System and method for automatic local return for lathe NC-machining cycle interruption
View Patent ↗A system, method, and computer program for monitoring a machine cycle. A method includes the steps of tracking an elapsed cumulative measure; comparing the elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval; interrupting a machining cycle at the cycle interrupt interval; and performing a local return to a defined position.
1. A method of monitoring a machine cycle, comprising the steps of:
tracking an elapsed cumulative measure;
comparing said elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval, the cycle interrupt interval having a first range limit and a second range limit;
interrupting a machining cycle after the elapsed cumulative measure has exceeded the first range limit and at the earlier of
when a machine operation is completed or
when the elapsed cumulative measure reaches the second range limit; and
performing a local return to a defined position upon said interrupting step.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is a machine time.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is cutting distance.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cycle interrupt interval is an automatic local return interval.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said perfoiming step occurs at an automatic local return time.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said performing step occurs at an automatic local return distance.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said defined position is one of a user defined position and an automatically defined position.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of updating and adjusting said cycle interrupt interval.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of updating said elapsed cumulative measure.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of analyzing a plurality of processor generated motions.
11. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium to perform method of monitoring a machine cycle, comprising:
instructions for tracking an elapsed cumulative measure;
instructions for comparing said elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval, the cycle interrupt interval having a first range limit and a second range limit;
instructions for interrupting a machining cycle after the elapsed cumulative measure has exceeded the first range limit and at the earlier of
when a machine operation is completed or
when the elapsed cumulative measure reaches the second range limit; and
instructions for performing a local return to a defined position upon said interrupting step.
12. The computer-program product of claim 11 , wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is a machine time.
13. The computer-program product of claim 11 , wherein said elapsed cumulative measure is cutting distance.
14. The computer-program product of claim 11 , wherein said cycle interrupt interval is an automatic local return interval.
15. The computer-program product of claim 11 , wherein said performing instructions occur at an automatic local return time.
16. The computer-program product of claim 11 , wherein said performing instructions occur at an automatic local return distance.
17. The computer-program product of claim 11 , wherein said defined position is one of a user defined position and an automatically defined position.
18. The computer-program product of claim 11 , further comprising the instructions of updating and adjusting said cycle interrupt interval.
19. The computer-program product of claim 11 , further comprising the instructions of updating said elapsed cumulative measure.
20. The computer-program product of claim 11 , further comprising the instructions of analyzing a plurality of processor generated motions.
21. A data processing system comprising a processor and accessible memory, and configured to implement a method of monitoring a machine cycle by performing the steps of:
tracking an elapsed cumulative measure of operation of a machine;
comparing said elapsed cumulative measure with a cycle interrupt interval, the cycle interrupt interval having a first range limit and a second range limit;
interrupting a machining cycle after the elapsed cumulative measure has exceeded the first range limit and at the earlier of
when a machine operation is completed or
when the elapsed cumulative measure reaches the second range limit; and
performing a local return to a defined position upon said interrupting step.