Processing system, program, and control method

Abstract

This invention provides a control method for a machining system that can perform machining appropriate to the type of material of the workpiece by obtaining material information using information within the NC file and changing the machining control. [Solution] The machining system comprises a machining device having a spindle for rotating a tool that machines a workpiece, an external device having an input receiving unit 813 that receives user inputs for an NC file that controls the machining device, and an analysis processing unit 812 that analyzes the string of characters in the NC file, wherein the machining operation of the machining device is switched based on the analysis results of the analysis processing unit 812 of the code relating to the material of the workpiece contained in the NC file after the input receiving unit 813 has received the NC file.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a machining system including a machining apparatus that machines a workpiece, a program for operating the machining system, and a control method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method of inserting information on materials and workpieces as comment lines into NC data for operating a machining apparatus, and outputting machining information to a server or a log file during machining. It is known to output the type of material of a workpiece as a comment line in an NC file.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In machining apparatuses, various materials are used as work materials. For example, resins (PMMA, PEEK) and hybrid resins that are mixtures of ceramic and resin are typically used in both dry and wet conditions, semi-sintered zirconia is typically used in dry conditions, and metals and glass ceramics are typically used in wet conditions.

[0005] Since the size and properties of chips generated during machining differ depending on the material, there is a demand for a method that facilitates machining control more than changing the operation based on a single material type described in a comment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a machining system comprising: a machining device having a spindle for rotating a tool for machining a workpiece; an external device having an input receiving unit for receiving user operations for an NC file that controls the machining device; and an analysis processing unit for analyzing the string of characters in the NC file, The input receiving unit receives the NC file, and then switches the machining operation of the machining apparatus based on the analysis results of the analysis processing unit's analysis of the code relating to the material of the workpiece contained in the NC file. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, material information can be obtained using information within the NC file, and by changing the machining control, machining can be performed in a manner that is appropriate for the type of material of the workpiece. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] External perspective view of the processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] External view front view of the processing system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] A perspective view of a processing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] A control block diagram of the machining system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Tray of the processing chamber according to the embodiment [Figure 6] An exploded perspective view of the coolant supply device filter according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] External perspective view of the second coolant filter according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] A cross-sectional view of the first coolant filter according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the processing system and external devices according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] A block diagram showing the functional configuration of the application unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 11]A diagram showing an example of an NC file according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] A diagram showing an example of setting material information according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] A flowchart illustrating the process of acquiring material information from an NC file according to the embodiment and transmitting it to a processing device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. First, the overall configuration of the processing system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0010] [Processing System] The machining system 1 comprises a machining device 200 and a coolant liquid supply device 210. The machining device 200 performs machining on a workpiece using a tool within the machining area 120. The machining device 200 houses the machining machine 100 within an outer cover 101 which serves as a housing. Specifically, the outer cover 101 contains the spindle, tool magazine, and other components, which will be described later. An openable and closable door (not shown) is provided at the front opening of the outer cover 101. When the openable and closable door is open, the inside of the housing, i.e., the machining area 120 described later, is accessible, allowing for workpiece replacement and manual tool replacement.

[0011] The coolant supply device 210 is a device that supplies coolant, which is a liquid used to cool workpieces and tools, into the machining area 120 of the machining apparatus 200. In this embodiment, the coolant supply device 210 is located below the machining apparatus 200 and includes a tank 211, a pump 212, a flow meter 213, a solenoid valve 214, etc., which are connected by piping 220 to 224. The arrows shown in Figures 1 and 2 indicate the path and direction of the coolant flow. The tank 211 contains the coolant, and the pump 212 draws the coolant from the tank 211 via piping 220 and sends it to piping 221. The coolant sent to piping 221 passes through the flow meter 213 via piping 222. The flow meter 213 measures the flow rate of the coolant supplied from the pump 212 and transmits a signal to the CPU 85 (Figure 4), which is the main control unit of the machining system 1 described later. Furthermore, a strainer 215 is installed in the middle of pipe 222 to remove foreign matter from the piping path.

