate system, obtains a ratio r of the speed F? to the command speed F, and performs main interpolation processing at speed of F/r.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10487478
    Abstract: A short-range wireless device includes a short-range data transmission component transmitting data at a first signal strength. A movement detection device provides an indication that a work tool supporting the short-range wireless device is in a coupled configuration with a machine, or is intended to be coupled with the machine. A processor reduces the first signal strength to a second signal strength in response to the indication. The short-range data transmission component then transmits data at the second signal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Dean Reed, Arjun Veneshetty
  • Patent number: 10355485
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for adjusting a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) compensator output signal to an HVDC system to reduce control loop modulus due to excessive time delay of sensor measurements. Two different time windows, a Short-Time Variance Window (STVW) and an Extended-Time Variance Window (ETVW) may be examined for detection of increased energy. To detect increased energy the HVDC compensator output signal may be passed through a bandpass filter, then variances for the STVW and ETVW may be generated to produce corresponding test statistics. The STVW and ETVW test statistics may be compared to hypothesis test thresholds and have binary logic based on the hypothesis test comparisons used to generate a gain. The gain may then be multiplied times the original HVDC feedback compensator output such that the adjusted HVDC feedback compensator output reduces the control loop modulus when applied to the HVDC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: University of Wyoming
    Inventors: Dakota Roberson, John F. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 9958859
    Abstract: Methods and devices for computer-assisted milling of a pocket region of a workpiece by computing a blend arc radius, where the blend arc radius is based on a maximal variation of a Tool Engagement Angle (TEA), and smoothing at least one offset, where the smoothing is based on the computed blend arc radius and/or a prior computed blend arc radius with a stepover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: D.P. TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventor: Jianping Song
  • Patent number: 9793091
    Abstract: There is disclosed an image generation apparatus which is capable of generating a clear image by reducing vibration of the image. The image generation apparatus includes an electron-optics column having an electron gun, a deflector, a condenser lens, and an objective lens, a displacement detector for detecting a displacement of an XY stage, a stage-position measuring device for specifying a position of the XY stage based on an output signal of the displacement detector, an accelerometer for detecting vibration of the electron-optics column, an acceleration-signal processing device for processing an output signal of the accelerometer, and a deflection-controlling device for controlling operation of the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: NGR Inc.
    Inventors: Hideaki Teshima, Kazufumi Kubota, Eiji Sato, Shigeyuki Sato, Kenichiro Kashiwazaki, Yuta Uraike
  • Patent number: 9716457
    Abstract: [Problem] To enhance a speed loop gain even in a three-inertia mechanical resonance system. [Solution] A motor control apparatus (100) for controlling a motor, includes: a speed estimator (6) configured to estimate and output an equivalent rigid body speed of the motor, based on a torque command that is input to a motor model (4); a first feedback gain (Kd1) configured to obtain a first differential speed between a motor speed and the equivalent rigid body speed; a torque command generation unit (2) configured to generate the torque command, based on a speed deviation between a speed command and a second differential speed between the motor speed and the output of the first feedback gain (Kd1); and a stabilizing compensator (9) configured to obtain the first differential speed in parallel with the first feedback gain (Kd1), to change frequency characteristics of the first differential speed and to add the frequency characteristics to an output of the first feedback gain (Kd1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yasufumi Yoshiura, Yasuhiko Kaku
  • Patent number: 9645599
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power-supply management device which can efficiently connect and disconnect power supply to an electric-powered section, and a machine tool including the power-supply management device. The power-supply management device (101) detects a synchronization command of a control program, and compares an operation time of the electric-powered section between synchronizations in each control system which is a synchronization target by the synchronization command on the basis of the detected synchronization command. Then, the power-supply management device (101) disconnects the power supply to the electric-powered section belonging to the control system except the control system having the maximum operation time of the electric-powered section between the synchronizations, and restarts the power supply at the end of the synchronization in each control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignees: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., Citizen Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Matsumaru, Satoru Akimoto, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Yutaka Shibui, Umeo Tsuyusaki, Hiroshi Shinohara, Shigeo Yanagidaira
