WIRE ELECTRIC DISCHARGE MACHINE CONTROLLER HAVING WIRE ELECTRODE REPLACEMENT FUNCTION

摘要

A controller for controlling a wire electric discharge machine is configured to monitor the remaining lifetime of a wire electrode and calculates an electric discharge machining time, thereby determining the timing of replacement of the wire electrode, so that it can recognize the timing of interruption of electric discharge machining. Consequently, a program operation can be suspended and the wire electrode can be cut and automatically replaced at that timing. After the replacement of the wire electrode, moreover, the wire electrode can be connected and the program operation can be restarted.

主权项

1. A wire electric discharge machine controller configured to create a machining path based on an axis movement command from a machining program and perform a program operation according to the machining program to move a wire electrode and a workpiece relative to each other along the created machining path, the wire electric discharge machine controller comprising:
a program operation control unit configured to execute the machining program; a wire remaining lifetime monitoring unit configured to monitor the remaining lifetime of the wire electrode; an electric discharge machining time calculation unit configured to analyze the machining program and calculate, before the start of electric discharge, an electric discharge machining time in a machining interval before the electric discharge is stopped; a wire electrode replacement timing determination unit configured to compare the remaining lifetime and the electric discharge machining time and determine that the timing of replacement of the wire electrode is reached if the remaining lifetime of the wire electrode is shorter than the electric discharge machining time; a program operation stop command unit configured to output a stop command for the program operation to the program operation control unit when the replacement timing for the wire electrode is reached; a wire cutting control unit configured to output a cutting command for the wire electrode to a wire cutting unit and monitor the completion of cutting of the wire electrode; a wire electrode replacement control unit configured to output a replacement command for the wire electrode to a wire electrode replacement unit and monitor the completion of replacement of the wire electrode; a wire connection control unit configured to output a connection command for the wire electrode to a wire connection unit and monitor the completion of connection of the wire electrode when the replacement of the wire electrode is completed; and a program operation restart command unit configured to output a restart command for the program operation to the program operation control unit when the connection of the wire electrode is completed.