Machining time estimation device, machining time estimation method, and machining time estimation program for lathe equipped with opposing main spindles

Abstract

To provide technique capable of appropriately eliminating a variation in machining time estimation caused by an estimation difference in a machining direction in a lathe equipped with opposing main spindles.SOLUTION: A machining direction determination unit 153 determines a machining direction as to which of a first direction DR1 along a material center line AX1 and a second direction DR2 opposite to the first direction DR1 the direction of a product 82 should take on the basis of constraint condition data 303 indicating a constraint condition of at least one of front machining (first machining) and backside machining (second machining) and product data 302. A time estimation output unit 154 calculates first time estimation TT1 required for the front machining and second time estimation TT2 required for the backside machining in accordance with the machining direction on the basis of machining condition data 304 indicating a machining condition (containing machining speed) of each tool used in the front machining and the backside machining, material data 301, and the product data 302, and outputs time estimation required for manufacturing the product 82 on the basis of the first time estimation TT1 and the second time estimation TT2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a machining time estimation device, a machining time estimation method, and a machining time estimation program for a lathe equipped with an opposed spindle. [Background technology]

[0002] Customers considering purchasing an NC (numerically controlled) lathe consider whether the lathe they are considering can process a particular part, and also consider the estimated processing time as a deciding factor when making a purchase. Also, parts processing manufacturers that own NC lathes present the part cost estimate to customers based on the estimated processing time for the part when they are asked for a quote. The processing time estimate is created manually by engineers who are well versed in lathe processing methods, who use their past experience to derive the optimal processing process and processing conditions. Patent Document 1 discloses a machining-related information generating device that generates tool path data from CAD data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-189510 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In opposed-spindle lathes, the "machining direction" - which side of the product shape should be machined from, that is, which direction along the center line of the material should be machined - is determined by the engineer based on their own experience. Therefore, the machining direction estimates vary depending on the engineer's knowledge and level of proficiency, which results in variations in machining time estimates. The above-mentioned machining-related information generating device does not take into consideration the determination of the machining direction in a lathe with opposed spindles.

[0005] The present invention discloses a technique capable of appropriately eliminating variations in machining time estimates due to differences in the estimation of the machining direction in a lathe equipped with an opposed spindle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The machining time estimation device of the present invention is a machining time estimation device that estimates a time required for manufacturing a product in a lathe that performs a first machining process on a workpiece held by a first spindle around a material center line, and performs a second machining process on the workpiece that has been subjected to the first machining process and is held by a second spindle opposed to the first spindle, a material data input receiving unit that receives an input of material data indicating at least a shape of a material to be used for the work; a product data input receiving unit that receives an input of product data indicating at least a shape of each region of the product obtained from the material; a machining direction determination unit that determines a machining direction of the product, whether the product is oriented in a first direction along the material center line or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, based on constraint condition data indicating constraint conditions for at least one of the first machining and the second machining, and the product data; and a time estimate output unit that calculates a first time estimate required for the first machining and a second time estimate required for the second machining in accordance with the machining direction based on machining condition data indicating machining conditions for each tool used in the first machining and the second machining, including a machining speed, the material data, and the product data, and outputs a time estimate required for manufacturing the product based on the first time estimate and the second time estimate.

[0007] Further, the present invention provides a machining time estimation method for estimating a time required for manufacturing a product in a lathe, which performs a first machining process on a workpiece held by a first spindle around a material center line, and performs a second machining process on the workpiece after the first machining process, which is held by a second spindle opposed to the first spindle, and includes the steps of: a material data input receiving step of receiving an input of material data indicating at least a shape of a material to be used for the work; a product data input receiving step of receiving an input of product data indicating at least the shape of each region of the product obtained from the material; a processing direction determination step of determining a processing direction of the product, whether the product is oriented in a first direction along the material center line or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, based on constraint condition data indicating constraint conditions for at least one of the first processing and the second processing, and the product data; and a time estimate output process for calculating a first time estimate required for the first machining and a second time estimate required for the second machining in accordance with the machining direction based on machining condition data indicating machining conditions for each tool used in the first machining and the second machining, including a machining speed, the material data, and the product data, and outputting a time estimate required for manufacturing the product based on the first time estimate and the second time estimate.

[0008] Further, the present invention provides a processing time estimation program for estimating a time required for manufacturing a product in a lathe that performs a first processing on a workpiece held by a first spindle around a material center line, and performs a second processing on the workpiece that has been subjected to the first processing and is held by a second spindle opposed to the first spindle, the program comprising: A material data input receiving function that receives input of material data indicating at least the shape of the material to be used for the workpiece; a product data input receiving function for receiving an input of product data indicating at least the shape of each region of the product obtained from the material; A machining direction determination function that determines a machining direction of the product, whether the product is oriented in a first direction along the material center line or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, based on constraint condition data indicating constraint conditions for at least one of the first machining and the second machining, and the product data; and a time estimate output function that calculates a first time estimate required for the first machining and a second time estimate required for the second machining in accordance with the machining direction based on machining condition data indicating machining conditions, including machining speed, for each tool used in the first machining and the second machining, the material data, and the product data, and outputs a time estimate required for manufacturing the product based on the first time estimate and the second time estimate. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique that can appropriately eliminate variations in estimation of machining time due to differences in estimation of the machining direction in a lathe equipped with an opposed spindle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a lathe equipped with an opposing spindle; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic example of a processing direction indicating in which direction along the center line of the material the product obtained from the material should be oriented. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a machining time estimation device. [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electrical circuit configuration of a server included in a machining time estimation device, an example of a configuration of a machining time estimation program, and an example of a data group. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a structure of product data. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of constraint condition data. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a structure of processing condition data. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing time estimation process. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are diagrams showing an example of determining the processing direction. [Figure 10]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of determining a processing direction when there are no constraints on processing. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing time estimate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following embodiments of the present invention will be described. Of course, the following embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention, and not all of the features shown in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0012] (1) Overview of the technology included in this invention: First, the outline of the technology included in the present invention will be described with reference to the examples shown in Figures 1 to 11. The figures in the present application are diagrams showing examples in a schematic manner, and the magnification ratios in each direction shown in these figures may differ, and the figures may not be consistent with each other. Of course, each element of the present technology is not limited to the specific example shown by the symbol. In addition, in the present application, a numerical range "Min to Max" means equal to or greater than the minimum value Min and equal to or less than the maximum value Max.

