Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
An NC machining method for machining a workpiece with a primary cutter in a primary machining mode and then machining workpiece portions left uncut by the primary cutter with a compensation cutter in a compensation machining mode to thereby produce a desired final cut shape, said NC machining method comprising the steps of: entering data on the original shape of the workpiece, the desired final cut shape, and the shape of the primary cutter into an NC apparatus; automatically determining the uncut workpiece portions based on said entered data, said uncut workpiece portions comprising those portions of said workpiece which must be cut to achieve said final cut shape, but which cannot be reached using said primary cutter; automatically selecting a compensation cutter suitable for cutting off said uncut workpiece portions in the compensation machining mode; setting data on the depth of cut and selecting the clearance of the compensation cutter, said clearance being selected by setting a distance between the compensation cutter and workpiece so as to prevent the compensation cutter from contacting the workpiece; determining paths of travel of said compensation cutter from the uncut workpiece portions, the depth of cut of said compensation cutter, and said clearance of said compensation cutter; and cutting off said uncut workpiece portions by moving said compensation cutter along the determined paths of travel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
222 words
An NC machining method for machining a workpiece with a primary cutter in a primary machining mode and then machining workpiece portions left uncut by the primary cutter with a compensation cutter in a compensation machining mode to thereby produce a desired final cut shape, said NC machining method comprising the steps of: entering data on the original shape of the workpiece, the desired final cut shape, and the shape of the primary cutter into an NC apparatus; automatically determining the uncut workpiece portions based on said entered data, said uncut workpiece portions comprising those portions of said workpiece which must be cut to achieve said final cut shape, but which cannot be reached using said primary cutter; automatically selecting a compensation cutter suitable for cutting off said uncut workpiece portions in the compensation machining mode; setting data on the depth of cut and selecting the clearance of the compensation cutter, said clearance being selected by setting a distance between the compensation cutter and workpiece so as to prevent the compensation cutter from contacting the workpiece; determining paths of travel of said compensation cutter from the uncut workpiece portions, the depth of cut of said compensation cutter, and said clearance of said compensation cutter; and cutting off said uncut workpiece portions by moving said compensation cutter along the determined paths of travel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An NC machining method according to claim 1, wherein said data on said shapes are entered in the form of coordinates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
An NC machining method according to claim 1, wherein said uncut workpiece portions are determined by determining the workpiece portions to be cut from data on the desired final cut shape and the shape of the workpiece, and effecting an arithmetic operation on the determined workpiece portions to be cut and a cutting angle of the primary cutter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An NC machining method according to claim 1, wherein said compensation cutter is selected from a plurality of cutters and has a shape which is optimum for cutting off the uncut workpiece portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
An NC machining method according to claim 4, wherein data on said plurality of cutters are stored in a memory of the NC apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An NC machining method according to claim 5, wherein the primary cutter is replaced with the compensation cutter by automatic cutter changing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
An NC machining method according to claim 1, wherein said paths of travel of the compensation cutter are determined by the steps of: computing first and second points of intersection between the desired final cut shape and a workpiece shape cut by the primary cutter; determining whether there are such points of intersection; computing paths of travel of the compensation cutter for cutting off the uncut portions between the first and second points of intersection; and effecting operations until no points of intersection are found with respect to the desired final cut shape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
An NC machining method according to claim 7, wherein said paths of travel of the compensation cutter are determined by substracting the depth of cut of the compensation cutter from a value corresponding to a position on a first coordinate axis of the first point of intersection.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
An NC machining method according to claim 8, wherein said depth of cut is subtracted from the difference between the coordinates of the first and second points of intersection on said first coordinate axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
An NC machining method according to claim 9, wherein said paths of travel of the compensation cutter are defined by the repeated steps of moving the compensation cutter by the depth of cut along said first coordinate axis, enabling the compensation cutter to cut the workpiece up to the coordinate of the final cut shape on a second coordinate axis, and spacing the compensation cutter from the workpiece by a distance corresponding to the clearance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
An NC machining method according to claim 1, wherein said paths of travel of the compensation cutter are determined after the primary cutter has machined the workpiece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
An NC machining method according to claim 1, wherein said paths of travel of the compensation cutter are determined at the same time that the primary cutter machines the workpiece.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
An NC machining method according to claim 1, wherein said NC apparatus controls a lathe.