[0012] The coolant liquid that has passed through the flow meter 213 is sent to the piping 223 and reaches the solenoid valve 214 located in the piping 223. The solenoid valve 214 opens and closes the flow path and is controlled by the CPU 85 described above to supply and stop the coolant liquid to the machining apparatus 200. The piping 223 is connected to the machining apparatus 200, and the coolant liquid that has passed through the open solenoid valve 214 is supplied into the machining area 120 via the coolant discharge section 202, which is a coolant liquid supply section located on the spindle head 201 of the machining apparatus 200. When the solenoid valve 214 is closed, the coolant liquid supplied from the pump 212 is returned to the tank 211 via the piping 224 that branches off from the piping 221.

[0013] The coolant discharge unit 202 is, for example, a nozzle provided around the spindle 11 (FIG. 3) of the spindle head 201, and discharges the coolant liquid downward to supply the coolant liquid toward the tool gripped by the spindle 11 and the workpiece that is the object to be machined. The coolant liquid supplied from the coolant discharge unit 202 accumulates in the lower part within the machining area 120 and is discharged from the lower part of the machining apparatus 200. Below the machining apparatus 200, a tray 216 is provided, which receives the coolant liquid discharged from the machining apparatus 200 and returns it to the tank 211. As described above, in the machining system 1 of the present embodiment, the coolant liquid is used to cool the tool and the workpiece during machining. Note that, in the present embodiment, an air blow unit 87 (FIG. 4) that blows air onto the tool or the like is provided.

[0014] [Machine Tool] Next, the machine tool 100 disposed inside the exterior cover 101 of the machining apparatus 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The machine tool 100 includes a frame 1xz as a moving mechanism support member, a first moving mechanism (Z-axis moving mechanism) 10, a second moving mechanism (X-axis moving mechanism) 20 and a third moving mechanism (Y-axis moving mechanism) 30 each supported by the frame 1xz, a support mechanism 40 that supports a workpiece W as an object to be machined, a first rotating mechanism (rotating device) 50 and a second rotating mechanism 60 as rotating means capable of rotating the support mechanism 40, a tool magazine 70, and an electrical unit 80. The first moving mechanism 10, the second moving mechanism 20, and the third moving mechanism 30 constitute a moving device 100A as moving means that relatively moves a spindle 11 and a holding device 41, which will be described later, in the three axial directions of X, Y, and Z.

[0015] The first moving mechanism 10 is supported by the first frame portion 3 of the frame 1xz via the second moving mechanism 20, and is capable of moving the main spindle 11 in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction, first direction). A tool 12 is detachably attached to the main spindle 11 via a tool holder. That is, the main spindle 11 is capable of gripping the tool 12. The main spindle 11 is rotationally driven by a motor 13. The first moving mechanism 10 has a motor 14 and a guide shaft (not shown) arranged in the Z-axis direction, and the main spindle 11 is reciprocated (moved up and down) in the Z-axis direction along the guide shaft by driving of the motor 14. The main spindle 11 is movably supported on the guide shaft via a Z-axis support member (not shown). The guide shaft and the Z-axis support member are covered by a cover 17.

[0016] The second moving mechanism 20 serving as a moving portion is supported by the first frame portion 3 of the frame 1xz, and is capable of moving the main spindle 11 together with the first moving mechanism 10 in the X-axis direction (predetermined direction, horizontal direction, second direction) orthogonal to the Z-axis direction. The second moving mechanism 20 has a motor 21, a guide shaft 22 arranged in the X-axis direction, and rails 23 and 24 arranged in the X-axis direction, and the first moving mechanism 10 is reciprocated in the X-axis direction along the guide shaft 22 by driving of the motor 21. Specifically, the guide shaft 22 which is a screw shaft is inserted through a nut member 19 fixed to a holding portion 18 that holds the main spindle 11 and the first moving mechanism 10. Further, the holding portion 18 is provided with engaging portions 25 and 26 that engage with the rails 23 and 24. When the guide shaft 22 is rotated by the motor 21, the nut member 19 screwed with the guide shaft 22 moves along the guide shaft 22. Then, the holding portion 18 to which the nut member 19 is fixed, and the main spindle 11 and the first moving mechanism 10 held by the holding portion 18 move in the X-axis direction based on the engagement between the engaging portions 25, 26 and the rails 23, 24. The second frame portion 4 is connected so as to extend in the Y-axis direction from the lower end portion of the first frame portion 3, and the first frame portion 3 and the second frame portion 4 are further connected by a reinforcing plate 29.

