CNC Selection Apparatus for Bar Stock Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic lathes face challenges in effectively utilizing remaining material for workpiece fabrication due to limitations in selecting workpieces based on priority and length, leading to inefficient use of available material.
Innovation Solution
A selection apparatus that determines when a target workpiece cannot be fabricated from remaining material, it selects another workpiece that can be fabricated from the remaining material based on length and priority, ensuring effective utilization of the remaining material by prioritizing workpieces that can be completed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the automatic lathe selects workpieces based only on remaining material length, then the machining process is simple, but the material utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the selection parameters from only considering remaining material length to considering multiple parameters including workpiece priority, material length, and machining time. This allows the automatic lathe to select workpieces that optimize material utilization while accounting for production priorities.
Solution Approach 2:
The workpiece selection mechanism becomes dynamic by continuously evaluating multiple parameters and adjusting selections based on current remaining material length and priority requirements. The system adapts its selection criteria based on real-time material availability and production demands.
2Productivity
If the automatic lathe fabricates workpieces without considering priority, then the production process is fast, but the production efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing priority levels for different workpieces and pre-calculating machining times. This allows the automatic lathe to quickly select appropriate workpieces without real-time complex calculations, maintaining fast production speed while ensuring priority-based scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring remaining material length and comparing it with required lengths for priority-based workpiece selection. This feedback loop enables the system to adjust workpiece selection to meet both priority requirements and material constraints.
3Ease of manufacture
If the automatic lathe discards remaining material when it cannot fabricate the target workpiece, then the machining process is simple, but the material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding remaining material when the target workpiece cannot be fabricated, the system recovers the remaining material by selecting alternative workpieces that can be manufactured from it. The priority-based selection ensures that the most important workpieces are produced first, while still utilizing the remaining material effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The remaining material serves multiple functions by being eligible for different workpiece types based on priority requirements. The system makes the remaining material universally applicable to various workpiece selections, maximizing its utilization across different product types.
Data Source
AI summary
A numerical control apparatus that is a selection apparatus causes, when an automatic lathe that fabricates a workpiece from a bar is unable to fabricate a workpiece that is a fabrication target from a remaining material that is a remaining part of the bar being machined, the automatic lathe to select another workpiece that the automatic lathe is able to fabricate from the remaining material. The numerical control apparatus includes a selection unit to select, when there are a plurality of other workpieces that are able to be fabricated from the remaining material, a workpiece to be fabricated on the basis of a length of the remaining material and priority.