[0013] [Aspect 1] As illustrated in FIG. 1 and other figures, a machining time estimation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present technology performs a first machining (e.g., front machining) on ​​a workpiece W1 held by a first spindle (e.g., front spindle 11) around a material center line AX1, and performs a second machining (e.g., back machining) on ​​the workpiece W1 held by a second spindle (e.g., back spindle 21) opposed to the first spindle (11) after the first machining, and estimates the time required to manufacture a product 82 in a lathe 2. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the machining time estimation device 1 includes a material data input receiving unit 151, a product data input receiving unit 152, a machining direction determining unit 153, and a time estimate output unit 154. The material data input receiving unit 151 receives an input of material data 301 indicating at least the shape of a material 81 used for the workpiece W1. The product data input receiving unit 152 receives input of product data 302 indicating at least the shape of each region (e.g., regions A1 to A3) of the product 82 obtained from the material 81. The machining direction determining unit 153 determines the machining direction of the product 82, whether the orientation of the product 82 is a first direction DR1 along the material center line AX1 or a second direction DR2 opposite to the first direction DR1, based on the constraint condition data 303 indicating the constraint condition of at least one of the first machining and the second machining, and the product data 302, as exemplified in Figs. 2, 8 to 10, etc. The time estimate output unit 154 calculates a first time estimate TT1 required for the first machining and a second time estimate TT2 required for the second machining according to the machining direction, based on the machining condition data 304 indicating the machining conditions including the machining speed, which are the machining conditions by each tool (e.g., tools TO1, TO2) used in the first machining and the second machining, the material data 301, and the product data 302. The time estimate output unit 154 outputs an estimate of the time required to manufacture the product 82 based on the first time estimate TT1 and the second time estimate TT2.

[0014] In the above-mentioned embodiment 1, first, a machining direction indicating which direction along the material center line AX1 the product 82 should be oriented is automatically determined. According to this machining direction, time estimates (TT1, TT2) required for the first machining and the second machining are automatically calculated, and an estimate of the time required to manufacture the product 82 is output based on these time estimates (TT1, TT2). Therefore, the above-mentioned embodiment 1 can provide a machining time estimation device capable of appropriately eliminating variations in machining time estimates due to differences in the estimation of the machining direction in a lathe equipped with an opposed spindle.

[0015] Various examples of the above-mentioned aspect are possible. For example, the first main shaft may be movable in the direction along the center line of the material, or may not be movable in the direction along the center line of the material. The second main shaft may be movable in the direction along the center line of the material, or may not be movable in the direction along the center line of the material. The lathe may include a guide bushing that supports a workpiece protruding from the first spindle. The processing time estimation device may be composed of a server computer and one or more terminals, or may be a stand-alone computer. The shape of a material is a concept including the size of the material. Furthermore, the material data may include material data indicating the material of the material in addition to the data indicating the shape of the material. When the material data is data indicating at least the shape and material of the material, it is possible to calculate an estimate of the time required for processing according to preferred processing conditions that take the material of the material into consideration. The shape of a product is a concept that includes the size of a product. The material data and the product data may be integrated data. The case where the processing time estimation device 1 is provided with a shape data input receiving unit that receives input of shape data in which the material data 301 and the product data 302 are integrated is also included in the case where the processing time estimation device 1 is provided with the material data input receiving unit 151 and the product data input receiving unit 152. In this application, "first" and "second" are terms for distinguishing between two components having similarities, and do not imply an order. The above remarks also apply to the following aspects.

[0016] [Aspect 2] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the processing direction determination unit 153 may determine the processing direction so as to satisfy the priority condition based on the constraint condition data 303 indicating the constraint condition including a priority condition that prioritizes either the first processing or the second processing, and the product data 302. In the above cases, the machining direction is determined so that the priority condition is satisfied, and therefore, a preferable example for estimating the machining direction can be provided.

[0017] [Aspect 3] The product data input receiving unit 152 may receive an input of the product data 302 including a processing accuracy. The processing direction determining unit 153 may determine the processing direction so as to satisfy the processing accuracy based on the product data 302 and the constraint condition data 303 indicating the constraint condition including the priority condition that prioritizes the first processing with respect to the processing accuracy. In the above cases, the machining direction is determined so as to satisfy the condition that prioritizes the first machining in terms of machining accuracy, so that a more preferable example for estimating the machining direction can be provided.

[0018] [Aspect 4] 8 and 10, when the product data 302 does not include data that indicates that the orientation of the product 82 should be one of the first orientation DR1 and the second orientation DR2, each region may be assigned to perform either the first processing or the second processing so as to reduce the difference between the first time estimate TT1 and the second time estimate TT2. This embodiment can provide a suitable example of estimating the processing time when there is no restriction on the processing direction.

[0019] [Aspect 5] Meanwhile, a processing time estimation method according to one embodiment of the present technology is a processing time estimation method for estimating the time required to manufacture a product 82 in a lathe 2 that performs a first processing on a workpiece W1 held by a first spindle (11) centered on a material center line AX1, and performs a second processing on the workpiece W1 that has been subjected to the first processing, and that is held by a second spindle (21) opposed to the first spindle (11), and includes the following steps, as illustrated in FIG. 8. (a1) A material data input receiving step ST1 for receiving an input of material data 301 indicating at least the shape of the material 81 used in the workpiece W1. (a2) A product data input receiving step ST2 for receiving an input of product data 302 indicating at least the shape of each region of the product 82 obtained from the material 81. (a3) A machining direction determination process ST3 for determining the machining direction of the product 82, whether the orientation of the product 82 should be a first orientation DR1 along the material center line AX1 or a second orientation DR2 opposite to the first orientation DR1, based on constraint condition data 303 indicating constraint conditions for at least one of the first machining and the second machining, and the product data 302. (a4) A time estimate output process ST4 for calculating a first time estimate TT1 required for the first machining and a second time estimate TT2 required for the second machining according to the machining direction based on machining condition data 304 indicating machining conditions, including machining speed, for each tool used in the first machining and the second machining, the material data 301, and the product data 302, and outputting a time estimate required for manufacturing the product 82 based on the first time estimate TT1 and the second time estimate TT2.

[0020] The above-mentioned fifth aspect can provide a machining time estimation method capable of appropriately eliminating variations in machining time estimates due to differences in the estimation of the machining direction in a lathe equipped with an opposing spindle.

[0021] [Aspect 6] 4, a machining time estimation program PR1 according to an embodiment of the present technology causes a computer (e.g., server 100) to realize a material data input reception function FU1 corresponding to the material data input reception unit 151, a product data input reception function FU2 corresponding to the product data input reception unit 152, a machining direction determination function FU3 corresponding to the machining direction determination unit 153, and a time estimate output function FU4 corresponding to the time estimate output unit 154. This embodiment can provide a machining time estimation program that can appropriately eliminate variations in machining time estimates due to differences in the estimation of the machining direction in a lathe equipped with an opposed spindle.

[0022] Furthermore, the present technology is applicable to a system including the above-mentioned machining time estimation device, a machining time estimation method for the system, a computer-readable non-transitory medium having the above-mentioned machining time estimation program recorded thereon, etc. The machining time estimation device may be composed of multiple distributed parts.