  • Patent number: 9329592
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calculating a feedrate for programming a multi-axis machining tool. For at least one control block in a defined machining path: a displacement of a defined machine control point from a previous control block to a current control block is determined; a displacement of a defined feedrate control point from the previous control block to the current control block is determined; a compensation ratio is calculated as a ratio between the displacement of the defined machine control point and the displacement of the defined feedrate control point; and a feedrate for the machine control point is calculated by applying the compensation ratio to a desired feedrate. The calculated federate is used in a control block of a multi-axis machining tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Vincent Thomasset-Laperriere, Amr Elfizy
  • Patent number: 9157831
    Abstract: A numerical control device determines whether or not a spindle is in a cutting state where it machines a workpiece. If the spindle is in a cutting state, the numerical control device calculates a second rotational speed, which is obtained by multiplying a rotational speed of the spindle by a weight corresponding to a force on the spindle calculated based on a torque of a feed shaft, and integrates the calculated value into an index value. If the spindle is not in the cutting state, the numerical control device integrates the rotational speed of the spindle into the index value. The lifetime of a bearing is estimated based on the index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventor: Hajime Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8988032
    Abstract: A numerical controller capable of visually and accurately analyzing a change of the tool trajectory before and after changing a processing condition, whereby a parameter of a drive axis can be properly adjusted. The numerical controller comprises a numeric controlling part which controls each drive axis based on a predetermined position command; a position data obtaining part which obtains position data of each drive axis controlled by the numerical controlling part; a tool coordinate calculating part which calculates a coordinate of a tool center point based on position feedback or obtained position data of each drive axis and information of a mechanical structure of a machine tool; a tool trajectory storing part which stores the calculated coordinate of the tool center point as a feedback trajectory; and a displaying part which displays the stored feedback trajectory on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Yasusuke Iwashita, Hajime Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8972040
    Abstract: An optimum cutting feed rate of a machine tool is calculated at the outset and a tool path as well as the optimum cutting feed rate calculated is directly output to a driving unit of the machine tool. A relative movement between the work and a tool is made to occur along the tool path at the optimum cutting feed rate for each part of the tool path. To this end, a control system includes a CL data generating unit 32, a CL data memory 33, a driving capability data memory 34, a cutting feed rate data generation unit 35, a cutting feed rate data memory 36, and a controller 42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mori Seiki & Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kimura, Katsuhiko Ono
  • Patent number: 8938316
    Abstract: In connection with a machining program used in machining a workpiece by means of a machine tool controlled by a numerical controller, interpolation data, a command position point sequence, and a servo position point sequence for each processing period are determined by simulation by designating speed data for giving a machining speed and precision data for giving a machining precision. A predicted machining time for workpiece machining is determined based on the determined interpolation data, and a predicted machining error for workpiece machining is determined based on the determined command and servo position point sequences. Further, the precision data and the speed data are determined for the shortest predicted machining time within a preset machining error tolerance, based on a plurality of predicted machining times and a plurality of predicted machining errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Otsuki, Osamu Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 8874255
    Abstract: A method of control of rotation of a spindle device and a control system of a machine tool which enable machining without generation of chatter vibration without using special tools of variable pitch cutting edges or chatter vibration detecting means. The method of control of rotation of a spindle device and control system of a machine tool according to the present invention store spindle rotational speed change data, which determines how to change a rotational speed of a spindle in accordance with an instructed speed, linked with machining conditions and stability limit data, select, from an instructed spindle rotational speed and machining conditions and the stored stability limit data, spindle rotational speed change data giving less vibration, and use the selected spindle rotational speed change data as the basis to change the rotational speed of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Miyamoto, Haruka Nagahara, Sumie Nagahara, Osamu Nagahara
  • Patent number: 8868228
