A method for evaluating a toolpath traveled by a rotating tool when the rotating tool machines a workpiece while moving relative to the workpiece, including: a calculation step for, based on a predetermined target toolpath and the shape of the workpiece before the workpiece is machined by moving the rotating tool along the target toolpath, calculating the dimensions of a contact area of the bottom surface portion of the rotating tool where the bottom portion is predicted to be in contact with the workpiece when the workpiece is actually machined by moving the rotating tool along the target toolpath, said bottom surface portion intersecting the rotational axis line of the tool; and a determination step for determining that the target toolpath is inappropriate if the dimensions of the contact area exceed predetermined threshold values when the rotating tool is positioned at any location along the target toolpath.

A method for evaluating a toolpath traveled by a rotating tool when the rotating tool machines a workpiece while moving relative to the workpiece, including: a calculation step for, based on a predetermined target toolpath and the shape of the workpiece before the workpiece is machined by moving the rotating tool along the target toolpath, calculating the dimensions of a contact area of the bottom surface portion of the rotating tool where the bottom portion is predicted to be in contact with the workpiece when the workpiece is actually machined by moving the rotating tool along the target toolpath, said bottom surface portion intersecting the rotational axis line of the tool; and a determination step for determining that the target toolpath is inappropriate if the dimensions of the contact area exceed predetermined threshold values when the rotating tool is positioned at any location along the target toolpath.

A grid plate encoder based positioning system (1) for positioning of an element is provided, the positioning system (1) comprises a grid plate (2) with a grid plate surface (21); an encoder unit (3) with one or more optical sensors (31) for sensing a grid plate surface pattern (23) of the grid plate surface (21); an input (7) to receive coordinates (Xd, Yd) specifying a desired position of the element; a mapping unit (8) to compute compensated coordinate data (Xa, Ya) corresponding to estimated position data expected from the encoder unit (3) when the element is positioned at a desired position (Xd, Yd) specified by the setpoint coordinates; a feedback control unit (9) providing the compensated coordinate data (Xa, Ya) as a setpoint (Xs, Ys) to a positioning unit (12), with feedback control based on the estimated position data obtained from the encoder unit.

Additionally, a grid plate encoder based positioning method and a method for computing compensation data are provided.

An adaptive lubrication control method used in an adaptive lubrication control system for a machining center having an axial system comprises a controller and a lubricating system. The method uses a built-in macro program unit and programmable logic unit of the controller to acquire the feed rate and load data of the axial system of the machining center for computing the shift parameter of the axial system so that the optimal lubrication timing and lubrication time length can be figured out for controlling the lubricating system to lubricate the axial system automatically.

An adaptive lubrication control method used in an adaptive lubrication control system for a machining center having an axial system comprises a controller and a lubricating system. The method uses a built-in macro program unit and programmable logic unit of the controller to acquire the feed rate and load data of the axial system of the machining center for computing the shift parameter of the axial system so that the optimal lubrication timing and lubrication time length can be figured out for controlling the lubricating system to lubricate the axial system automatically.

To provide a controller capable of exerting acceleration/deceleration control more accurately than has been exerted conventionally and capable of reducing the occurrence of shock and shortening cycle time. A numerical controller outputs a movement command for a drive axis of a machine based on a command in a program for controlling the machine having the drive axis controlled by a servo motor. The numerical controller exerts acceleration/deceleration control over the drive axis so as to satisfy a condition for the acceleration/deceleration in each of a machine coordinate system as an orthogonal coordinate system in the machine and a drive axis coordinate system by normalizing each of acceleration/deceleration related information in the machine coordinate system and acceleration/deceleration related information in the drive axis coordinate system to a value in the drive axis coordinate system.

To provide a controller capable of exerting acceleration/deceleration control more accurately than has been exerted conventionally and capable of reducing the occurrence of shock and shortening cycle time. A numerical controller outputs a movement command for a drive axis of a machine based on a command in a program for controlling the machine having the drive axis controlled by a servo motor. The numerical controller exerts acceleration/deceleration control over the drive axis so as to satisfy a condition for the acceleration/deceleration in each of a machine coordinate system as an orthogonal coordinate system in the machine and a drive axis coordinate system by normalizing each of acceleration/deceleration related information in the machine coordinate system and acceleration/deceleration related information in the drive axis coordinate system to a value in the drive axis coordinate system.

A controller includes a reference-sphere position obtaining unit that obtains coordinate values, on three linear axes, of a reference sphere placed on a table. The coordinate values are measured by controlling the three linear axes while a target rotation axis for which rotation axis center position is to be measured is positioned at three or more locations. The controller includes a rotation-axis commanded-angle obtaining unit that obtains commanded angles given to the target rotation axis during obtainment of a position of the reference sphere. The controller includes an approximate circle calculating unit that calculates an approximate circle passing near the coordinate values of the reference sphere on the three linear axes under a constraint of the commanded angles. The controller includes a rotation axis position storage unit that stores a center position of the approximate circle as coordinates of a center position of the target rotation axis.

A controller includes a reference-sphere position obtaining unit that obtains coordinate values, on three linear axes, of a reference sphere placed on a table. The coordinate values are measured by controlling the three linear axes while a target rotation axis for which rotation axis center position is to be measured is positioned at three or more locations. The controller includes a rotation-axis commanded-angle obtaining unit that obtains commanded angles given to the target rotation axis during obtainment of a position of the reference sphere. The controller includes an approximate circle calculating unit that calculates an approximate circle passing near the coordinate values of the reference sphere on the three linear axes under a constraint of the commanded angles. The controller includes a rotation axis position storage unit that stores a center position of the approximate circle as coordinates of a center position of the target rotation axis.

A measurement control system for a multi-shaft supported air floatation platform, the system comprising a load feedback unit (5), an execution unit (6), a position measurement unit (7), a safety protection unit (8), a controller (9), a rotating motor (10), and a linear light source 11; the load feedback unit comprises M pressure sensors (5-1) and four differential sensors (5-2); the execution unit comprises M servo voice coil motors (6-1) and M servo voice coil motor drivers (6-2); the position measurement unit comprises a plane grating (7-1), M linear gratings (7-2) a linear array CCD (7-3), a tilt sensor (7-4), M electronic levels (7-5), and an indoor GPS (7-6); the safety protection unit comprises 2M proximity sensors (8-1) and M temperature sensors (8-2); and the linear array CCD consists of no few then six CCDs. The system solves the problems of leveling limitations and narrow application range of existing supporting platforms.