[0017] The third moving mechanism 30 is supported on the lower surface of the second frame portion 4 of the frame 1xz, and is capable of moving the support mechanism 40 in the Y-axis direction (horizontal direction, third direction) which is perpendicular to the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction. The third moving mechanism 30 has a motor 32 and a guide shaft (not shown) arranged in the Y-axis direction, and the motor 32 drives the support mechanism 40 to reciprocate along the guide shaft in the Y-axis direction. As shown in Figure 3, the side of the frame 2 on the Y-axis side where the support mechanism 40 is located is open. The third moving mechanism 30, together with the second rotating mechanism 60 and the first rotating mechanism 50, is capable of moving the support mechanism 40 in the Y-axis direction, as will be described in more detail later.

[0018] The support mechanism 40 supports a workpiece W, for example, a dental prosthesis, which is a workpiece to be cut by a tool 12. Such a support mechanism 40 has a holding device 41 as a holding part for holding the workpiece W, and a support part 42 whose both ends are connected to the rotating part 51 of the first rotating mechanism 50, and which supports the workpiece W via the holding device 41.

[0019] The first rotation mechanism 50, as a rotating device, is rotatable about an a-axis, which is a rotation axis perpendicular to the Z-axis direction, relative to the support mechanism 40. In this embodiment, the a-axis is parallel to the X-axis direction. Such a first rotation mechanism 50 includes a support frame 53 that rotatably supports a rotating part 51 and a motor that rotationally drives the rotating part 51. The support frame 53 is formed in a roughly U-shape so as to surround the support mechanism 40 and consists of a first support part 53a that supports the motor and one side (drive side) of the rotating part 51, a second support part 53b that supports the other side (driven side) of the rotating part, and a connecting part 53c that connects the first support part 53a and the second support part 53b.

[0020] The rotating part 51 supported by the first support part 53a and the rotating part supported by the second support part 53b are arranged to face each other in the a-axis direction and to be rotatable about the a-axis as the axis of rotation. The a-axis ends of the support mechanism 40 are each supported by the rotating parts on both sides. In this way, the first rotating mechanism 50 supports the support mechanism 40 so that it can rotate about the a-axis (X-axis).

[0021] The first rotation mechanism 50 is rotatable at least 180° and can reverse the front and back sides of the workpiece W supported by the support mechanism 40. In this embodiment, the first rotation mechanism 50 can rotate the support mechanism 40 360° around the a-axis.

[0022] The second rotation mechanism 60 is capable of rotating the support mechanism 40 about a b-axis, which is another axis of rotation perpendicular to the Z-axis and a-axis. In this embodiment, the b-axis is parallel to the Y-axis. Such a second rotation mechanism 50 has a rotating part to which the support frame 53 of the first rotation mechanism 50 is attached, and a motor that rotates the rotating part. The connecting part 53c of the support frame 53 is attached to the rotating part, and the motor rotates the support frame 53, allowing it to rotate about the b-axis.

[0023] The tool magazine 70, which serves as a tool holder, is capable of storing multiple tools and is positioned adjacent to the first rotating mechanism 50. The tool magazine 70 can move in the Y-axis direction together with the support mechanism 40 and the like by the third moving mechanism 30. However, the tool magazine 70 does not rotate even if the support mechanism 40 rotates around the a-axis, and the tool magazine 70 does not rotate even if the support mechanism 40 rotates around the b-axis.