    Abstract: When a numerical controller executes a tool-center-point control in which a path of a tool center point with respect to a workpiece is instructed, and the workpiece is machined along the instructed path based on a speed instruction, the numerical controller sets the speed instruction so that the speed instruction is a synthesis speed with respect to a synthesis distance of a relative moving distance between the workpiece and a tool center point and a tool-direction changing distance due to a relative change in a tool direction with respect to the workpiece by a rotary axis. The numerical controller interpolates a position of a linear axis and a position of a rotary axis by the tool-center-point control according to the synthesis speed and drives the linear axis and the rotary axis to the position of the linear axis and the position of the rotary axis created by the interpolation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Otsuki, Takafumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8803465
    Abstract: A motion command is constructed based on an optimized acceleration pulse designed to control the spectral content of the commanded acceleration. By way of judicious design of the pulse shape, the majority of the energy in the command is contained in a narrow baseband and rolls off rapidly in frequencies outside that band. Additionally, the command can be constructed to suppress selected frequency content in one or more attenuation bands outside the baseband. The resulting motion command permits rapid motion control, while avoiding the excitation of unwanted resonant response in the system while remaining tolerant of system uncertainty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Exelis Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Smith, Patrick J. Argento
  • Publication number: 20140214193
    Abstract: A numerical control device reads a machining program and causes a machine tool to operate based on the machining program. The numerical control device includes: an acceleration-deceleration determining unit; and a position-command generating unit. The numerical control device is configured to set the acceleration and the deceleration as acceleration-deceleration data when the acceleration and the deceleration satisfy tolerances decided based on actual mechanical dynamic characteristics, and set the tolerances as acceleration-deceleration data when the acceleration and deceleration do not satisfy the tolerances. The position-command generating unit is configured to generate a position command based on the moving command, the acceleration-deceleration data, and the speed at the end of the command route and the superimposition amount subjected to processing by the acceleration-deceleration determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicants: DMG MORI SEIKI CO., LTD., MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsuda, Tsuyoshi Kumazawa, Munetaka Wakizaka
  • Publication number: 20140195037
    Abstract: A numerical control device includes: a path local filter which locally interpolates an interpolation interval among a tool path so that a variation in a differential value at an interpolation object point becomes a continuous variation and a pulse interpolation unit which derives a reference time which proceeds per reference unit time which is shortened or extended corresponding to a deceleration instruction or an acceleration instruction according to a special command. The device obtains, from an intervening variable time function, an intervening variable at each time point at every reference unit time of the derived reference time, obtains a position coordinate on each transfer axis, with the position coordinate corresponding to the intervening variable at each obtained time point, obtains a transfer amount of a support in each transfer axis direction from the obtained position coordinate, and sets the transfer amount per reference unit time as a command pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: SHIN NIPPON KOKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Nobutaka Nishibashi
  • Patent number: 8770975
    Abstract: A method of making a dental restoration is provided. The dental restoration comprises a frame and a veneer. An inner veneer surface and an outer frame surface are adapted to be mated with one another to form the dental restoration. The method in particular comprises steps of (a) providing an outer veneer surface; (b) determining an outer frame surface, based on the outer veneer surface; (c) determining an inner veneer surface, based on the outer frame surface; and (d) providing an inner frame surface, based on a natural tooth surface. The method may be advantageous for rapid, precise and inexpensive manufacturing of a dental restoration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Josef A. Waizenegger, Till Meurer, Thomas B. Hiebel, Bastian P. Kirchner, Michael A. Kraemer
  • Patent number: 8744612
    Abstract: A numerical controller for machine tools that has function of controlling the speed of arc operation calculates a first operable feedrate based on the arc radius of a machining path and the allowable frequency (or allowable angular speed) to which servo position control is capable of responding. The numerical controller also calculates a second operable feedrate based on the arc radius of the machining path and the allowable acceleration to which servo position control can respond, and selects the minimum feedrate from the commanded feedrate and the calculated first and second feedrate to perform speed control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Soichiro Ide, Michiharu Kawahara, Takenori Ono
  • Publication number: 20140148942
