NC Tool Path Joining to Omit Roughing Round-Up Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machining processes involve unnecessary round-up operations during roughing, leading to increased machining paths and cycle times due to the insertion of these operations.
Innovation Solution
A numerical controller that decodes machining program commands, generates tool geometries, and determines tool directions to omit round-up operations, generating new paths that directly move to the end points of omitted operations, thereby minimizing scrap and tool length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a round-up operation is inserted after deep cutting during roughing to minimize remaining scrap amount, then manufacturing precision is improved, but machining path length increases and cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the unnecessary round-up operation from the machining path. The path connection determination unit identifies when round-up operations can be omitted by analyzing tool direction, depth of cut, and round-up path geometry, thereby removing redundant machining steps that increase cycle time without adding value to the final workpiece quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the machining path by conditionally omitting round-up operations based on real-time analysis of machining parameters. The system evaluates tool direction, depth of cut, and path geometry to determine whether round-up operations are necessary, allowing the machining process to adapt and optimize its path dynamically rather than following a fixed sequence.
2Manufacturing precision
If a round-up operation is inserted after deep cutting during roughing to minimize remaining scrap amount, then manufacturing precision is improved, but machining path length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the unnecessary round-up operation from the machining path. The path connection determination unit identifies when round-up operations can be omitted by analyzing tool direction, depth of cut, and round-up path geometry, thereby removing redundant machining steps that increase cycle time without adding value to the final workpiece quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the deep cutting operation directly with the subsequent machining operation by omitting the intermediate round-up operation. The machining path connection unit creates a continuous path that transitions directly from deep cutting to the next operation, eliminating the separate round-up path and reducing total machining path length.
3Reliability
If traditional machining paths include round-up operations to ensure complete material removal, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the path connection determination unit continuously evaluates machining parameters (tool direction, depth of cut, round-up path geometry) to determine whether round-up operations are necessary. This feedback loop ensures that round-up operations are only omitted when it is safe to do so, maintaining material removal completeness while optimizing for productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the machining parameters by conditionally omitting round-up operations based on analyzed conditions. When the tool direction, depth of cut, and path geometry indicate that material removal is complete, the system changes the machining parameter by skipping the round-up operation, thereby improving productivity without compromising reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A numerical control device includes an NC command decoding unit and a tool information storage/generation unit. The NC command decoding unit has a cut amount decoding unit for decoding the cut amount for rough machining, a machining shape generation unit for generating a finishing shape, a machining pathway generation unit for generating a path for rough machining, a tool direction provisional determining unit for provisionally determining the direction of the tool, a path joining assessment unit for assessing whether or not to omit a round-up operation, a machining path joining unit for generating a new path for directly moving to the end point of the next operation after the round-up operation if the round-up operation is to be omitted, and a tool direction determining unit for determining the direction of the tool at each machining shape change point on a path for rough machining including the new path.