[0024] The tool magazine 70 holds multiple types of tools, each integrally formed with a tool holder 12a, arranged in multiple rows along the Y-axis. The tools attached to the spindle 11 are interchangeable.

[0025] Furthermore, in this embodiment, before and after storing or retrieving the tool, the tip of the tool 12 is brought into contact with a touch sensor 96, which is a tip detection means capable of detecting the tip of the tool 12 gripped by the spindle 11, thereby confirming whether or not the tool 12 is gripped by the spindle 11.

[0026] The electrical unit 80 is mounted inside the frame 1xz. That is, the electrical unit 80 is located on the side opposite to the side of the first frame section 3 where the first moving mechanism 10 is supported, and above the second frame section 4. Such an electrical unit 80 controls the machining system 1 or machining apparatus 200 and includes a control board that controls the drive of the spindle and the motors of each axis, and multiple control units that calculate pulses to be output to the motors from the signals of the rotary encoders of the corresponding motors and appropriately control the rotation of the corresponding motors.

[0027] Furthermore, the machining center 100 in this embodiment is an NC machining device that performs automatic machining under computer control. Specifically, machining data is created using a CAD / CAM system with an external device 800 such as a personal computer, and the workpiece W is machined based on this data using numerical control. For this purpose, an external device 800 such as a personal computer that issues commands to the machining center 100 is connected to the machining center 100. The machining center 100 itself may also be equipped with a computer that has a CPU and memory capable of numerical control. The control means described later may be provided in either the machining device or the computer connected to the machining device.

[0028] For example, when creating a dental prosthesis (dental material) using a processing machine 100, data of the dental prosthesis measured by a 3D measuring instrument is transferred to a CAD / CAM system, and processing data is created by the CAD / CAM system. Then, based on this processing data, the processing machine 100 is controlled to cut the workpiece W with a tool 12, thereby creating the dental prosthesis.

[0029] Next, the control configuration within the electrical unit 80 will be explained using Figure 4. The electrical unit 80 includes a CPU 85 which is the control means (main control unit), input / output ports (I / O) 86i, control units 84x, 84y, and 84z for each motor, a control unit 84c for the main spindle, a control unit 84a for the a-axis, and a control unit 84b for the b-axis. The CPU 85 performs various calculations using the memory 86m based on the input data and signals, and transmits instructions for rotation speed and position to the connected servo amplifier control units 84x, 84y, 84z, 84a, 84b, and 84c.

[0030] The I / O86i is connected to the compressor 350, pump 212, touch sensor 96, air pressure detection sensor 91, flow meter 213, and solenoid valve 214. The compressor 350 supplies air to the air blow section 87 of the processing device 200. The air blow section 87 blows air supplied from the compressor 350 onto the tool 12 attached to the spindle 11 to cool the tool 12 and remove any chips adhering to the tool 12. The pressure of the air supplied to the air blow section 87 is detected by the air pressure detection sensor 91, and the detection signal from the air pressure detection sensor 91 is sent to the CPU 85 via the I / O86i.

[0031] As described above, the pump 212 supplies coolant to the coolant discharge section 202. The coolant discharge section 202 supplies coolant to the tool 12 and the workpiece. The touch sensor (tool length sensor) 96, as a tip detection means, is used, as described above, to confirm whether the tool 12 is gripped by the spindle 11 during tool replacement operations, and also detects the length of the tool 12 and sends a signal to the CPU 85.

[0032] The control units 84x, 84y, and 84z for each motor, located on the CPU 85, drive the X, Y, and Z motors based on commands from the CPU 85. Each motor 21, 32, and 14 is equipped with an encoder as a position detection means. The encoder detects, for example, the number of rotations, rotation angle, and rotation direction of the rotation axis of each motor 21, 32, and 14. It then detects the amount that each stage x, y, and z has actually moved (actual position, relative position of the main spindle 11 with respect to the holding device 41) as a result of the driving of each motor 21, 32, and 14.