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calculating a feedrate for programming a multi-axis machining tool. For at least one control block in a defined machining path: a displacement of a defined machine control point from a previous control block to a current control block is determined; a displacement of a defined feedrate control point from the previous control block to the current control block is determined; a compensation ratio is calculated as a ratio between the displacement of the defined machine control point and the displacement of the defined feedrate control point; and a feedrate for the machine control point is calculated by applying the compensation ratio to a desired feedrate. The calculated federate is used in a control block of a multi-axis machining tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Vincent THOMASSET-LAPERRIERE, Amr ELFIZY
  • Patent number: 8712576
    Abstract: A controller for a machine tool and a five axis simultaneous control machine tool which can improve machining accuracy in controlling a pivoting axis of the machine tool. The controller including an allowable position error setting member setting an allowable position error between a commanded machining position and an actual machining position; a velocity control parameter deciding member deciding a velocity control parameter of the pivoting axes of the A-axis and the B-axis in accordance with the allowable position error being set and a distance of said actual machining position from the pivoting axes; and a controlling member controlling a velocity of the pivoting axes based on the velocity control parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140088754
    Abstract: A system and method for machining a work-piece in restrictive access operating position is disclosed. The system includes a robot arm adapted to access the bottom face of the work-piece; a computation means adapted to compute a central line on the bottom face while ascertaining an area of overlap that is accessible from all sides of the work-piece; and a robot controller adapted to sequentially maneuver the robot arm from one side of the work-piece to other side of the work-piece on the bottom face. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Plazma Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hughen Gerrard Thomas, Arjun Mendhi
  • Patent number: 8662799
    Abstract: A tapping machine (1) executes a tapping operation by operating a spindle motor (21) and a feed axis motor (31) in synchronization, and includes a spindle reversal detector unit (34) for detecting the reversed operation of the spindle during the tapping operation, and a reverse correction amount production unit (35) for producing a reverse correction amount for improving follow-up performance of reversed operation of the feed axis at the time when the reversed operation of the spindle is detected by the spindle reversal detector unit (34). When the reversed operation is detected by the spindle reversal detector unit, the reverse correction amount produced by the reverse correction amount production unit (35) is added to the speed instruction on a speed control loop of the feed axis control unit (30) or to an integrator (41) of the speed control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Takayama, Tadashi Okita
  • Patent number: 8655479
    Abstract: A method of determining conditions for machining a part so as to avoid vibration appearing during the machining. A machining stage is simulated by provisionally setting parameters of a function for modulating cutting speed, by deducing a corresponding surface state, by modifying parameters iteratively with the machining stage being simulated each time until the surface state reaches an acceptable value, and by performing the machining stage by causing the cutting speed to vary in application of the corresponding modulation function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Gerard Maurice Henri Coffignal, Philippe Lorong, Alexis Perez-Duarte
  • Publication number: 20140025195
    Abstract: A computer numerical control (CNC) device includes an integral accelerometer. A method of improving the accuracy CNC devices comprises integrating an accelerometer within the reader head of a linear feedback system. The feedback-system preferably incorporates acceleration feedback along with position feedback. The present CNC device can be incorporated in, and the method can be implemented for, machines including mills, lathes, routers, grinders, robotic devices, optical feedback systems, linear optical encodes, rotary optical encoders, servo drives and servo motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventor: Farzad Ahmadpour
  • Publication number: 20130345853
    Abstract: An automated computer-implemented method for generating commands for controlling a computer numerically controlled milling machine to fabricate a machined object from a workpiece, the machined object being configured to facilitate subsequent finishing into a finished object, the method including defining a surface of the finished object, defining an offset surface defining an inner limiting surface of the machined object, defining a scallop surface defining an outer limiting surface of the machined object and calculating a tool path for the milling machine which produces multiple step-up cuts in the workpiece resulting in the machined object, wherein surfaces of the machined object all lie between the inner limiting surface and the outer limiting surface and the number of step-up cuts in the workpiece and the areas cut in each of the step-up cuts are selected to generally minimize the amount of workpiece material that is removed from the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SOLIDCAM LTD.
