Multi-Axis CNC Control State Management With Integrated PLC Logic
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CNC machine tools require a high number of process steps and costs to manage the states of multiple axes, as they lack direct state ascertainment capabilities, necessitating additional programs and mechanisms for axis state management.
Innovation Solution
A control device with a first program executing unit for sequence programs, a second program executing unit for numerical control programs, and a state managing unit that updates and reflects the control state of multiple motors, allowing for reduced process steps and direct state management without additional special programs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a PLC processes ladder programs to control machine elements, then control of peripheral devices (injector, conveyor) is achieved, but direct ascertainment of axis states becomes impossible requiring additional programs and mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the PLC's ladder program processing capability with direct access to axis control states by integrating the axis state management into the same control device that executes the ladder program. This allows the PLC to both control peripheral devices and directly ascertain axis states without requiring separate programs or mechanisms, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
2Loss of information
If additional programs and mechanisms are provided to acquire axis states, then direct state ascertainment is achieved, but cost and number of process steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is designed with multi-functionality, allowing the same device that executes ladder programs to also directly provide axis state information. This universal design eliminates the need for separate programs or mechanisms solely for acquiring axis states, thereby reducing cost and process steps while ensuring complete state information is available.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate programs are used to manage axis states and control machine elements, then control functionality is achieved, but program preparation cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines axis state management and machine element control into a single integrated control system that executes both ladder programs and provides axis state information. This merging eliminates the need for separate programs, thereby reducing program preparation cost and complexity while maintaining full control functionality and adaptability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate control systems are used for different machine elements, then comprehensive control is achieved, but the number of process steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is designed as a universal controller that can simultaneously manage multiple machine elements and provide axis state information through integrated processing. This multi-functional approach allows comprehensive control capability to be achieved without increasing the number of process steps, as all control functions are executed within the same control cycle by the same control device.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A control device and a control method capable of realizing control based on a sequence program and control based on a numerical control program with a smaller number of process steps are provided. The control device that is capable of controlling a plurality of motors includes: a first program executing unit that executes a sequence program for each control cycle; a second program executing unit that calculates an instruction value for each motor in accordance with a numerical control program; and a state managing unit that manages a control state correlated with a group including a plurality of predetermined motors of the plurality of motors. The state managing unit updates the control state based on at least one of an instruction from the first program executing unit and an execution state of the numerical control program in the second program executing unit.