[0023] (2) Example of a lathe with an opposed spindle: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a lathe equipped with an opposed spindle. The lathe 2 shown in Fig. 1 is an opposed-spindle type NC automatic lathe equipped with an NC (numerical control) device 70 that performs numerical control of machining of a workpiece W1. The control axes of the lathe 2 shown in FIG. 1 include the X-axis indicated by "X", the Y-axis indicated by "Y", and the Z-axis indicated by "Z". The Z-axis direction is a horizontal direction along the material center line AX1 as the spindle center line which is the rotation center of the workpiece W1. The material center line AX1 is the center line of the material used for the workpiece W1. The X-axis direction is a vertical direction perpendicular to the Z-axis. The Y-axis direction is a horizontal direction perpendicular to the Z-axis. Note that the Z-axis and the X-axis do not have to be perpendicular if they intersect, the Z-axis and the Y-axis do not have to be perpendicular if they intersect, and the X-axis and the Y-axis do not have to be perpendicular if they intersect. In addition, the drawings referred to in this specification merely show examples for explaining the present technology and do not limit the present technology. In addition, the explanation of the positional relationship of each part is merely an example. Therefore, reversing the left and right, reversing the direction of rotation, etc. are also included in the present technology. In addition, the identity of the direction, position, etc. is not limited to strict agreement, and includes deviation from strict agreement due to an error.

[0024] The lathe 2 shown in FIG. 1 is equipped with a front headstock 10, a front headstock drive unit 13, a rear headstock 20, a rear headstock drive unit 23, a first tool rest 30, a first tool rest drive unit 31, a second tool rest 40, a second tool rest drive unit 41, an NC device 70, etc. The front headstock 10 incorporates a front spindle 11 that releasably holds the workpiece W1 around the material center line AX1, and a motor 12 (e.g., a built-in motor) that rotates the front spindle 11 around the material center line AX1. The back spindle 20 incorporates a back spindle 21 that releasably holds the workpiece W1 around the material center line AX1, and a motor 22 (e.g., a built-in motor) that rotates the back spindle 21 around the material center line AX1. The back spindle 21 is an opposing spindle that faces the front spindle 11 along the material center line AX1. In this specific example, the front spindle 11 is an example of a first spindle, and the back spindle 21 is an example of a second spindle.

[0025] The lathe 2 shown in FIG. 1 is a movable spindle type lathe, and both the front headstock 10 and the back headstock 20 move in the Z-axis direction. The front headstock drive unit 13 moves the front headstock 10 at least in the Z-axis direction according to a command from the NC device 70. The back headstock drive unit 23 moves the back headstock 20 at least in the Z-axis direction according to a command from the NC device 70. The back headstock drive unit 23 may move the back headstock 20 in at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction to discharge a product formed from the workpiece W1. The lathe 2 may be a fixed spindle type lathe in which the front headstock 10 does not move, or the front headstock 10 may move without moving the back headstock 20.

[0026] The first tool rest 30 is attached with a tool TO1 for at least performing front machining of the workpiece W1 held by the front spindle 11. The second tool rest 40 is attached with a tool TO2 for at least performing back machining of the workpiece W1 held by the back spindle 21. The first tool rest 30 and the second tool rest 40 may be comb tool rests or turret tool rests. In this specific example, the front machining is an example of the first machining, and the back machining is an example of the second machining. The first tool rest drive unit 31 moves the first tool rest 30, for example, in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, according to a command from the NC device 70. The second tool rest drive unit 41 moves the second tool rest 40, for example, in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, according to a command from the NC device 70.

[0027] When a long material is used for the workpiece W1, the workpiece W1 may be supplied to the front spindle 11 from the rear end (left end in FIG. 1) of the front spindle 11. In this case, a guide bush that supports the workpiece W1 slidably in the Z-axis direction may be arranged on the front side (right side in FIG. 1) of the front spindle 11. When a short material is used for the workpiece W1, the workpiece W1 may be supplied to the front spindle 11 from the front end of the front spindle 11. Rod-shaped materials including cylindrical, cylindrical, and rectangular pillar-shaped materials can be used as the material. The lathe 2 performs front machining by cutting the workpiece W1 held by the front spindle 11 with the tool TO1 around the material center line AX1. After front machining, the workpiece W1 is transferred from the front spindle 11 to the back spindle 21, and becomes a product by back machining. When the material is long, the lathe holds the workpiece W1 after front machining held by the front spindle 11 with the back spindle 21, separates the workpiece W1 after front machining from the front spindle 11, for example with a cut-off bit attached to the first tool rest 30, and performs back machining by cutting the workpiece W1 after front machining held by the back spindle 21 with a tool TO2. The lathe 2 shown in FIG. 2 is capable of simultaneously carrying out front machining and back machining.

[0028] (3) Processing direction description: Next, the "machining direction" indicating which direction along the center line of the material the product should be oriented will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an assumption that a product 82 is formed from a long material 81 according to product data 302 indicating at least the shape of each region of the product 82 obtained from the material 81. The product data 302 shown in FIG. 2 shows the shape of the product 82 in which a relatively small outer diameter region A1, a relatively large outer diameter region A2, and a relatively small outer diameter region A3 are arranged in this order along the material center line AX1. In this case, as a method for manufacturing the product 82 with the lathe 2, there is a method for forming the product 82 in a first direction DR1 in which the regions A3, A2, and A1 are arranged in this order from the tip of the material 81 toward the supply source, and a method for forming the product 82 in a second direction DR2 in which the regions are arranged in the opposite order. When forming the product 82 in the first direction DR1, normally, front machining is performed from the region A3 side by a front machining tool TO1, and then back machining is performed from the region A1 side by a back machining tool TO2. When forming the product 82 in the second direction DR2, normally, front machining is performed from the region A1 side by a front machining tool TO1, and then back machining is performed from the region A3 side by a back machining tool TO2. If there are no constraints on either front or back machining, the cycle time of workpiece machining can be shortened as much as possible by allocating the machining of areas A1 to A3 so that the time required for front machining and the time required for back machining are as close as possible to each other.

[0029] However, depending on the shape, geometric tolerance, dimensional tolerance, etc. of the product 82, restrictions may occur in at least one of the front machining and the back machining. This is because the number of tools that can be attached to the tool rest for front machining and the tool rest for back machining differs, the types of machining possible in front machining and back machining differ, and the machining accuracy differs between the front side and the back side due to differences in rigidity, etc. The machining capacity of a lathe is often superior to that of back machining. In this case, it is considered that front machining is assigned to areas of the product 82 that have complex shapes or areas that require high machining accuracy, and back machining is assigned to the remaining areas. Furthermore, it is assumed that the position at which the back spindle 21 grips the workpiece W1 may shift slightly when the workpiece W1 is transferred from the front spindle 11 to the back spindle 21, so that the accuracy of the back machining may be lower than that of the front machining.