    Inventors: Michael BERMAN, Doron OSOVLANSKI, Christopher Matthew CALDERONE, Anthony Joseph CALDERONE
  • Patent number: 8588958
    Abstract: A computer program product and an apparatus for preparing a moving program for controlling the operation of a working robot which can move a known working apparatus relative to a workpiece and which can perform desired work on the workpiece. Movement information of the working apparatus may be input to a text entry screen on a character basis. Movement information of the working apparatus may also be input via a figure entry screen as a path on a two-dimensional plane in correlation with height information. The movement information that is input on the text entry screen is output in real time as the path on the two-dimensional plane and the height information thereof on the figure entry screen. The movement information that is input on the figure entry screen is output in real time to the text entry screen on the character basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Musashi Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazumasa Ikushima
  • Patent number: 8532813
    Abstract: A method includes: (a) transferring a tool to where thread cutting is to start; (b) cutting threads in work with the tool; (c) performing tool deceleration along the Z-axis and acceleration along the X-axis during a predetermined acceleration/deceleration time Ta to retract the tool along the X-axis; and (d) returning the tool to a reference point. In Step (c), to shorten the incomplete thread portion, a command is issued concurrently with the start of the acceleration/deceleration time Ta to realize a pullout speed Ve along the X-axis that exceeds an allowable maximum speed Vmax to increase the acceleration along the X-axis. The speed command for moving the tool along the X-axis is maintained at the value of zero from the elapse of command time Te until the acceleration/deceleration time Ta expires to maintain the actual speed of the tool along the X-axis at or below the allowable maximum speed Vmax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Sugie, Shigeki Ueno
  • Patent number: 8463421
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of drilling a hole in a workpiece in order to control breakthrough of the workpiece comprising the steps of: a) initiating contact between a drill bit of a drill unit and the workpiece; b) operating the drill unit to rotate the drill bit to drill the workpiece; c) during drilling of the workpiece measuring the force, F and torque, T, experienced by the drill bit; d) calculating a variable F?, based on the measured force, F, representing the rate of change of F; e) calculating a variable, T? based on the measured torque, T, representing the rate of change of T; f) calculating a variable F? representing the rate of change of F?; g) calculating a variable T? representing the rate of change of T?; h) detecting the onset of breakout of the workpiece by use of the variables F?, F?, T? and T?; i) thereby controlling the speed of rotation of the drill bit during breakthrough of the workpiece to control the degree of breakout of the drill bit from the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Aston University
    Inventors: Peter Brett, Robin Taylor, David Proops, Chris Coulson, Mansel V. Griffiths
  • Patent number: 8290611
    Abstract: The present exemplary embodiment relates to motion control and planning algorithms to facilitate execution of a series of moves within a motion trajectory. In one example, a trajectory is specified as a sequence of one or more path segments. A velocity profile is calculated for each of the one or more path segments, wherein each velocity profile is divided into a blend-in region, a blend-out region and a remainder region. Each path segment is executed such that the blend-in region of its velocity profile overlaps only with the blend-out region of the previous profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bohumir Sladek, Jatin P. Bhatt, William C. Schwarz, Bhanu K. Gouda
  • Patent number: 8271105
    Abstract: A method of debugging software used to communicate with a motion control system comprising the following steps. Debug information containing diagnostic information associated with a hardware motion control attribute is generated. At least one selected software driver is capable of sending the debug information to a debug target. A software application is caused to call a motion component function to exchange a common motion control attribute with a selected software driver. The called motion component function is used to cause a motion component to exchange a common motion control attribute with the selected driver by calling a driver function. A called driver function is used to cause the selected software driver to convert a common motion control attribute to a hardware motion control attribute, exchange a hardware motion control attribute with the motion control device, and send debug information to the debug target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Roy-G-Biv Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Brown, Jay S. Clark
  • Patent number: 8260453
