Machine Tool Manual Control Display for Spindle-Table Motion Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manual control devices for multiaxis NC machine tools do not effectively display which structure (spindle or table side) is being moved during manual operations, leading to potential misoperation and interference between the tool and workpiece.
Innovation Solution
A control device that displays the spindle and table side structures differently, accompanied by arrows, to clearly indicate which structure is being moved, using a user-friendly interface with color coding and graphics to differentiate active and non-active structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the control device displays only basic movement information during manual operation, then the interface remains simple, but the operator cannot accurately recognize which structure is being moved and may cause tool-workpiece interference
Solution Approach 1:
The display interface uses color coding to differentiate between spindle-side structure (blue) and table-side structure (orange). This visual distinction allows operators to immediately recognize which structure is being moved without complex additional information, resolving the contradiction by enhancing safety through intuitive color-based identification while maintaining interface simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device segments the machine tool structure into two distinct visual representations: spindle-side structure and table-side structure. Each structure is displayed separately with its own color code and movement indication. This segmentation allows operators to clearly identify which specific structure is moving, improving operational safety without requiring a completely complex display system.
2Ease of operation
If the control device provides detailed visual feedback about structure movement, then operator recognition accuracy improves, but the display interface becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The display uses distinct colors (blue for spindle-side, orange for table-side) to provide immediate visual feedback about which structure is moving. This color-coded system enhances operator recognition accuracy significantly while maintaining interface simplicity, as the color distinction is intuitively understood and requires no additional complex display elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device adds a visual dimension (color coding) to the display interface to convey structure identification information. Instead of using additional text or complex graphical representations, the solution introduces color as an additional visual dimension that provides clear structure identification while keeping the interface clean and simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the machine tool uses different feed axis arrangements in spindle-side and table-side structures, then design flexibility increases, but operator confusion about movement direction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device segments the display into distinct spindle-side structure (blue) and table-side structure (orange) representations. This segmentation allows the system to accommodate different feed axis arrangements in each structure while providing clear visual indication of which structure is moving and in what direction, resolving the confusion caused by diverse design configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
By assigning distinct colors to spindle-side and table-side structures, the display provides immediate visual feedback about which structure is being moved, regardless of the specific feed axis arrangement. This color coding helps operators understand movement direction even when different axis configurations are used in different structures, maintaining ease of operation despite design flexibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
Graphics representing a main-spindle-side structure (Ps) and a table-side structure (Pt) and graphics representing arrows (Ax, Ay, Az, Aa, Ab, Ac) indicating the movement directions of feed shafts are stored in a storage unit (18), and when switched to manual operation, a display computation unit (16) computes the orientations of said arrows with respect to the structure that moves, said structure being either the main-spindle-side structure (Ps) or the table-side structure (Pt), and computed graphics representing the structures and the arrows are displayed in a differentiated manner so as to make it evident which structure moves.