[0030] When a person estimates the machining time including the machining direction, technical experience is required. Therefore, an engineer estimates the machining time including the machining direction. For example, a customer who plans to purchase an NC lathe uses the results of the machining time estimate and whether the NC lathe can process a specific part when manufacturing it as a basis for making a purchase. Customers may compare the machining time estimates of multiple lathe manufacturers to select a manufacturer and model. Also, when a parts processing manufacturer is requested by a customer to estimate the cost of a part, the manufacturer estimates the machining time using the NC lathe they own, takes into account necessary expenses such as material costs and labor costs, calculates the estimated cost of the part, and presents it to the customer.

[0031] When creating a machining time estimate, engineers derive the machining process and machining conditions that seem optimal from past experience, and manually calculate the machining time estimate. However, when deciding on the machining process, the judgment results of the machining process and the judgment of the machining direction may differ depending on the engineer's knowledge and proficiency. If the judgment of the machining direction differs, the machining time estimate will vary as a result. In addition, the actual time it takes for an engineer to create a machining time estimate also depends on the engineer's knowledge and proficiency, and individual differences are likely to occur. Furthermore, it takes several years to train personnel who can create machining time estimates. In addition, the manufacturing industry has a serious shortage of engineers due to aging and turnover, and there is a shortage of man-hours to create machining time estimates. As a result, the quality of the quotation provided to the customer may decline in terms of quality, the time required for the quotation may increase in terms of cost, and the response time may increase in terms of delivery time. These may lead to lost orders or a loss of trust.

[0032] In this specific example, the machining direction determination unit 153 determines the machining direction of the product 82 based on the product data 302, etc., whether the orientation of the product 82 should be a first orientation DR1 along the material center line AX1 or a second orientation DR2 opposite to the first orientation DR1. This makes it possible to appropriately eliminate variations in the estimation of the machining time due to differences in the estimation of the machining direction in the lathe 2 equipped with the opposing spindle. In this specific example, the estimation of the machining direction includes the determination of how much machining should be performed on the front side.

[0033] (4) Examples of machining time estimation devices: Fig. 3 shows a schematic configuration example of a machining time estimation device. Fig. 4 shows a schematic configuration example of a server (server computer) for realizing the machining time estimation device 1 shown in Fig. 3, a configuration example of a machining time estimation program, and an example of a data group. The processing time estimation device 1 shown in Fig. 3 includes a server 100, one or more terminals 210 for a sales representative 218, and one or more terminals 220 for an engineering representative 228. The server 100 includes an estimate DB (estimate database) 110 and a master DB (master database) 120. The terminals 210 and 220 may be connected to the server 100 by a network connection such as the Internet or an intranet. The terminal 210 is a computer equipped with an input unit 211 such as a keyboard, a pointing device, etc., an output unit 212 such as a display, etc., a communication interface with the server 100, etc. The terminal 220 is a computer equipped with an input unit 221 such as a keyboard, a pointing device, etc., an output unit 222 such as a display, etc., a communication interface with the server 100, etc.

[0034] The quotation DB 110 stores quotation request information 111 input by, for example, a sales representative 218, shape information 113 input by, for example, a technical representative 228, quotation result information 114 generated from the shape information 113, and a quotation 115 generated from the quotation result information 114. The quotation request information 111 includes material data 301 (see FIG. 4) indicating at least the shape of the material 81 used in the workpiece W1, drawing information 112 which is digital information of a drawing (e.g., a paper drawing) showing a product presented by a customer, and the like. For example, the sales representative 218 can digitize the paper drawing presented by the customer by an image acquisition means such as a scanner, a camera, and the like, and transmit the drawing information 112 together with other quotation request information 111 from the terminal 210 to the server 100. The server 100 transmits the quotation request information 111 including the drawing information 112 to the terminal 220. The engineer 228 can view the quotation request information 111 received by the terminal 220, and can view the drawing information 112 and transmit the shape information 113 indicating at least the shape of each area of ​​the product 82 from the terminal 220 to the server 100. The server 100 generates quotation result information 114 based on the quotation request information 111, the shape information 113, and the information stored in the master DB, generates a digital quotation 115 according to the quotation result information 114, and transmits the quotation 115 to the terminal 220. The engineer 228 can view the quotation 115 received by the terminal 220, and when he / she determines that the quotation 115 can be handed over to the sales representative 218, he / she requests the server 100 to transmit the quotation 115 to the terminal 210. When the server 100 transmits the quotation 115 to the terminal 210, the sales representative 218 can view the quotation 115 received by the terminal 210 and present the quotation 115 to the customer.

[0035] The master DB 120 stores information indicating criteria for determining the machining direction, information indicating the machining pattern, information indicating the machining conditions for each tool, information indicating the machining accuracy, information indicating machine constraints, information indicating shape names, information indicating machining distances, information indicating criteria for determining idle time, information indicating tool types, etc. This information is used to generate the estimate result information 114, etc.

[0036] 4, the server 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 131, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 132, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 133, a storage device 134, an input device 135, an output device 136, an I / F (Interface) 137, and the like. These elements (131 to 137) are electrically connected and are capable of inputting and outputting information to and from each other. The server 100 may have all of its components in a single housing, or may be configured as multiple devices separated so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0037] The storage device 134 stores a processing time estimation program PR1, material data 301, product data 302, constraint condition data 303, processing condition data 304, etc. The storage device 134 may be a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk, a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, etc. The processor CPU 131 reads out the information stored in the storage device 134 to a semiconductor memory RAM 133 as appropriate, and executes the read program to perform various processes. The input device 135 may be a keyboard, a pointing device, etc. The output device 136 may be a display, a printer, etc. The I / F 137 inputs and outputs information to and from the terminals 210, 220, etc.

[0038] The machining time estimation program PR1 causes the server 100 to realize a material data input reception function FU1, a product data input reception function FU2, a machining direction determination function FU3, and a time estimate output function FU4. The CPU 131 executes the machining time estimation program PR1 read into the RAM 133 to perform processing corresponding to the above-mentioned functions (FU1 to FU4). It can be said that the machining time estimation program PR1 causes the server 100 to function as a material data input reception unit 151, a product data input reception unit 152, a machining direction determination unit 153, and a time estimate output unit 154. The computer-readable non-transitory medium storing the machining time estimation program PR1 is not limited to a storage device inside the server 100, and may be a recording medium outside the server 100. The server 100 can realize the above-mentioned functions (FU1 to FU4) by itself by reading the machining time estimation program PR1 from an external recording medium.

