Machining Program Caching for Branch-Ready CNC Execution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machining control systems face productivity declines when executing machining programs with conditional branches or subprograms due to potential data block misalignment and slow data retrieval from external storage, leading to interrupted machining and increased waiting times.
Innovation Solution
A machining control system comprising a program storage unit, program cache unit, schedule storage unit, transmission control unit, and machining processing unit that manages data block transmission and caching based on schedule information, ensuring efficient sequencing and reduced waiting times for data retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If the machining program is stored in an external device and sent to the numerical control device in data block units, then the storage capacity of the numerical control device is sufficient, but machining may be interrupted and productivity declines when conditional branches or subprograms are encountered
Solution Approach 1:
The system predicts which data blocks will be needed next based on the program structure (conditional branches, subprogram calls) and transmits them to the numerical control device in advance before they are actually executed. This preliminary action ensures that data blocks are ready when needed, preventing machining interruptions and maintaining high productivity while using external storage for the complete program.
2Ease of operation
If the machining program is sent in data block units in sequence, then data transmission is simple, but data block misalignment occurs with conditional branches causing waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission control unit predicts and transmits required data blocks before the numerical control device actually needs them, eliminating waiting time while maintaining the simplicity of sequential data block transmission. The system analyzes program structure to anticipate future data block requirements and prepares them in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the data block transmission sequence based on program analysis. Instead of rigid sequential transmission, the transmission order is optimized to match the actual execution flow, including jumps for conditional branches and subprogram calls, thereby preventing misalignment and waiting time.
3Speed
If all machining program data is stored in the numerical control device, then data access is fast, but the device cannot handle large complex machining programs
Solution Approach 1:
The machining program is divided into data blocks, with the complete program stored externally and only the currently needed blocks loaded into the numerical control device's internal storage. This segmentation allows handling of large complex programs while maintaining fast access speeds for the active data blocks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-loads data blocks into internal storage before they are needed during machining operations. By predicting future requirements based on program structure analysis, the system ensures that data blocks are already in fast internal storage when needed, maintaining access speed equivalent to having the entire program stored internally.
Data Source
AI summary
A machining control system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a program storage unit which stores a machining program including a plurality of data blocks; a program cache unit which temporarily stores a part of the machining program; a schedule storage unit which stores schedule information specifying a transmission sequence to the program cache unit of the plurality of data blocks; a transmission control unit which controls transmission of the data blocks to the program cache unit from the program storage unit, based on the schedule information; and a machining processing unit which reads out the data blocks from the program cache unit and performs processing required in machining.