[0033] The spindle control unit 84c controls a motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 11 to control the rotational speed of the spindle. In addition, the a-axis and b-axis control units 84a and 84b drive the a-axis and b-axis motors 54 and 62, respectively, based on commands from the CPU 85. Encoders 54a and 62a are also provided for each of these motors 54 and 62, making it possible to detect the rotational angle of the support mechanism 40 around the a-axis and b-axis.

[0034] By controlling each part of the processing machine 100 with the CPU 85 in this way, predetermined processing is performed on the workpiece W held as described above. Each operation and process described later is executed by the CPU 85 after it has loaded a program into a storage means such as memory 86m.

[0035] [Discharge configuration within the processing area] Next, we will explain the coolant and chip discharge configuration within the machining area 120. During machining, the coolant discharged from the coolant discharge port and the chips generated during workpiece machining collect at the bottom of the area cover 200. A filter 203 is located at the bottom of the area cover 200 to capture foreign matter such as chips that have accumulated at the bottom, and the coolant liquid from which the foreign matter has been removed falls downward.

[0036] As shown in Figure 5, the filter 203 has a filter section 203a, an outer frame 203b that houses the filter section 203a, and a gripping section 203c provided on the front side of the outer frame 203b so as to protrude upward. The gripping section 203c is the part that the user grasps with their hand when attaching or detaching the filter 203 to or from the processing chamber. Since foreign matter such as chips accumulates in the filter 203, it needs to be replaced or cleaned periodically.

[0037] Next, the configuration for discharging coolant liquid and chips from the filtration (chip separation) device 216 will be explained using Figure 6. The filtration device 216 consists of a first tank 310 and a second tank 320. The second tank 320 is equipped with a cylindrical filter 341, which will be described later.

[0038] Next, the chip separation configuration of the chip separator 216, which separates the coolant liquid from the chips, will be explained using Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the chip separator 216 with the first guide 342 removed, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the chip separator in Example 1, including the cylindrical filter 341 which will be described later. The chip separator 216 is equipped with a separation tank 340 for storing coolant liquid, and consists of a first guide 342 that guides the top of the separation tank 340, a guide 343 inside the separation tank, and a cylindrical filter 341. The first guide 342 and the guide 343 inside the separation tank are always exposed to the coolant liquid, so a resin material with excellent chemical resistance is preferred, but metal parts with excellent rust and chemical resistance are also acceptable. The cylindrical filter 341 is called a pleated filter, and by forming the filter into a pleated shape (folds), the surface area per unit volume is increased, thereby improving filtration performance. In this example, the cylindrical filter consists of two parts. The cylindrical filter can be one or three or more.

[0039] The guide 343 inside the trap tank is detachably installed. Coolant liquid flowing from the opening 342a flows to the guide 343a on one side. The guide 343a on one side is perpendicularly connected to a second guide 343b located on the lower side of the cylindrical filter. The coolant liquid is guided by the second guide 343b and flows along the bottom surface 340c of the separation tank, allowing the chips to settle on the bottom surface of the separation tank. A convex-shaped foot 343c is provided from the second guide 343b, creating a space between it and the bottom surface 340c of the trap tank. The space formed in accordance with the height of the convex-shaped foot 343c can store chips. By providing the bottom guide 343b, it is possible to prevent the chips settled on the bottom surface 340c of the separation tank from floating up. The portion that is guided by the second guide 343b and flows along the bottom surface 340c of the separation tank functions as a settling area. In this embodiment, if a sedimentation section for chips is formed in front of the pleated filter, performing the intermittent operation of the coolant, as described later, slows down the flow of the coolant liquid, making it easier for more chips to settle in the sedimentation section.

