Visual Turret Tool Management for Intuitive Mounting Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current software for managing NC processing programs faces difficulties in intuitively recognizing tool mounting states and requires users to manually select and input tool information for installation, movement, and removal, leading to inconvenience and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing visual information to manage turret tools, which includes defining tool mounting locations, displaying virtual images of turrets and tools, and outputting tool management data to programmable machine controllers to facilitate intuitive recognition and management of tool installations, movements, and removals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tool information is managed in a table format with manual selection and input, then comprehensive tool data can be stored and organized, but user convenience and productivity deteriorate due to the need for manual selection and direct input of tool information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the turret and tool information that mirrors the actual physical turret. This virtual representation allows users to interact with a simplified digital model rather than manually managing raw data tables, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining data accuracy through the virtual-actual synchronization mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual turret serves as an intermediary between the user and the actual tool management system. Users interact with the virtual representation, and the system automatically translates these interactions into appropriate tool management operations, eliminating the need for direct manual input to the underlying data structures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional software interfaces are used for tool management, then existing systems can be maintained, but user intuition and recognition of tool mounting states deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the turret that visually represents the actual tool mounting states. This virtual representation makes it easy for users to detect and understand tool mounting states, while the synchronization mechanism ensures compatibility with existing tool management systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual turret uses visual indicators such as color changes to represent different tool mounting states. This makes the tool mounting states immediately recognizable and intuitive for users, transforming abstract data into visually perceptible information.
3Measurement precision
If manual selection and input methods are used for tool installation and movement, then precise control can be achieved, but productivity and processing efficiency deteriorate due to increased operation time
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual turret system provides self-service functionality where the system automatically manages tool installation, movement, and positioning based on user selections in the virtual interface. This eliminates time-consuming manual operations while maintaining precise control through automated translation of virtual actions to physical executions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows users to plan and visualize tool arrangements in the virtual turret before actual implementation. This preliminary action in the virtual environment enables users to optimize tool positioning and sequence operations before executing them physically, thereby improving both accuracy and productivity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method for managing turret tools for a machine tool, and more particularly, by setting tool information and changing a mounting location of the tool, which is to be mounted or has been mounted, by using visual information about a turret mounted in the machine tool and the tool mounted in the turret, a user may intuitively check information about a tool mounted on the turret and to easily set tool installation information which needs to be set when mounting and detaching the tool, changing a location of the tool, or installing the tool in a machine tool.