Bot software for machine control

Abstract

To provide an improved machine for machining and / or measuring gears, and an improved method for controlling such a machine, which in particular enables efficient retrofitting of network and / or automation functions.SOLUTION: A machine controller has a user interface. The user interface is set up for interaction with a machine operator. For at least one of machine functions, it is predetermined by the control software that execution of this machine function requires at least one manual input by a machine operator at the user interface. A bot software is assigned to the control software in order to replace the at least one manual input and to execute the machine function independently of a machine operator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a machine for gear machining and / or measurement having two or more numerically controlled machine axes for performing machining and / or measurement operations, the machine controller having control software configured to perform a plurality of machine functions such as executing program sequences for controlling the numerically controlled machine axes, outputting service reports, etc., the machine controller having a user interface configured for interaction with a machine operator, and wherein for at least one of the machine functions, it is predetermined by the control software that performance of the machine function requires at least one manual input by the machine operator at the user interface. The present invention also relates to a method of controlling such a machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Many companies' machine facilities include machines for machining and / or measuring gears whose machine controls are no longer state-of-the-art, but which mechanically, i.e. at the actual process level, continue to produce excellent measurement and machining results. Summary of the Invention

[0003] It is often impossible or uneconomical to modernize such machines with modern control systems, and as a result, even though these machines achieve the required measurement or processing results at a given quality, they may not be operational, for example because they lack networking or automation capabilities.

[0004] Against this background, the present invention is based on the technical problem of providing an improved machine for machining and / or measuring gears and an improved method for controlling such a machine, which in particular allows for the efficient retrofitting of network and / or automation functions.

[0005] The above-mentioned technical problem is solved in each case by the features of the independent claims. Further embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0006] According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a machine for machining and / or measuring gears, comprising two or more numerically controlled machine axes for performing machining and / or measuring operations, and a machine controller, the machine controller having control software configured to perform a plurality of machine functions, such as executing program sequences for controlling the numerically controlled machine axes, outputting service reports, etc., the machine controller having a user interface configured for interaction with a machine operator, the control software predetermining for at least one of the machine functions that execution of this machine function requires at least one manual input by the machine operator at the user interface. The machine is characterized in that bot software is assigned to the control software for replacing the at least one manual input and for executing the machine function independently of the machine operator.

[0007] In this case, the bot software acts as a "virtual" machine operator, and input values ​​that are generated as a result of manual input by the machine operator or that are identical to input values ​​that result from manual input by the machine operator are sent by the bot software to the control software.

[0008] For example, to output a service report, the control software may require the machine operator to make multiple sequential inputs at the user interface to navigate through specific software menus and ultimately trigger the selection and output of the service report.

[0009] Bot software can be used to simplify this procedure by automatically issuing and saving service reports, for example at specific times or after a specific quantity has been produced, replacing user input for running the service reports. In this way, automation can be achieved without interfering with existing control software.

[0010] Alternatively, the bot software can be used to create shortcuts that trigger with a single user input certain machine functions that reside deeper in the menu structure and require multiple user inputs, for example, to eliminate time-consuming navigation through the menu structure of the control software.

[0011] The bot software therefore enables the automation or partial automation of existing machine functions. The bot software does not add any new machine functions to the machine in the sense of new machining or measurement functions.

[0012] The bot software can be installed on a machine controller and can also leave the control software unchanged, and can therefore be particularly capable of running with existing control software and be a retrofit solution to partially or fully automate machine functions that would necessarily require manual user input without the bot software.

[0013] As used herein, "user input," "operator input," and "manual input" are used interchangeably.

[0014] It may be provided that the control software does not have network functions such as remote control, remote maintenance, remote diagnostics, intranet connectivity, internet connectivity, etc., while the bot software does have such network functions. Thus, the bot software can be used to network connect the machine to a server and / or other machines. For example, service reports that are originally manually triggered and stored locally can be generated remotely using the bot software and transmitted to, for example, a server via the network functions. It should be understood that an appropriate hardware interface for network connectivity, such as a LAN or WLAN module, may need to be available or retrofitted for this purpose.

[0015] Bot software can be trained on the machine controller, and in particular, sequences of manual operator inputs can be recorded, saved, and repeated as automated program sequences.

[0016] In this way, certain input values ​​resulting from manual operator input, such as navigation of a menu structure in the control software, can be stored and chronologically transferred in an automated program sequence by the bot software to the control software to suggest manual operator input to the control software, the bot software representing a virtual machine operator.

[0017] The bot software may be configured to send input values ​​to an existing input interface such as a keyboard controller, a mouse controller, a touchscreen controller, or the like.

