Machining Simulation Undo Using Composite Adaptive Distance Field
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current NC machining simulation methods are inefficient for large and complex workpieces, as they rely on sequential undo/redo operations, which are slow and cumbersome, especially when dealing with millions of operations, and do not allow for rapid analysis of machining discrepancies that can result in defects like gouges or nicks.
Innovation Solution
The method associates each geometrical element of the workpiece simulation with the machining instruction that changes its type, using a composite adaptive distance field (cADF) representation, allowing for rapid identification and restoration of intermediate representations to undo or redo machining operations without sequentially rewinding the simulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sequential undo/redo operations are used for machining simulation, then the simulation can be performed, but the operation speed is slow and efficiency is low when dealing with millions of operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing the state of each geometrical element at every machining instruction step throughout the entire simulation. This allows the system to instantly restore any intermediate state without sequentially rewinding through previous steps, thereby enabling rapid undo/redo operations even when dealing with millions of machining instructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the machining simulation into individual geometrical elements and associates each element's state with specific machining instructions. This segmentation allows independent restoration of each element to its state at any given instruction, enabling parallel and instantaneous undo/redo operations rather than sequential processing of the entire simulation.
2Reliability
If manual testing with test workpieces is performed to detect machining defects, then discrepancies can be identified, but the process is time consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the machining process through computer-based simulation that replicates the actual machining behavior. This virtual simulation allows defect detection without physical test workpieces, eliminating the time and cost of manual testing while maintaining the ability to identify machining discrepancies and defects with high accuracy.
3Loss of information
If the entire machining simulation is stored for undo operations, then complete history is available, but storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential state information of each geometrical element at each machining instruction step, storing only what is necessary for undo/redo operations. This selective extraction approach maintains complete simulation history for accurate restoration while minimizing storage requirements by avoiding redundant data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by storing state information specifically for geometrical elements that are actually modified by machining instructions. Rather than uniformly storing data for all elements throughout the entire simulation, the system stores information locally and selectively where changes occur, reducing overall storage requirements while maintaining completeness where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A method associates a cell in the composite adaptive distance field (cADF) with a machining instruction that changes a type of the cell or a type of a distance field in the cell in forming a composite surface of the workpiece to produce at least part of an association, and associates the distance field in the cell with the machining instruction changing the type of the distance field in forming the composite surface of the workpiece to produce at least part of the association. In response to receiving a command to undo a simulation of the machining to the intermediate machining instruction, a subset of cells and a subset of distance fields forming the composite surface of the workpiece at a time of the simulation by the intermediate machining instruction are identified using the association and the intermediate representation of the workpiece is determined using the subset of cells and the subset of distance fields.