[0040] Regarding Figure 9, the machining system 1 comprises a machining device 200 for machining a workpiece, a coolant supply device 210 for supplying coolant to the machining device 200, and an external device 800 for transmitting NC files to the machining device 200. The external device 800 includes an NC generation unit 820 for generating NC files and an application unit 810 for operating the machining device 200 using the NC files. Regarding Figure 10, the application unit 810 includes an input reception unit 813 for receiving user operations, specifically for registering arbitrary NC files, starting and stopping machining, an analysis processing unit 812 for analyzing the contents of the NC file, an NC file storage unit 814 for associating and storing the analyzed NC file with analysis information, and a display processing unit 811 for displaying notifications to the user based on the analysis results. The external device 800 can be, for example, a PC as an information processing device. Regarding the control of the coolant discharge amount, which will be described later, the CPU of the machining device was used in this embodiment, but the external device or the control unit of the coolant supply device may also be used. The amount of coolant discharged can be controlled using a computer within the processing system, including the processing equipment.

[0041] [Regarding coolant control] When the processing data specifies a material and processing method that allows for dry machining, for example, when machining materials such as hybrid resin, PMMA, PEEK, and polycarbonate, intermittent coolant operation (hereinafter referred to as intermittent operation) is performed. Details of intermittent operation will be described later, but it refers to the operation of repeatedly discharging and stopping the coolant by operating the solenoid valve 214 at predetermined time intervals.

[0042] Hybrid resin (HR) and PMMA·PEEK·polycarbonate (PC) produce different chip sizes. Therefore, the materials are divided into HR, which produces small chips, and PMMA·PEEK·PC, which produces large chips. Hereafter, these will be referred to as "HR" and "PMMA·PEEK·PC," respectively. Materials containing HR, PMMA, PEEK, or PC will be described as materials containing at least resin, while PMMA, PEEK, or PC will be described as materials consisting only of resin (resin-only materials).

[0043] Normally, coolant is discharged continuously while the spindle is rotating, but in intermittent operation, the solenoid valve 214 is operated to perform intermittent operation. Normally, the pump 212 is operated and the solenoid valve 214 is opened to discharge the coolant, but since operating the pump 212 alone for more than one minute places a heavy load on the pump 212, the time during which the solenoid valve 214 is closed must be less than 60 seconds.

[0044] In intermittent operation, the solenoid valve 214 is in the open position, turning the coolant ON for 15 seconds, and then in the closed position, turning the coolant OFF for 55 seconds. This cycle is repeated.

[0045] The ON / OFF time for intermittent operation is variable and may differ depending on the material.

[0046] The machining data contains NC codes indicating the end of each process. When an NC code is detected, the intermittent operation is stopped, the timer is reset, and the intermittent operation is restarted. This ensures that coolant is always discharged when cutting begins, allowing the lubrication and cooling effects of the coolant to be utilized. Similar operations may also be performed when an NC code indicating a tool change is detected, or when the workpiece is reversed.

[0047] Figure 11 shows an example of an NC file according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this invention, in addition to the material name in the comment line, an M code for material determination is defined and set to be output to the NC file. For example, in Figure 11, the material name in the comment line is "TI" and the M code for material determination is "M520". Depending on the type of CAM, it may not be possible to set the material name in the comment line, so only the M code for material determination may be output. Conversely, either only the material name in the comment line or both may be output. The presence of the M code for material determination allows for the exchange of material information even when there is no comment. In this embodiment, an M code was used, but other codes may be used to perform material determination.

[0048] Figure 12 shows examples of setting strings for identifying the material name in comment lines, material identification M codes, and material codes for each material. The material code is a setting value sent from the application unit 810 to the processing device 200, and is grouped according to the characteristics of the material (cutting method, chip roughness, and whether the material is cut wet or dry). For example, material code 3 represents a resin material that produces coarse chips during cutting, and material code 2 represents a metal material that produces fine chips during cutting. Also, when the information of the NC file in Figure 11 is applied to Figure 12, it can be seen that both the material name in the comment line and the material identification M code represent "titanium". Multiple strings for identifying the material name in comment lines may exist for a single material. For example, "HR" and "HYBRID RESIN" may be set for "hybrid resin". By consolidating information about multiple materials, such as M codes and comments, into a material code for instructing the firmware, it becomes easier to handle a variety of NC files. Furthermore, by allowing the setting of three or more material codes, it is possible to support multiple machining operations (such as intermittent operation and operation waiting for coolant level to recover).