[0018] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a machine according to the present invention, the method comprising: executing a machine function of the machine, for which the control software has predetermined that the execution of the machine function requires at least one manual input by a machine operator at a user interface; and substituting, by bot software, for the at least one manual input, the bot software transmitting to the control software at least one input value equal to the at least one input value (E1, E2, ..., EX) resulting from the at least one manual input.

[0019] The method may comprise performing remote control and / or remote maintenance and / or remote diagnostics of the machine by the bot software.

[0020] The method may include recording, storing, and repeating sequences of manual operator inputs as automated program sequences to train the bot software on the machine controller.

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings which show exemplary embodiments, the figures being in each case diagrammatically. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a machine for measuring gears according to the invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a machine for machining gears according to the invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows the method steps of the method according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Figure 1 shows a machine 2 for measuring gears. Gear 2 is a coordinate measuring machine.

[0024] The machine 2 has three CNC-controlled linear axes, in this case designated X, Y and Z, which give the measuring probe 6 degrees of freedom of movement relative to the gear 8 to be measured. Furthermore, the CMM 2 has a rotary table 4, which has a degree of freedom of rotation about a rotation axis C. The reference symbols X, Y and Z indicate coordinate directions and also represent the CNC-controlled linear axes along which the measuring probe 6 can be moved.

[0025] The machine axes for performing relative measurement movements referred to as X, Y, Z and C are therefore numerically controlled machine axes for performing measurement movements.

[0026] The coordinate measuring machine 2 has a machine controller 10 .

[0027] The machine controller 10 includes control software 12. The control software 12 is configured to perform a number of machine functions F1, F2, ..., FN. These machine functions may be, for example, the execution of program sequences for the control of numerically controlled machine axes, the output of service reports, etc.

[0028] The machine controller 10 has a user interface 14. The user interface 14 has input elements 16 and a display 18 for displaying information to a machine operator. The input elements 16 can include, for example, a joystick, a keyboard, and / or a mouse, i.e., all typical input elements required for navigating software menus or entering data in input dialogs. The user interface 14 is therefore configured for interaction with the machine operator or allows the machine operator to, for example, configure and execute a measurement process.

[0029] For at least one of the machine functions F1, F2, ..., FN, the control software 12 defines that the execution of this machine function requires at least one manual input by the machine operator at the user interface 14. In other words, the control software 12 requires one or more inputs at the user interface, either in an input dialog or due to the menu structure of the software menus, which inputs are sent from the user interface 14 to the control software 12 as input values ​​E1, E2, ..., EX until the associated machine function F1, F2, ..., FN is executed by the machine 2.

[0030] Bot software 20 is assigned to the control software 12 to replace this at least one manual input and to execute the associated machine functions F1, F2, . . . , FN independently of the machine operator.

[0031] The bot software 20 is configured to automatically input these input values ​​E1, E2, ..., EX that are equal to the manually inputted input values ​​E1, E2, ..., EX to the control software 12. Therefore, manual input by the user can be omitted.

[0032] For example, the control software may define that a machine function requiring input from a machine operator in an area of ​​the user interface 14 is the output of a service report, for example designated F2.

[0033] It may be necessary to successively traverse several menu levels of the software menu of the control software 12 by selecting and confirming displayed buttons or selection options until the control software 12 initiates output of the relevant service report. Thus, for example, two input values ​​E1, E2 are sent successively from the user interface 14 to the control software 12 by selection and confirmation by the machine operator.

[0034] The bot software 20 can automatically progress through the menu hierarchy and confirm each individual query or menu selection by sending corresponding input values ​​E1, E2 to the control software 12 for each query or each required menu selection, all the way to confirming the output of the service report. Depending on the menu structure of the software menus, a number of inputs may be required, it being understood that these may be replaced by the bot software 20.

[0035] Such navigation of the menu hierarchy of the software menu 12 can be performed, for example, by training the bot software 20 on the machine controller 10, where a sequence of manual inputs by an operator is recorded, saved, and executed as an automated program sequence. For example, the bot software 20 can provide a short command that replaces all inputs required to execute the output of a service report with a single selection.

[0036] The described service report output is just one example of the possibilities offered by the above-described bot software 20: even complex measurement processes can be simplified and automated.

[0037] An advantage of using bot software 20 is that the automation or simplification of accessibility of certain machine functions is performed without intervention in the control software 12 itself and without modification of the control software 12. In this case, the bot software 20 is installed on the machine controller 10. The control software 12 and bot software 20 are shown only schematically for purposes of explanation, outside the measuring machine 2. It will be understood that the control software 12 and bot software 20 are installed on a computer 22 integrated into the measuring machine 2.