[0039] The material data 301 may be data that at least indicates the shape (including size) of the material 81 used for the workpiece W1. Therefore, the material data 301 indicates at least the shape of the material 81. The shape of the material 81 may be a columnar shape, a cylindrical shape, a rectangular column shape, etc. The material data 301 includes size data that indicates the size of the material 81 according to the shape of the material 81. The size data means, for example, the outer diameter of a columnar material, the outer diameter and the inner diameter of a cylindrical material, etc. The material data 301 may include material data that indicates the material (for example, rigidity) of the material 81, etc. The material data 301 is included in the quotation request information 111 shown in FIG. 3, but may be input from the terminal 220 for the engineer 228 separately from the quotation request information 111 and stored in the quotation DB 110.

[0040] The product data 302 may be data that at least indicates the shape (including size) of each region of the product 82 obtained from the material 81. Therefore, the product data 302 indicates at least the shape of each region of the product 82. The shape of each region may be a columnar shape indicated by an outer diameter, a cylindrical shape indicated by an inner diameter, a conical shape, a truncated conical shape, a prism shape, a pyramidal shape, a truncated pyramidal shape, and the like. The product data 302 may include data indicating conditions regarding the shape, such as processing accuracy data indicating processing accuracy such as dimensional tolerance of the region and geometric tolerance of the region or between regions. The geometric tolerance includes shape tolerance such as circularity and cylindricity of the region, orientation tolerance such as squareness between regions, position tolerance such as coaxiality between regions, and the like. The product data 302 corresponds to the shape information 113 shown in FIG. 3. Fig. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a structural example of product data 302. In Fig. 5, in area A1, an outer diameter Da1 is specified as the shape, and a dimensional tolerance (outer diameter) of -ΔDa1 to +ΔDa1 is specified as the processing accuracy (condition). Between areas A1 and A2, a coaxiality φa12 is specified as the processing accuracy.

[0041] The constraint data 303 indicates constraints on at least one of front surface machining and rear surface machining. The constraints may include a priority condition that prioritizes either front surface machining or rear surface machining. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the constraint condition data 303. The constraint condition data 303 shown in FIG. 6 shows constraint conditions including a priority condition that prioritizes front machining for machining accuracy. The constraint condition data 303 has a plurality of items Q1, Q2, ... for determining the machining direction, and a judgment criterion is associated with each item. In FIG. 6, the judgment criterion for item Q1 is to prioritize front machining when the designated numerical value of the machining accuracy is equal to or less than the threshold T1, and the judgment criterion for item Q2 is to prioritize front machining when the designated numerical value of the machining accuracy is equal to or less than the threshold T2. A priority is assigned to each item. The higher the priority, the smaller the priority number, and there may be multiple items with the same priority. In FIG. 6, priority 1 is assigned to items Q1 and Q2, priority 2 is assigned to items Q3 and Q4, and priority 3 is assigned to items Q5 and Q6. For example, assume that item Q1 is coaxiality and item Q3 is dimensional tolerance (outer diameter). When the coaxiality is equal to or less than the threshold T1 (satisfies the judgment criterion), the machining direction determination unit 153 determines the machining direction by prioritizing the judgment on the coaxiality over the judgment on the dimensional tolerance (outer diameter). When the judgment result on the coaxiality is the first direction DR1 and the judgment result on the dimensional tolerance (outer diameter) is the second direction DR2, the machining direction is determined to be the first direction DR1. When the coaxiality is greater than the threshold T1 or is not specified and the absolute value of the dimensional tolerance (outer diameter) is equal to or less than the threshold T3 (satisfies the judgment criterion), the machining direction determination unit 153 determines the machining direction by prioritizing the judgment on the dimensional tolerance (outer diameter).

[0042] The machining condition data 304 indicates the machining conditions for each tool used in the front machining and the back machining. The machining conditions include the machining speed, and may differ depending on the characteristics of the material 81. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of the machining condition data 304. In FIG. 7, the tool TO1 for front machining includes "Txx1", "Txx2", ..., and the tool TO2 for back machining includes "T2xx1", "T2xx2", .... When the material 81 is long, the cutting-off tool "Txxx" is included in the machining condition data 304. For the sake of estimating the machining time, the cutting-off is not included in either the front machining or the back machining. In FIG. 7, the machining speed Vxx1, etc. is linked to the tool "Txx1" as a machining condition, and the machining speed V2xx1, etc. is linked to the tool "T2xx1" as a machining condition.

[0043] Fig. 8 shows a schematic example of a processing time estimation process performed by the server 100 shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The processing time estimation process will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 as well. In Fig. 8, step S102 corresponds to the material data input reception process ST1, the material data input reception unit 151, and the material data input reception function FU1. Step S104 corresponds to the product data input reception process ST2, the product data input reception unit 152, and the product data input reception function FU2. Steps S106 to S112 correspond to the machining direction determination process ST3, the machining direction determination unit 153, and the machining direction determination function FU3. Steps S114 to S116 correspond to the time estimate output process ST4, the time estimate output unit 154, and the time estimate output function FU4. Hereinafter, the word "step" may be omitted, and the step code may be shown in parentheses.

[0044] When the server 100 receives a request to register a processing time estimate from the terminal 210 for the sales representative 218, it receives input of quotation request information 111 including material data 301 and drawing information 112 from the terminal 210 (S102). For example, the server 100 displays a quotation request input screen having an input field for the quotation request information 111 including the material data 301 and drawing information 112 along with a request button on the terminal 210, and receives input of the quotation request information 111 in the input field from the terminal 210 until the request button is pressed. The input field for the material data 301 includes a selection field for the shape of the material 81 and an input field for the size of the material 81, and may also include an input field for the material of the material 81. Therefore, the server 100 may receive input of the shape (including the size) of the material 81 in the input field for the material data 301, and may also receive input of the material of the material 81, etc. The drawing information 112 may be image data obtained by digitizing a paper drawing by an image acquisition means, or may be CAD (Computer Aided Design) data, etc. When the request button is pressed, the server 100 stores the received quotation request information 111 in the quotation DB 110, and transmits the quotation request information 111 including the material data 301 and the drawing information 112 to the terminal 220 for the engineer 228. The engineer 228, who has viewed the quotation request information 111 on the terminal 220, registers the shape etc. information 113 in the quotation DB 110 via the terminal 220. As described above, the shape etc. information 113 corresponds to the product data 302 that indicates the shape etc. of each area of ​​the product 82 obtained from the material 81. If the material data 301 is not included in the quotation request information 111 , the server 100 accepts input of the material data 301 from the terminal 220 for the engineer 228 .

