A machine forms threads on a workpiece by relatively feeding the workpiece and a cutting tool in a feeding direction while relatively rotating the workpiece and the cutting tool, and by performing a helical cutting work multiple times while carrying out relative reciprocal vibration of the workpiece and the cutting tool in a radial direction of the workpiece. The machine tool or a control device of the machine tool includes a vibration setting unit to set a pattern of vibration during each cutting work accompanied by the reciprocal vibration so that a cut portion of one cutting work partially includes a portion that has been cut in another cutting work. The machine tool and the control device prevent a long, continuous chip from becoming entangled with a workpiece or a cutting tool in the process of forming threads on the workpiece.

A main spindle controller of a machine tool varies a rotation speed of a main spindle that grips a workpiece to a varied maximum speed higher than a reference rotation speed set value as a set value of a reference rotation speed by a variation width set value as a set value of a variation width or a varied minimum speed lower than the reference rotation speed set value by the variation width set value in units of the tool path. At the same time, the main spindle controller refers to speed condition information that indicates a condition of the preliminarily stored reference rotation speed and variation width assuming that a chatter vibration is to be reduced, and when at least one of the reference rotation speed set value and the variation width set value does not satisfy the condition of the speed condition information.

A controller controls a machine tool, which performs thread cutting for a workpiece, according to a machining program. The controller analyzes operating conditions of a cutting-up/cutting-in motion commanded in the machining program and inserts a cutting-up/cutting-in motion created based on the analyzed operating conditions into the thread cutting. In the insertion of the cutting-up/cutting-in motion into the thread cutting, a cycle including a cutting-in operation, a cutting-up operation for separating chips by raising the cutting tool for cutting in the radial direction of the workpiece, and an operation to cause the cutting tool to approach a start position of an immediately preceding cutting-up operation so as not to interfere with the workpiece is repeatedly performed.

A controller controls a machine tool, which performs thread cutting for a workpiece, according to a machining program. The controller analyzes operating conditions of a cutting-up/cutting-in motion commanded in the machining program and inserts a cutting-up/cutting-in motion created based on the analyzed operating conditions into the thread cutting. In the insertion of the cutting-up/cutting-in motion into the thread cutting, a cycle including a cutting-in operation, a cutting-up operation for separating chips by raising the cutting tool for cutting in the radial direction of the workpiece, and an operation to cause the cutting tool to approach a start position of an immediately preceding cutting-up operation so as not to interfere with the workpiece is repeatedly performed.

A numerical controller is configured to move a tool in synchronism with rotation of a workpiece, thereby controlling a machine tool configured to perform thread cutting, and comprises a cutting amount variation setting unit for previously setting the size of a variation of a cutting amount during the thread cutting. The cutting amount variation setting unit periodically changes the cutting amount based on a preset variation during the thread cutting.

A machine tool and a control device for the machine tool for shortening the machining time of a workpiece in a case where the relative and reciprocal vibration of workpiece holder and tool post in the radial direction of the workpiece is stopped during a period from an initial point until when the workpiece and the cutting tool come into contact with each other is provided. In the machine tool, when threading the workpiece to form a threaded portion on the workpiece by relatively moving the workpiece and the cutting tool in the feed direction while relatively rotating the workpiece and the cutting tool 130 to perform multiple times of cutting processes along the same cutting path in a predetermined spiral form, the cutting tool is brought closer toward the workpiece in the feed direction from a predetermined initial point at which the workpiece and the cutting tool are separated from each other, the workpiece and the cutting tool come into contact with each other, and the threading is started with the contact. During the period from the initial point until when the workpiece and the cutting tool come into contact with each other, a controller stops the vibration of the cutting tool, and, in continuous cutting processes in the multiple times of cutting processes in the threading, the control means sets a phase position of the tool post in the vibration direction and stops the reciprocal vibration so that, when the workpiece and the cutting tool come into contact with each other, each of the continuous cutting processes has a predetermined phase in the reciprocal vibration relative to a rotation phase of the workpiece at the start of the threading.

A machine tool includes a first-pass rotation speed computing section. The first-pass rotation speed computing section automatically decides whether the main spindle rotation speed in the first pass should be a high rotation speed or a low rotation speed so that cutting in the last tool pass is performed at the high rotation speed. Thus, cutting of the last tool pass at the low rotation speed can be reliably prevented.

A machine tool includes a first-pass rotation speed computing section. The first-pass rotation speed computing section automatically decides whether the main spindle rotation speed in the first pass should be a high rotation speed or a low rotation speed so that cutting in the last tool pass is performed at the high rotation speed. Thus, cutting of the last tool pass at the low rotation speed can be reliably prevented.

A main spindle controller of a machine tool varies a rotation speed of a main spindle that grips a workpiece to a varied maximum speed higher than a reference rotation speed set value as a set value of a reference rotation speed by a variation width set value as a set value of a variation width or a varied minimum speed lower than the reference rotation speed set value by the variation width set value in units of the tool path. At the same time, the main spindle controller refers to speed condition information that indicates a condition of the preliminarily stored reference rotation speed and variation width assuming that a chatter vibration is to be reduced, and when at least one of the reference rotation speed set value and the variation width set value does not satisfy the condition of the speed condition information.

A main spindle controller of a machine tool varies a rotation speed of a main spindle that grips a workpiece to a varied maximum speed higher than a reference rotation speed set value as a set value of a reference rotation speed by a variation width set value as a set value of a variation width or a varied minimum speed lower than the reference rotation speed set value by the variation width set value in units of the tool path. At the same time, the main spindle controller refers to speed condition information that indicates a condition of the preliminarily stored reference rotation speed and variation width assuming that a chatter vibration is to be reduced, and when at least one of the reference rotation speed set value and the variation width set value does not satisfy the condition of the speed condition information.