[0038] Further improvements to the measuring machine 2 can be achieved using the bot software 20 by providing network functionality using the bot software 20. That is, while the control software 12 does not have any network functionality such as remote control, remote maintenance, remote diagnostics, intranet connectivity, internet connectivity, etc., the bot software 20 enables one or more of the aforementioned network functions.

[0039] For example, it may be provided that the aforementioned service reports are externally triggered or executed via server 24 using bot software 20 and sent from machine 2 to external server 24 using networking capabilities. Thus, bot software 20 allows for continuous networking of machines 2 without the need to modify control software 12.

[0040] The bot software 20 is configured to send input values ​​E1, E2, ..., EX to an existing input interface 26, such as a keyboard controller, a mouse controller, a touchscreen controller, etc. The input values ​​E1, E2, ..., EX of the bot software 20 are indistinguishable at the input interface 26 from those input values ​​E1, E2, ..., EX generated by manual entry at these interfaces 14. Thus, the bot software 20 is a virtual user generating keyboard input for, for example, a keyboard controller.

[0041] The principles of using the bot software 20 described above can be applied to machine tools for machining gears. Figure 2 shows an example of a machine tool 102 for gear grinding according to the present invention.

[0042] To avoid repetition, only the differences from the previous exemplary embodiment are described below, and identical features are assigned the same reference numerals.

[0043] The gear grinding machine 102 has a tool spindle 104 for holding and rotatably driving a grinding tool. The gear grinding machine 102 has a workpiece spindle 106 for holding and rotatably driving a toothed component to be ground. The gear grinding machine has a dressing device 108 for dressing the grinding tool.

[0044] The gear grinding machine 102 has numerically controlled machine axes X, Y, Z, A, B, C, C2, and B2 for performing translational or rotational relative motions to provide the machining motion configurations required during cutting or dressing of gears. Additionally, the gear grinding machine 102 has an axis Z1 with a movable quill 112 for clamping a shaft or mandrel.

[0045] The gear grinding machine 102 can be remotely controlled using bot software, and diagnostic data such as service reports can be queried and sent to the machine via external network access.

[0046] According to the invention there is therefore provided a method for controlling a machine according to one of the claims.

[0047] The method includes executing a machine function of the machine 2,102, where the control software 12 has predetermined that execution of the machine function requires at least one manual input by a machine operator at a user interface 14, and substituting the manual input using the bot software 20, where the bot software 20 sends an input value to the control software 12 that is equal to the input value resulting from the manual input. In other words, instead of a physical input by the operator, a virtual input is generated by the bot software 20 to execute the machine function.

Claims

1. 1. A machine for machining and / or measuring gears, comprising: The machine comprises: two or more numerically controlled machine axes for performing machining and / or measuring operations; A machine controller (10) Equipped with The machine controller (10) has control software (12); the control software (12) is configured to execute a plurality of machine functions (F1, F2, ..., FN), such as executing a program sequence for controlling the numerically controlled machine axes and outputting a service report; The machine controller (10) has a user interface (14); the user interface (14) is configured for interaction with a machine operator; for at least one of the machine functions (F1, F2, ..., FN), it is predetermined by the control software (12) that execution of this machine function (F1, F2, ..., FN) requires at least one manual input by a machine operator at the user interface (14); Bot software (20) is assigned to the control software (12) to replace the at least one manual input and to execute the machine functions (F1, F2, ..., FN) independently of a machine operator.

2. 2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the bot software (20) is installed on the machine controller (10) and the control software (12) is not modified.

3. The machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control software (12) does not have network functions such as remote control, remote maintenance, remote diagnosis, intranet connection, or internet connection, and the bot software (20) has the network functions.

4. 4. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bot software (20) can be trained on the machine controller (10), in particular sequences of manual inputs by an operator can be recorded, saved and repeated as automatic programmed sequences.

5. 5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the bot software (20) is configured to send input values ​​to an existing input interface (26), such as a keyboard controller, a mouse controller, a touchscreen controller, or the like.

6. A method of controlling a machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the steps of: executing machine functions (F1, F2, ..., FN) of a machine (2, 102), wherein for each of the machine functions (F1, F2, ..., FN), it is predetermined by the control software (12) that execution of the machine functions (F1, F2, ..., FN) requires at least one manual input by a machine operator at the user interface (14); The bot software (20) replaces the at least one manual input, wherein the bot software (20) sends at least one input value (E1, E2, . . . , EX) to the control software that is equal to the at least one input value (E1, E2, . . . , EX) resulting from the at least one manual input. A method comprising:

7. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the bot software (20) is used to perform remote control and / or remote maintenance and / or remote diagnosis of the machine (2, 102) of claim 3.

8. 7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the bot software (20) is trained with the machine controller (10) by recording, saving, and repeating sequences of manual operator inputs as automated program sequences.

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