[0045] When the server 100 receives a request to register the shape information 113 from the terminal 220 for the engineer 228, the server 100 receives input of the product data 302 including the processing accuracy from the terminal 220 (S104). For example, the server 100 displays a product data input screen having an input field for the product data 302 together with a calculation button on the terminal 220, and receives input of the product data 302 into the input field from the terminal 220 until the calculation button is pressed. The input field for the product data 302 includes a selection field for the shape of each region of the product 82 and an input field for the size of each region, and may also include an input field for conditions regarding the shape (e.g., processing accuracy). Therefore, the server 100 may receive input of the shape (including size) of each region of the product 82 in the input field for the product data 302, and may also receive input of conditions regarding the shape. When the calculation button is pressed, the server 100 stores the received product data 302 in the estimate DB 110 as the shape information 113, and proceeds to the process at S106. Therefore, the technician 228 can have the server 100 create a processing time estimate including the processing direction, processing step, and processing time by simply pressing a calculation button displayed on the terminal 220.

[0046] In S106, the server 100 checks whether there is a constraint on the machining direction based on the constraint condition data 303 and the product data 302 in the order of priority of the constraint condition data 303. The server 100 branches the process depending on whether there is a constraint (S108). If there is a constraint at any of the priorities 1, 2, 3, ..., the server 100 determines the machining direction in accordance with the constraint (S110). If there is no constraint at any of the priorities, the server 100 determines the machining direction so as to reduce the difference in time estimates between front machining and back machining (S112).

[0047] First, an example of the processing direction determination process in S110 will be described. For example, assume that the coaxiality is priority 1 in the constraint condition data 303 shown in FIG. 6, and the coaxiality φa12 between the regions A1 and A2 is equal to or less than the threshold value T1 of the constraint condition data 303 in the product data 302 shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. In this case, the server 100 determines that there is a constraint on the coaxiality φa12 of priority 1 according to the constraint condition data 303, and assigns front machining to the regions A1 and A2. If there is no constraint on the region A3, the server 100 assigns front machining and back machining to the product data 302 as shown in FIG. 9A, and determines the machining direction to be the second direction DR2. In addition, assume that the coaxiality (φa23) between the regions A2 and A3 in the product data 302 is equal to or less than the threshold value T1. In this case, the server 100 determines that there is a constraint on the coaxiality φa23 of priority 1 according to the constraint condition data 303, and assigns front machining to the regions A2 and A3. If there are no constraints on the area A1, the server 100 assigns front surface machining and back surface machining to the product data 302 as shown in FIG. 9B, and determines the machining direction to be the first direction DR1.

[0048] Also, assume that the dimensional tolerance (outer diameter) is priority 2 in the constraint condition data 303, that the coaxiality φa12 is not specified as being greater than the threshold value T1 in the product data 302, and that the absolute value of the dimensional tolerance (outer diameter) ΔDa1 of the region A1 is equal to or less than the threshold value T3 in the constraint condition data 303. In this case, the server 100 determines that there is no constraint on the item of priority 1 and that there is a constraint on the dimensional tolerance (outer diameter) ΔDa1 of priority 2 according to the constraint condition data 303. If there is no constraint on the region A3, the server 100 assigns front machining and back machining to the product data 302, for example, as shown in FIG. 9A, and determines the machining direction to be the second direction DR2. Also, assume that the absolute values ​​of the dimensional tolerances (outer diameters) ΔDa2 and ΔDa3 of the regions A2 and A3 in the product data 302 are equal to or less than the threshold value T3. In this case, the server 100 determines that there are constraints on the dimensional tolerances (outer diameters) ΔDa2 and ΔDa3 of priority 2 according to the constraint condition data 303, and allocates the front machining to the areas A2 and A3. If there are no constraints on the area A1, the server 100 allocates the front machining and the back machining to the product data 302 as shown in Fig. 9B, and determines the machining direction to be the first direction DR1.

[0049] As illustrated above, the machining direction determination unit 153 determines the machining direction of the product 82, whether to orient the product 82 in the first orientation DR1 or the second orientation DR2, based on the constraint condition data 303 and the product data 302, so as to satisfy the machining accuracy as a priority condition.

[0050] Next, an example of the processing direction determination process in S112 will be described. The processing in S112 is performed when the product data 302 does not include data indicating that the orientation of the product 82 should be one of the first direction DR1 and the second direction DR2. In this case, the server 100 first calculates an estimate of the time required for processing each area (e.g., areas A1 to A3) of the product 82 based on the processing condition data 304, the material data 301, and the product data 302. For example, the server 100 may calculate the time required for processing each area indicated in the product data 302 at the processing speed indicated in the processing condition data 304. The processing distance may be calculated from the material data 301 and the product data 302, such as the cutting depth from the material 81, or may be calculated from the product data 302 without using the material data 301, such as the distance to move the tool along the material center line AX1. When the processing speed is constant, the estimated time required for processing is the value obtained by dividing the processing length of the area by the processing speed. 10, the estimated time required for machining the area A1 is Ta1, the estimated time required for machining the area A2 is Ta2, and the estimated time required for machining the area A3 is Ta3. After that, the server 100 assigns each area to either front surface machining or rear surface machining so as to reduce the difference between the first estimated time required for front surface machining, TT1, and the second estimated time required for rear surface machining, TT2.

[0051] As in the example shown in FIG. 10, assume that the total estimated time Ta1 + Ta2 required for processing regions A1 and A2 is approximately equal to the estimated time Ta3 required for processing region A3, and Ta1 < Ta2 + Ta3. In other words, the difference between the total estimated time Ta1 + Ta2 and the estimated time Ta3 is smaller than the difference between the total estimated time Ta3 + Ta2 and the estimated time Ta1. In this case, the server 100 assigns one of the front processing and the back processing to regions A1 and A2, and assigns the other processing to region A3. When the server 100 assigns the front processing to regions A1 and A2, it determines the processing direction to the second direction DR2, and when it assigns the back processing to regions A1 and A2, it determines the processing direction to the first direction DR1. Although this is merely an example, if the criterion is determined such that the front processing is assigned to the longer of the end regions A1 and A3 in the direction along the material center line AX1, the server 100 determines the processing direction to the first direction DR1.

[0052] Here, let the variable that identifies the set of one or more regions that can be assigned to one of the front processing and the back processing be i, let the estimated time of the set i be T1i, and let the estimated time of the set of one or more regions assigned to the other processing be T2i. The server 100 may perform a process of assigning to one of the front processing and the back processing the set for which |T1i - T2i| is the smallest among the sets i. Whether to assign the set i to the front processing or the back processing is merely an example, and may follow a predetermined criterion such as assigning the set i to the front processing when the end region included in the set i is longer than the end region not included in the set i. As described above, whether to perform the front processing or the back processing on each region is assigned so that the difference between the first estimated time TT1 required for the front processing and the second estimated time TT2 required for the back processing is reduced, and the processing direction is determined.