[0049] A flowchart relating to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 13.

[0050] In S101, the NC file selected by the input reception unit 813 is read into the analysis processing unit 812.

[0051] In S102, the analysis processing unit 812 obtains the M code for material determination. For example, the M500 series is defined as the M code for material determination, and the M500 series M code is obtained from the NC file.

[0052] In S111, the analysis processing unit 812 retrieves comment lines. In S112, the material name is retrieved from the comment lines retrieved in S111.

[0053] In S121, after the analysis processing unit 812 has finished acquiring the necessary information, S102 determines whether the material determination M code has been acquired. If the material determination M code has been acquired, the process proceeds to S122; otherwise, the process proceeds to S141. In S122, it is determined whether the material identification M code obtained in S102 matches one of the default material identification M codes. For example, if the M code obtained is "M520", it matches one of the M codes defined in the settings in Figure 12, so it can be determined to be a default material identification M code. If the material identification M code matches the settings, the process proceeds to S131; otherwise, it proceeds to S132.

[0054] In S131, the material code is obtained based on the M code for material determination acquired in S102. For example, in the settings shown in Figure 8, "M520" corresponds to "titanium," so material code 2 is obtained.

[0055] In S132, since there was no M code for material determination that matched S122, the material code is set to 0.

[0056] In S141, it is determined whether the material name of the comment line was obtained in S112. If the material name of the comment line was obtained, the process proceeds to S142; otherwise, it proceeds to S152.

[0057] In S142, it is determined whether the material name of the comment line obtained in S112 matches the default material name for comment lines. For example, if the material name of the comment line obtained is "TI", it matches the material name for comment lines defined in the settings in Figure 12, so it can be determined to be the default material name. If the material name matches the settings, proceed to S151; otherwise, proceed to S152.

[0058] In S151, the material code is obtained based on the material name in the comment line acquired in S112. For example, in the settings of Figure 12, "TI" corresponds to "titanium," so material code 2 is obtained.

[0059] In S152, since there was no matching material name in S142, the material code is set to 0. In S161, the NC file and analysis results, including the material code, are registered in the NC file storage unit 814.

[0060] In S171, after the NC file is registered in the NC file storage unit 814 in S161, the system waits until a machining start operation is received from the input reception unit 813. Once the machining start instruction is given, the system proceeds to S181.

[0061] In S181, the acquired material code is sent to the processing device 200 as a setting command. In S191, the first NC file registered in the NC file storage unit 814 is sent to the machining device 200, and in S201, machining processing using the NC file is started.

[0062] The control of the processing device 200 is changed according to the difference in material codes as explained in Figure 12. For example, in the case of hybrid resin (material code 4), it is a material that can be cut in both dry and wet conditions, and the chips are fine and the filter 341 is prone to clogging, so intermittent operation may be performed during processing, in which the coolant is discharged and stopped at regular intervals. By performing intermittent operation, a condition is created in which the flow in the separation tank 340 in which the filter 341 is housed is slowed down, reducing convection and allowing the chips to settle, thereby making it less likely for the filter 341 to clog.

[0063] Furthermore, in the case of resin materials (material code 3), in addition to intermittent operation, it is also possible to wait for the coolant to return to tank 211 during tool changes. Intermittent operation prevents water retention in chips by releasing coolant in small amounts, and waiting for the coolant to return to tank 211 during tool changes prevents coolant circulation errors caused by a sudden decrease in coolant during tool changes.

[0064] Additionally, the control of the processing device 200 may be modified for dry processing of metals, glass ceramics, and other materials.

