Abstract:
A digitally operable quantity measuring and conversion apparatus is described for deriving precise measurements in terms of recognized measurement units (such as inches or centimeters). The apparatus includes a measuring instrument such as an interferometer position gauging device which develops a number of direction indicating, fringe count pulsed waveform electric signals that are representative of the position of an equipment (such as the working head of a numerically controlled machine tool) being controlled measured with respect to a reference position. The measuring and conversion apparatus further includes digitally operable numerical processing means which preferably comprises a pulse rate multiplier including a reversible pulse rate reference counter. Direction logic circuits are provided for supplying the input pulses fringe count electric signal representative of the quantity (position) to be measured to the reversible pulse rate counter to cause it to count up or down in accordance with the direction information of the input pulsed electric signals. The conversion apparatus further includes pulse rate multiplier gates, and a conversion factor read in circuit for reading the value of a conversion factor to be multiplied into the pulse rate multiplier. The pulse rate multiplier gates are responsive to the output of the reversible pulse rate counter, the conversion factor read in circuit, and the direction logic circuit for providing at the output of the conversion apparatus a desired output summation signal representative of the summation of one incremental conversion factor value for each incremental input fringe count electric signal pulse, and hence representative of the product of the input fringe count pulses multiplied by the conversion factor. In preferred arrangements, conversion factor changing means are included as part of the conversion factor read-in circuit for changing the value of the conversion factor either manually or automatically in response to a change in operating conditions.
Abstract:
A numerical positioning control system using a single feedback transducer which is coupled to the controlled machine axis. The transducer has a relatively small scale factor, substantially less than the total amount of travel of the controlled machine tool axis, and is monitored by a cycle control unit which generates output signals so as to control the phase of a phase varying means such as a variable phase digital counter. The output of the variable phase digital counter then represents a second phase varying signal which has a scale factor larger than the scale factor of the feedback transducer. Input data is fed into the system and is used to vary the phase of digital counters which are then phase compared with the phases of the feedback transducer and the phase varying means. The results of these comparisons are used to control the driving means which ultimately operate to move the controlled machine axis in a direction and at a speed related to the difference between the actual position of the controlled machine axis and the desired position as indicated by the input data.
Abstract:
A numerical contouring control system including improvements in the technique of cutter compensation. The basic control system includes a contouring function generator for generating the desired contouring path and a compensating function generator for continuously realigning the offset compensation vector with the angle of the commanded path. A program slope pulse generator is connected to the contouring function generator so as to generate pulses proportional to the contents of the contouring function generator. A tool radius slope pulse generator is connected to the compensating function generator so as to generate pulses proportional to the contents of the compensating function generator. The outputs of the tool radius slope pulse generator and the program slope pulse generator are compared. If these outputs are found to be unequal, the contents of the compensating function generator are modified so as to automatically keep the tool offset vector aligned with the angle of the contouring path.