METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING SPARE TOOLS FOR A MACHINE TOOL

摘要

In a numerical control system, a plurality of machine tools are provided each having a tool spindle, a tool magazine for storing primary tools along with spare tools respectively associated with some of the primary tools, and a tool changer for changing tools between the tool spindle and the tool magazine. A system control host computer included in the system divides the operational period of each machine tool into a plurality of operational period sections and calculates prospective used times of primary tools which are programmed to be used on the tool spindle in accordance with at least one numerical control program within each of the operational period sections. The host computer then estimates primary tools whose lives will expire within each operational period section, based upon cumulative past used times, the prospective used times and life times of the primary tools and searches for tool number data of spare tools associated with the estimated primary tools. The tool number data of the spare tools are applied to a tool replacing controller which controls tool replacing robots and a tool transporter provided between a tool stocker and the tool magazine of each machine tool, so that the spare tools can be transferred from the tool stocker to the tool magazine of each machine tool.