[0053] After the processing direction determination process of S110 or S112, the server 100 calculates a first time estimate TT1 required for front processing and a second time estimate TT2 required for back processing according to the determined processing direction based on the processing condition data 304, material data 301, and product data 302 (S114). First, the server 100 calculates a time estimate required for processing each area (e.g., areas A1 to A3) of the product 82 based on the processing condition data 304, material data 301, and product data 302. This calculation is performed as described in the processing direction determination process of S112. Of course, when the processing direction determination process of S112 is performed, the calculation of the time estimate for each area can be omitted. The example shown in Figures 9A and 9B also shows that the time estimates required for processing the areas A1, A2, and A3 are Ta1, Ta2, and Ta3, respectively. Then, the server 100 calculates a first time estimate TT1 required for front surface machining of one or more areas assigned to front surface machining, and a second time estimate TT2 required for back surface machining of one or more areas assigned to back surface machining. In the example shown in Fig. 9A, the first time estimate TT1 is Ta1+Ta2, and the second time estimate TT2 is Ta3. In the example shown in Fig. 9B, the first time estimate TT1 is Ta3+Ta2, and the second time estimate TT2 is Ta1.

[0054] After calculating each time estimate (TT1, TT2), the server 100 outputs a time estimate (referred to as TT) required for manufacturing the product 82 based on the first time estimate TT1 and the second time estimate TT2 (S116). For example, the server 100 generates a processing time estimate (estimate 115 shown in FIG. 3) including the time estimate TT as exemplified in FIG. 11, and outputs this processing time estimate to the terminals 210, 220. A calculation example of the time estimate TT will be described with reference to the processing time estimate exemplified in FIG. 11.

[0055] The machining time estimate shown in FIG. 11 has a drawing of the product 82 in the upper part, a list of the cutting times for each process in the middle part, and a list of non-cutting times (idle times) in the lower part. FIG. 11 shows that the cutting time for the front machining of the crosscut is 18.0 seconds, the cutting time for the cut-off is 7.5 seconds, the cutting time for the back machining of the end face is 6.6 seconds, and the cutting time for the back machining of the crosscut is 10.3 seconds. Therefore, the first time estimate TT1 required for the front machining is 18.0 seconds, the second time estimate TT2 required for the back machining is 6.6+10.3=16.9 seconds, and the time estimate required for the cut-off is 7.5 seconds. Since the front machining and the back machining can be performed simultaneously, the cutting time for the back machining, which takes less time than the front machining, is shown in parentheses in the machining time estimate. The total cutting time for front machining, cut-off machining, and back machining is 25.5 seconds, which is the sum of 18.0 seconds for front machining and 7.5 seconds for cut-off machining.

[0056] One cycle of workpiece machining also includes operations performed during non-cutting time. The non-cutting time includes the time to open and close the chucks (not shown) of the front spindle 11 and back spindle 21, the time to fast-forward the tools TO1 and TO2, the time to replace the tools TO1 and TO2, the time to change the rotation speed of the front spindle 11 and back spindle 21, the time to align the back spindle 21 with the material center line AX1, the time to eject the product 82 from the back spindle 21, and the like. These non-cutting times are stored in the master DB 120 shown in FIG. 3 as information indicating the criteria for determining the idle time. The server 100 then refers to the information indicating the criteria for determining the idle time to determine each non-cutting time and shows it in the machining time estimate. FIG. 11 shows a total of 8.1 seconds for the non-cutting time. The estimated time TT required to manufacture the product 82 is 33.6 seconds, which is the sum of the cutting time of 25.5 seconds for the combined front machining, cut-off machining, and back machining, and the non-cutting time of 8.1 seconds.

[0057] The engineer 228 can view the digital processing time estimate (115) sent from the server 100 on the terminal 220 and determine whether or not to pass the processing time estimate (115) to the sales representative 218. When the engineer 228 requests the server 100 to send the processing time estimate (115) to the terminal 210 for the sales representative 218, the server 100 sends the processing time estimate (115) to the terminal 210. This allows the sales representative 218 to view the processing time estimate (115) on the terminal 210 and present the processing time estimate (115) to the customer. The engineer 228 may also send a request to amend the processing time estimate (115) from the terminal 220 to the server 100. In this case, the server 100 may again perform the processing time estimate process shown in FIG. 8 for the engineer 228. The engineer 228 can change the product data 302 and material data 301 to request the server 100 to create a new processing time estimate (115). In this manner, the processing time estimation process shown in FIG. 8 is completed.

[0058] From the above, even if the engineer 228 has no knowledge of NC lathe machining, no machining experience, no knowledge of operation method, no knowledge of tool information to be used, and no knowledge of material property information. Since the present machining time estimating device 1 does not require the generation of a tool path, there is no need to set or register detailed conditions of tools, jigs, etc. in advance, and the calculation load is light. Therefore, in terms of quality, the estimate contents can be standardized. In addition, in terms of quality and cost, even a person other than an engineer who is familiar with machining methods can create a machining time estimate in a short time. For example, a salesperson who does not have machining technology knowledge and has created a request can automatically create a machining time estimate by directly inputting the product data 302 into the machining time estimating device 1. Furthermore, in terms of cost and delivery date, most of the work time is spent inputting the shape of the product 82, and since the generation of a tool path is not required, the calculation is completed in a short time, and the work time for creating a machining time estimate can be significantly reduced.

[0059] In the above-mentioned specific example, first, the machining direction, which is important in terms of constraints such as machining accuracy, is automatically determined in the lathe 2 equipped with the back spindle 21. Then, the time estimates (TT1, TT2) required for front machining and back machining are automatically calculated according to the machining direction, and the time estimate TT required for manufacturing the product 82 is output based on these time estimates (TT1, TT2). Therefore, the present machining time estimating device 1 can appropriately eliminate the variation in the estimation of the machining time due to the difference in the estimation of the machining direction in the lathe 2 equipped with the back spindle 21. In particular, the present machining time estimating device 1 can also appropriately eliminate the variation in the estimation of the machining time due to the difference in the judgment of how much machining should be performed on the front side.

[0060] (5) Variation: The present invention contemplates various modifications. If cut-off is not performed because the material 81 is short, the cutting time for the workpiece W1 will be the longer of the front and back machining times, and this cutting time plus the non-cutting time will be the estimated time TT required to manufacture the product 82.

[0061] The constraints may include a priority condition for giving priority to either front machining or back machining in addition to the machining accuracy. For example, if the first tool rest 30 for front machining only has a rotary tool for drilling holes in the side of the workpiece W1, the constraint data 303 may be linked to a judgment criterion for performing front machining in the item for side drilling. Furthermore, the constraint conditions may include a priority condition that prioritizes back surface machining in addition to or instead of the priority condition that prioritizes front surface machining. For example, if the rotary tool that drills holes in the side surface of the workpiece W1 is only available in the second tool rest 40 for back surface machining, the constraint condition data 303 may be linked to a judgment criterion that back surface machining is to be performed in the side surface drilling item.