[0065] In Figure 13, if multiple material identification M codes are obtained from the NC file in S102, the settings in Figure 12 indicate that M codes with smaller numbers are associated with materials that require wet machining (grinding, metalworking). Therefore, M131 may prioritize the M code with the smaller number. For example, if "M540" and "M510" are found, "M510" will be prioritized and material code 1 will be sent.

[0066] The priority of the material determination M-codes is determined during calculations in CAM, and the system is configured to output only one high-priority material determination M-code, which can be output at a specific location in the NC file, such as at the beginning of the NC file. By selecting only high-priority material codes according to a predetermined order, and by ensuring that material codes with smaller numbers do not perform intermittent operations, stable machining can be achieved. Alternatively, when creating the NC file in CAM, the system may be configured to insert only one high-priority material determination M-code.

[0067] Also, similar to S102 and S131, if multiple comment lines are obtained in S111, the material name with the smaller material code may be prioritized in S141. When creating an NC file with CAM, it is also possible to place multiple shapes and output them as a single NC file. When machining disc material, only one disc can be mounted on the jig, so the same material is used within a single NC file. However, in the case of block material, multiple blocks can be mounted on the jig, so multiple materials may be mixed in a single NC file. For example, if a hybrid resin block and a PEEK block are mixed, "HR" and "PEEK" can be obtained from the same NC file. In that case, since the material codes are 4 and 3, 3 is prioritized. Also, when machining multiple blocks in this case, instead of rough machining each block individually and then finishing it, rough machining multiple blocks together and then finishing it can reduce the machining time. Therefore, it is good to set up a machining operation that can stably machine all the materials contained in multiple blocks.

[0068] Furthermore, S142 checks if the default string is included in the material name of the comment line, which may result in it matching multiple materials. If multiple materials match the material name of the comment line, the material may be determined to be unknown. For example, if the material in the comment section is "HR Multi-layer", it contains "HR" and "ti", so the material code will be 0 (unknown).

[0069] Furthermore, the CAM system may output M-codes for material determination for each process, and if the CPU 85 reads any of these M-codes while the NC file is running, the control of the machining device 200 may be switched immediately. For example, if the machine read "M540" in the first process and was performing intermittent operation, and then read "M530" in the next process, a coolant level recovery waiting operation may be added in addition to the intermittent operation. Here, "waiting for coolant level recovery" means waiting for the coolant tank level to recover while the machine is stopped before discharging the coolant. These controls can also be applied to the control of various other machining operations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 216...Chip separator 340...Separation tank

Claims

1. A machining device having a spindle that rotates a tool used to machine an object, An input receiving unit that receives user input for the NC file that controls the aforementioned processing device, A machining system comprising an external device having an analysis processing unit for analyzing the string of characters in the NC file, A machining system characterized in that, after receiving the NC file at the input receiving unit, the machining operation of the machining device is switched based on the analysis results of the analysis processing unit of the code relating to the material of the workpiece contained in the NC file.

2. If the NC file contains comments regarding the material of the workpiece, The machining system according to claim 1, characterized in that the analysis results of the code are given priority over the comments when performing the machining operation.

3. If the NC file contains multiple types of comments regarding the material of the workpiece, The processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that it performs a processing operation corresponding to one comment with a higher priority according to a predetermined priority order.

4. If the analysis result of the code relating to the material of the workpiece is related to a resin material, The machining system according to claim 1, characterized in that the discharge of coolant liquid is performed intermittently during the machining operation of the machining apparatus.

5. A program that causes a computer to function as the control unit of the processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A machining device having a spindle that rotates a tool used to machine an object, An input receiving unit that receives user input for the NC file that controls the aforementioned processing device, A control method for a machining system comprising an external device having an analysis processing unit for analyzing the string of characters in the NC file, The process of receiving the NC file at the input receiving unit, Based on the analysis results of the code relating to the material of the workpiece included in the NC file by the analysis processing unit, A method for controlling a processing system, characterized by comprising a step of switching the processing operation of the processing apparatus.

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