    Abstract: A numerical controller for controlling a five-axis machining apparatus, in which a tool orientation command is corrected to thereby attain a smooth machined surface and a shortened machining time. The numerical controller includes command reading device that successively reads a tool orientation command, tool orientation command correcting device that corrects the tool orientation command so that a ratio between each rotary axis motion amount and a linear axis motion amount is constant in each block, interpolation device that determines respective axis positions at every interpolation period based on the tool orientation command corrected by the tool orientation command correcting device, a motion path command, and a relative motion velocity command such that a tool end point moves along a commanded motion path at a commanded relative motion velocity, and device that drives respective axis motors such that respective axis positions determined by the interpolation device are reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Toshiaki Otsuki, Soichiro Ide, Osamu Hanaoka, Daijirou Koga
  • Patent number: 8239057
    Abstract: A method for controlling several master axes in a machine, for example a production machine includes the steps of defining profiles of desired values for a plurality of master axes, determining for each master axis a current desired value and also a current desired value for a slave axis using a logic combination rule, controlling a first drive in accordance with the current desired value of the slave axis, and if the dynamics controlling the first drive exceeds an upper dynamics limit, starting at the next clock pulse to modify determination of the current desired values for at least one of the master axes, and controlling the first drive with a reduced dynamics until the reduced dynamics falls below a lower dynamics limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Bauer, Klaus Hertinger, Horst Stiehler, Tom Tolkmitt, Curd Weber, Heino De Levie
  • Patent number: 8195325
    Abstract: A machine tool has an oscillating axis that reciprocates in an optional region. A numerical controller that controls the machine tool designates positions of a lower dead point and a upper dead point when the oscillating axis of the machine tool reciprocates, and a reference speed during the oscillating operation when the oscillating axis reciprocates. The numerical controller then calculates, from the current position of the oscillating axis, a current phase in the case where one stroke of the oscillating axis is defined as one cycle, and calculates the speed of the oscillating axis at the current phase based upon the calculated current phase and the reference speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Hosokawa, Makoto Haga, Yousuke Koyanaka
  • Patent number: 8165713
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for milling a desired pocket in a solid workpiece uses an abrasive fluid-jet by moving and suitably orienting the abrasive fluid-jet relative to the workpiece. The method includes defining a path of the abrasive fluid-jet necessary to mill a desired pocket in the solid workpiece. The path is defined by a number of parameters. The parameters include a translation velocity, a fluid pressure, and an abrasive fluid-jet position and orientation relative to the workpiece. Generating a command set is according to the defined path and is configured to drive a computer numerical control manipulator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ormond, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel G. Alberts, Nicholas Cooksey, Thomas J. Butler, Peter J. Miles
  • Publication number: 20120016514
    Abstract: A numerical control apparatus includes a machining-program reading unit that reads a command issued from a machining program, a command-path storing unit that stores a pre-compression command path in a pre-compression command path buffer, a compression processing unit that creates new one post-compression command path connecting start points and end points of a continuous plurality of pre-compression command paths, a movement-data creating unit that creates tool movement data necessary for correcting the post-compression command path to a tool movement path and interpolating the tool movement path, and an interpolation processing unit that interpolates the tool movement path and calculates a tool position using both the pre-compression command path stored by the command-path creating unit and the tool movement data of the tool movement path after compression created by the movement-data creating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Nakamura, Tomonori Sato, Shinya Nishino
  • Patent number: 8060238
    Abstract: A method of calculating recovery commands for numerical controlled system that an upper controller provides position commands to a servo driver to drive a motor. A memory space is provided to store the position commands, and then a position matrix and a transformation matrix are read. Finally, the transformation matrix is multiplied by the position matrix to calculate the coefficients of a position polynomial and a plurality of position interpolations. In addition, a velocity polynomial and an acceleration polynomial can be calculated. Therefore, the position commands are calculated to recovery as a high-order differentiable continuous polynomial to synchronize the servo driver and the upper controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Hsiung Tsai, Jia-ming Wu, Tsung-Hsin Cheng