Machine Tool Interface for Stepwise Error Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In machine tools, complex operations involving multiple actuators and motors can lead to increased user workload when errors occur, making it difficult to return to a predetermined state due to the complexity and number of buttons required for recovery.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool with a display operation device and control device that displays individual operation buttons and a display switching button, where button information is shown based on the machine tool's state, allowing users to sequentially execute operations by switching button information in the order of the series of operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual operation buttons are provided to control complex series of operations, then the machine tool can execute detailed multi-stage operations, but the user workload increases when error recovery is needed
Solution Approach 1:
A display switching button is introduced as an intermediary element between the user and the multiple individual operation buttons. This mediator displays button information corresponding to the current operation stage, guiding the user through the correct sequence of operations without requiring them to understand or remember all available buttons, thus reducing user workload while maintaining full operational control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically determining the current operation stage and pre-displaying the appropriate button information on the display switching button before the user needs to make a selection. This allows the user to simply follow the displayed guidance rather than having to figure out which button to press among multiple options, significantly easing the operation process during error recovery
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of operation buttons is increased to handle complex operations, then more operation stages can be controlled, but the difficulty of returning to predetermined state increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display switching button provides continuous feedback about the current operation stage by displaying the corresponding button information. This feedback mechanism guides the user through the recovery process in the correct sequence, making the complex recovery procedure manageable by showing exactly which operation should be performed next, thus reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining comprehensive stage control
Solution Approach 2:
The complex series of operations is segmented into multiple distinct stages, with the display switching button showing information for one stage at a time. This segmentation approach breaks down the complex recovery procedure into manageable steps, allowing the user to focus on one stage at a time rather than trying to understand the entire complex sequence, thereby reducing recovery procedure complexity while maintaining full operation stage control
Data Source
AI summary
A machine tool includes a display operation device, and a control device to display multiple individual operation buttons and a display switching button on the display operation device and execute control indicated by the multiple individual operation buttons and the display switching button in accordance with an operation performed on the multiple individual operation buttons and the display switching button. The multiple individual operation buttons are buttons to provide an instruction of a series of operations executed by the machine tool in multiple stages. The control device displays button information indicating the individual operation button in accordance with a state of the machine tool among the multiple individual operation buttons on the display switching button, switches the button information displayed on the display switching button in accordance with an operation of executing the display switching button, and switches the button information in order of the series of operations.