A processing method includes: a step of setting a workpiece having a workpiece surface made of a material containing metal, on a precision processing machine; and a forming step of forming multiple grooves having a V-shaped cross-section, at intervals of a constant pitch in a predetermined area on the workpiece surface, using a tool provided in the precision processing machine to thereby form a V-groove pattern made up of the multiple grooves, in the predetermined area. In the forming step, each time one groove is formed, the relative position between the tool and the workpiece is moved in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the groove and the angle of the groove face of the groove is gradually varied so that a uniform color can be visually recognized in every location in the predetermined area when the predetermined area is observed from a predetermined viewpoint.

A processing method includes: a step of setting a workpiece having a workpiece surface made of a material containing metal, on a precision processing machine; and a forming step of forming multiple grooves having a V-shaped cross-section, at intervals of a constant pitch in a predetermined area on the workpiece surface, using a tool provided in the precision processing machine to thereby form a V-groove pattern made up of the multiple grooves, in the predetermined area. In the forming step, each time one groove is formed, the relative position between the tool and the workpiece is moved in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the groove and the angle of the groove face of the groove is gradually varied so that a uniform color can be visually recognized in every location in the predetermined area when the predetermined area is observed from a predetermined viewpoint.

An estimating device estimating a rotary axis position of a workpiece includes first and second position acquisition units acquiring tool positions in first and second directions, a load acquisition unit acquiring first and second directional loads of the tool in the first and second directions, a determination unit determining whether or not the first and second directional loads each are a threshold or less, a turning control unit performing a lathe turning on the workpiece until the first directional load becomes the threshold or less and thereafter performing a lathe turning thereon until the second directional load becomes the threshold or less, and an estimating unit estimating the rotary axis position based on a first directional position of the tool when the first directional load has become the threshold or less, and a second directional position thereof when the second directional load has become the threshold or less.

An estimating device estimating a rotary axis position of a workpiece includes first and second position acquisition units acquiring tool positions in first and second directions, a load acquisition unit acquiring first and second directional loads of the tool in the first and second directions, a determination unit determining whether or not the first and second directional loads each are a threshold or less, a turning control unit performing a lathe turning on the workpiece until the first directional load becomes the threshold or less and thereafter performing a lathe turning thereon until the second directional load becomes the threshold or less, and an estimating unit estimating the rotary axis position based on a first directional position of the tool when the first directional load has become the threshold or less, and a second directional position thereof when the second directional load has become the threshold or less.

In a control method for the movement of a tool with a machine tool, the machine tool involves a numerically controlled machine tool, in order to produce an arbitrary required surface of a workpiece by machining. A numeric path program is created which describes the machining of the workpiece with the tool at machining points and which controls the control device. The numeric path program produces a path with respect to the geometric nature of the surface of the workpiece to be machined, with the path including a plurality of sample points and individual paths, with each individual path connecting a pair of the sample points to each other. The numeric path program is evaluated and selected on the basis of a geometric quality criterion, with the geometric quality criterion having continuity as at least one criterion.

In a control method for the movement of a tool with a machine tool, the machine tool involves a numerically controlled machine tool, in order to produce an arbitrary required surface of a workpiece by machining. A numeric path program is created which describes the machining of the workpiece with the tool at machining points and which controls the control device. The numeric path program produces a path with respect to the geometric nature of the surface of the workpiece to be machined, with the path including a plurality of sample points and individual paths, with each individual path connecting a pair of the sample points to each other. The numeric path program is evaluated and selected on the basis of a geometric quality criterion, with the geometric quality criterion having continuity as at least one criterion.

A method of machining a metal panel to impart a 2-dimensional representation of an image and a 3-dimensional representation of a dimensional design on the metal panel. An image file is received and converted to at least one image control file. A dimensional design file is received and converted to at least one dimensional design control file. The metal panel is then machined in accordance with the image control file to transfer the representation of the image on the metal panel and machined in accordance with the dimensional design control file to transfer the representation of the dimensional design on the metal panel adjacent to the representation of the image.

A method of machining a metal panel to impart a 2-dimensional representation of an image and a 3-dimensional representation of a dimensional design on the metal panel. An image file is received and converted to at least one image control file. A dimensional design file is received and converted to at least one dimensional design control file. The metal panel is then machined in accordance with the image control file to transfer the representation of the image on the metal panel and machined in accordance with the dimensional design control file to transfer the representation of the dimensional design on the metal panel adjacent to the representation of the image.

A gear machining apparatus creates a gear on a workpiece W by moving a gear cutting tool relatively with respect to the workpiece along the direction of the rotation axis of the workpiece W while synchronously rotating the gear cutting tool and the workpiece. One of a workpiece rotation speed controlling portion and a tool rotation speed controlling portion varies the rotation speed of one of the workpiece and the gear cutting tool and the other one of the workpiece rotation speed controlling portion and the tool rotation speed controlling portion synchronizes the rotation speed of the other one of the workpiece and the gear cutting tool with one of the rotation speed of the workpiece and the gear cutting tool.

A gear machining apparatus creates a gear on a workpiece W by moving a gear cutting tool relatively with respect to the workpiece along the direction of the rotation axis of the workpiece W while synchronously rotating the gear cutting tool and the workpiece. One of a workpiece rotation speed controlling portion and a tool rotation speed controlling portion varies the rotation speed of one of the workpiece and the gear cutting tool and the other one of the workpiece rotation speed controlling portion and the tool rotation speed controlling portion synchronizes the rotation speed of the other one of the workpiece and the gear cutting tool with one of the rotation speed of the workpiece and the gear cutting tool.