Parallel Toolpath Command Generation for Even CNC Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional command-value generation apparatuses fail to distribute throughput evenly among arithmetic units, leading to inefficient generation of tool travel commands in machining processes, particularly in die machining and five-axis machining with free-form surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A command-value generation apparatus that segments machining programs into execution units and uses parallel computation units with multiple arithmetic units to generate segment commands, ensuring overlap at segmentation points to maintain consistent acceleration and deceleration, thereby optimizing the distribution of processing load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a machining program is segmented only at points where the machining operation is suspended temporarily, then the machining program can be processed by multiple arithmetic units in parallel, but the throughput cannot be distributed evenly among the arithmetic units
Solution Approach 1:
The machining program is divided into multiple execution units by the segmentation unit, which segments the machining program into a plurality of execution units that can be processed in parallel by multiple arithmetic units. This segmentation enables parallel processing while allowing flexible distribution of computational load across arithmetic units based on processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the segmentation points and distribution of execution units to arithmetic units based on real-time processing requirements. The control unit monitors and balances the throughput distribution, allowing the system to adaptively optimize parallel processing efficiency rather than using fixed segmentation points.
2Manufacturing precision
If the lengths of line segments in the machining program are shortened to accurately express free-form surfaces, then the machining accuracy is improved, but the number of line segments increases and the time to generate tool travel commands increases
Solution Approach 1:
The machining program with numerous short line segments is divided into execution units that can be processed in parallel. This segmentation transforms a sequential processing bottleneck into a parallel processing opportunity, maintaining high machining accuracy while reducing overall command generation time through concurrent computation.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple arithmetic units continuously process different execution units simultaneously, ensuring that the useful action of generating tool travel commands continues without interruption across all units. This parallel continuous processing eliminates idle time and maintains high throughput throughout the command generation process.
Data Source
AI summary
A command-value generation apparatus includes: a segmentation unit to segment a machining program into execution units to generate segment machining programs; a parallel computation unit, including a plurality of arithmetic units, to execute the segment machining programs on a per execution unit basis in parallel and generate a segment command for each of the execution units, the segment command being a group of interpolation points on the tool path; and a command-value generation unit to generate a tool travel command from the segment command for each of the execution units. The segment machining programs are separate from one another by at least one segmentation point. The segment machining programs includes a forward segment machining program located forward of the segmentation point, and a rearward segment machining program located rearward of the segmentation point.