Display Device for Machine Tool Path Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In swinging cutting operations, it is challenging for operators to determine whether chips can be effectively shredded using existing display devices, as they rely on waveform displays of command and actual position data, making it difficult to assess the shredding efficiency visually.
Innovation Solution
A display device that acquires and displays path information of the feed axis, allowing operators to select and highlight specific paths, indicating the relationship between spindle phase and feed axis positions, enabling easier determination of chip shredding by visually distinguishing between selection and adjacent paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If waveform display of command and actual position data is used, then the display device can show chronological changes of feed axis data, but it is difficult to visually determine whether chips can be shredded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the one-dimensional waveform display (time vs. position) into a two-dimensional path display (spindle phase vs. feed axis position) with overlapping paths. This dimensional change allows operators to visually assess chip shredding effectiveness by observing path overlaps, directly resolving the contradiction between information completeness and visual assessment ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the feed axis movement paths corresponding to different spindle revolutions. By displaying multiple paths that represent different revolutions, operators can visually compare and assess whether chips are being shredded effectively, transforming abstract waveform data into intuitive visual information.
2Measurement precision
If multiple paths are displayed to show spindle phase and feed axis position relationship, then chip shredding assessment becomes possible, but display complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous feed axis movement into discrete paths corresponding to individual spindle revolutions. Each path represents one complete revolution, making it easier to analyze and compare chip shredding effectiveness across different revolutions while maintaining manageable display complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the periodic nature of spindle rotation by displaying paths that correspond to complete revolutions. This periodic segmentation allows operators to assess chip shredding based on repeating patterns, improving measurement precision while keeping the display structure systematic and manageable.
3Loss of information
If path information is displayed without highlighting, then all paths are shown, but it is difficult to distinguish selection and adjacent paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color or intensity changes to highlight the selected path and adjacent paths. The selected path is displayed with a distinct appearance (e.g., brighter color or different shading) compared to other paths, enabling easy distinction while maintaining completeness of all path information in the display.
Data Source
AI summary
A display device acquires and displays path information of a feed axis of a machine tool that includes a spindle for relatively rotating a workpiece and a cutting tool and at least one feed axis for relatively feeding the workpiece and the cutting tool and that performs machining on the workpiece while making the cutting tool and the workpiece swing relatively, and includes a display unit and a selection unit, the display unit relatively highlights, in the path information, a selection path which includes the part selected by the selection unit and at least one of adjacent paths preceding and subsequent to the selection path with respect to the path of the path information other than the selection path and the adjacent paths and the selection path and the adjacent paths are paths corresponding to one revolution or a plurality of revolutions of the spindle.