[0062] 3, when the engineer 228 receives a request for the quotation 115 from a customer, the engineer 228 may input the material data 301 and the product data 302 to the terminal 220 and request the server 100 to create the quotation 115. Of course, when the sales representative 218 who has the technical ability to understand the contents of the drawing receives a request for the quotation 115 from a customer, even if the sales representative 218 does not have knowledge of NC lathe processing, the sales representative 218 may input the material data 301 and the product data 302 to the terminal 210 and request the server 100 to create the quotation 115.

[0063] Also, the engineer 228 who receives a request for the quotation 115 from a customer may directly input the material data 301 and the product data 302 to the server 100 and request the creation of the quotation 115 without using a terminal. The server 100 shown in Fig. 4 can accept the input of the material data 301 and the product data 302 at the input device 135, and can output the quotation 115 from the output device 136 by displaying, printing, etc. Of course, in order to output the quotation 115, the server 100 determines the processing direction and generates the quotation 115 including the time estimate TT according to the processing direction. As described above, the server 100 can correspond to the machining time estimation device 1 even when used alone.

[0064] In the case where the constraint conditions indicated by the constraint condition data 303 necessarily impose a constraint on at least one of the regions of the product 82 to perform front machining or back machining, the processes of S108 and S112 may not be performed in the machining time estimation process shown in Fig. 8. As an example only, it is conceivable that the item with the lowest priority in the constraint condition data 303 is set as the region with the longest machining distance, and the judgment criterion for that item is set as front machining.

[0065] (6) Conclusion: As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique that can appropriately eliminate the variation in the estimation of the machining time due to the difference in the estimation of the machining direction in a lathe equipped with an opposed spindle by various aspects. Of course, the basic action and effect described above can be obtained even with a technique that consists only of the constituent elements according to the independent claims. In addition, configurations in which the configurations disclosed in the above examples are substituted with each other or the combination is changed, configurations in which the configurations disclosed in the publicly known techniques and the above examples are substituted with each other or the combination is changed, etc. The present invention also includes these configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1... Machining time estimation device, 2... Lathe, 10...Front headstock, 11...Front spindle (example of first spindle), 20... Back headstock, 21... Back spindle (example of second spindle), 30...first tool rest, 40...second tool rest, 81...Materials, 82...Products, 100...Server, 110...Quote DB, 120...Master DB, 151: Material data input reception unit; 152: Product data input reception unit; 153... machining direction determination unit, 154... time estimate output unit, 210, 220... Terminals, 218... Sales staff, 228... Technical staff, 301...Material data, 302...Product data, 303: constraint condition data, 304: processing condition data, A1~A3…Area, DR1...first direction, DR2...second direction, AX1…Material center line, PR1: Machining time estimation program, TO1,TO2…Tools, TT1: First time estimate, TT2: Second time estimate, W1...Work.

Claims

1. A machining time estimation device for estimating a time required for manufacturing a product in a lathe that performs a first machining process on a workpiece held by a first spindle around a material center line and performs a second machining process on the workpiece that has been subjected to the first machining process and is held by a second spindle opposed to the first spindle, comprising: a material data input receiving unit that receives an input of material data indicating at least a shape of a material to be used for the work; a product data input receiving unit that receives an input of product data indicating at least a shape of each region of the product obtained from the material; a machining direction determination unit that determines a machining direction of the product, whether the product is oriented in a first direction along the material center line or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, based on constraint condition data indicating constraint conditions for at least one of the first machining and the second machining, and the product data; and a time estimate output unit that calculates a first time estimate required for the first machining and a second time estimate required for the second machining in accordance with the machining direction based on machining condition data indicating machining conditions for each tool used in the first machining and the second machining, including a machining speed, the material data, and the product data, and outputs a time estimate required for manufacturing the product based on the first time estimate and the second time estimate.

2. 2. The machining time estimation device according to claim 1, wherein the machining direction determination unit determines the machining direction so as to satisfy the priority condition based on the constraint condition data indicating the constraint condition including a priority condition that prioritizes either the first machining or the second machining, and the product data.

3. the product data input receiving unit receives an input of the product data including a processing accuracy; 3. The machining time estimation device according to claim 2, wherein the machining direction determination unit determines the machining direction so as to satisfy the machining accuracy based on the constraint condition data indicating the constraint conditions including the priority condition that prioritizes the first machining with respect to the machining accuracy, and the product data.

4. The processing time estimation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the product data does not contain data indicating that the orientation of the product should be one of the first orientation and the second orientation, the processing direction determination unit assigns each of the areas to perform either the first processing or the second processing so as to reduce the difference between the first time estimate and the second time estimate.

5. A machining time estimation method for estimating a time required to manufacture a product in a lathe, the lathe performing a first machining process on a workpiece held by a first spindle around a material center line, and performing a second machining process on the workpiece after the first machining process, the workpiece being held by a second spindle opposed to the first spindle, comprising: a material data input receiving step of receiving an input of material data indicating at least a shape of a material to be used for the work; a product data input receiving step of receiving an input of product data indicating at least the shape of each region of the product obtained from the material; a processing direction determination step of determining a processing direction of the product, whether the product is oriented in a first direction along the material center line or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, based on constraint condition data indicating constraint conditions for at least one of the first processing and the second processing, and the product data; and a time estimate output step of calculating a first time estimate required for the first machining and a second time estimate required for the second machining in accordance with the machining direction based on machining condition data indicating machining conditions for each tool used in the first machining and the second machining, including a machining speed, the material data, and the product data, and outputting a time estimate required for manufacturing the product based on the first time estimate and the second time estimate.

6. 1. A processing time estimation program for estimating a time required to manufacture a product in a lathe, the lathe performing a first processing on a workpiece held by a first spindle around a material center line, and performing a second processing on the workpiece after the first processing, the workpiece being held by a second spindle opposed to the first spindle, the program comprising: A material data input receiving function that receives input of material data indicating at least the shape of the material to be used for the workpiece; a product data input receiving function for receiving an input of product data indicating at least the shape of each region of the product obtained from the material; A machining direction determination function that determines a machining direction of the product, whether the product is oriented in a first direction along the material center line or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, based on constraint condition data indicating constraint conditions for at least one of the first machining and the second machining, and the product data; and a time estimate output function that calculates a first time estimate required for the first machining and a second time estimate required for the second machining in accordance with the machining direction based on machining condition data indicating machining conditions for each tool used in the first machining and the second machining, including a machining speed, the material data, and the product data, and outputs a time estimate required for manufacturing the product based on the first time estimate and the second time estimate.

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