This disclosure concerns a method for selecting a tool-path strategy in a material processing operation. The geometry of a work piece (34) and the contact patch (36) of a tool are determined and used to define a tool-path boundary (30,32). A number of different possible tool-paths (38,40,46) are then simulated within the tool-path boundary (30) and the most preferred tool-path (38,40,46) is selected based on predefined requirements.

Provided is a program of calculating a tool path that processes a workpiece having a complicated shape with use of an apparatus enabling multiaxial control in a program including a robot or the like with simple information input. A path calculation program for calculating a tool path for processing a curved processed part formed by a hole provided in a curved-surface-shaped workpiece functions as a workpiece shape information inputter configured to input workpiece shape information about a shape of the workpiece and a shape of the curve, a tool shape information inputter configured to input tool shape information about a shape of the tool, and a tool position calculator configured to calculate a tool position enabling a specified point on the curve to be processed by the tool based on the input workpiece shape information and tool shape information.

Systems, devices, and methods including selecting one or more sequences of machining types for a feature of one or more features, where the selection of the one or more sequences of machining types is based on the feature and a database of prior selections of machining types; selecting one or more tools for the selected one or more sequences of machining types, where the selection of the one or more tools is based on the feature, the selected one or more sequences of machining types, and a database of prior selections of one or more tools; and selecting one or more machining parameters for the selected one or more tools, where the selected machining parameters are based on the feature, the selected one or more sequences of machining types, the selected one or more tools, and a database of prior selections of one or more machining parameters.

A numerical controller includes a machining program creation unit for receiving an input of a machining program including a cycle command, a tool path creation unit for creating a plurality of tool paths based on the machining program, a display unit for displaying the machining program and the plurality of tool paths, and a correspondence relation management unit for recording a relation between an argument of the cycle command and the plurality of tool paths in an information table, wherein the correspondence relation management unit receives a selection of a selected tool path corresponding to one of the plurality of tool paths, and specifies an argument of the cycle command corresponding to the selected tool path with reference to the information table, and the display unit displays the specified argument in a different form from a form of another argument in the machining program.

A disclosed machining environment support system that provides a customer with suitability evaluation information regarding working machines and tools, with respect to a workpiece, the machining environment support system including: an input processing unit that inputs processing information regarding the workpiece; a selection processing unit that extracts working machines and tools suited to the processing information from a database and displays the same on a display unit in a selectable manner; and an output processing unit that generates and outputs the suitability evaluation information regarding the working machines and tools, based on the result of processing the workpiece using the selected working machines and tools based on the processing information. The selection processing unit is configured to display the working machines and tools determined as being owned by the customer based on attribute information registered in the database as well as the working machines and tools determined as not being owned by the customer, on the display unit in a selectable manner.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for computer aided design and manufacture of physical structures using toolpaths generated by reinforcement learning for use with subtractive manufacturing systems and techniques, include: obtaining, in a computer aided design or manufacturing program, a three dimensional model of a manufacturable object; generating toolpaths that are usable by a computer-controlled manufacturing system to manufacture at least a portion of the manufacturable object by providing at least a portion of the three dimensional model to a machine learning algorithm that employs reinforcement learning, wherein the machine learning algorithm includes one or more scoring functions that include rewards that correlate with desired toolpath characteristics comprising toolpath smoothness, toolpath length, and avoiding collision with the three dimensional model; and providing the toolpaths to the computer-controlled manufacturing system to manufacture at least the portion of the manufacturable object.

A method for developing a numerical control manufacturing program for a common geometric feature of a first component includes obtaining manufacturing process data for the common geometric feature. The manufacturing process data is associated with one or more numerical control manufacturing processes for the common geometric feature of one or more second components. Each of the one or more second components includes the common geometric feature. The method further includes determining one or more manufacturing constraints for the numerical control manufacturing program for the common geometric feature of the first component, selecting a numerical control manufacturing process of the one or more numerical control manufacturing processes, obtaining manufacturing process parameters for the selected one or more numerical control manufacturing processes, and developing the numerical control manufacturing program for the common geometric feature of the first component. The developed numerical control manufacturing program includes the manufacturing process parameters.