A monitoring apparatus for the identification of anomalies and degradation paths in a machine tool is disclosed. The monitoring apparatus includes a control system interfaceable with a machine tool and configured for making the machine tool execute a predetermined cycle of operations; a recording system interfaceable with a plurality of sensors in the machine tool, wherein the recording system is configured for collecting operation data of machine tool during the predetermined cycle of operations; and an analysis system configured for receiving the operation data and for executing a statistical and data mining analysis on the operation data, comparing a pattern of the operation data with a predetermined pattern, for identifying any anomalies and degradation paths.

Provided is a numerical controller capable of efficient signal transmission and reception to and from a retrofitted PLC. A numerical controller includes a numerical control unit, a built-in PLC, and a retrofitted PLC operating at a predetermined control period different from those of the numerical control unit and the built-in PLC. The retrofitted PLC is configured to detect external triggers issued from the numerical control unit and the built-in PLC, execute a sequence processing for numerical control processing upon detection of the external trigger issued from the numerical control unit, and execute a sequence processing for built-in PLC processing upon detection of the external trigger issued from the built-in PLC.

Provided is a numerical controller capable of efficient signal transmission and reception to and from a retrofitted PLC. A numerical controller includes a numerical control unit, a built-in PLC, and a retrofitted PLC operating at a predetermined control period different from those of the numerical control unit and the built-in PLC. The retrofitted PLC is configured to detect external triggers issued from the numerical control unit and the built-in PLC, execute a sequence processing for numerical control processing upon detection of the external trigger issued from the numerical control unit, and execute a sequence processing for built-in PLC processing upon detection of the external trigger issued from the built-in PLC.

A software workstation and method configured to employ appended metadata in an industrial automation software of an industrial automation environment are provided. The software workstation in one example includes an interface configured to interact with a user and communicate with an industrial automation system including the industrial automation software and a processing system coupled to the interface, with the processing system configured to obtain a metadata information, generate at least one metadata instance from the metadata information, associate the at least one metadata instance with one or more predetermined objects in the industrial automation software, and store the at least one metadata instance and the association as part of the industrial automation software.

A numerical controller includes a programmable controller that performs input and output of a signal based on a ladder program and performs control of a machine based on an NC program. The numerical controller includes a first table associating the function used for control of the machine, an input signal, and an output signal and a second table associating the input signal, the output signal, and a signal in a dependent relation with the input signal and the output signal. Based on a function code of a function commanded by a block of the NC program that is preread, the numerical controller refers to the first and the second tables, identifies a signal to be subjected to automatic trace, and performs trace.

A numerical control apparatus includes an API interface section that accepts invocation of an API function, an API control section that executes the process of the API function based on the invocation of the API function, and processing period estimation means for estimating if the execution of the API function is completed in a predetermined period, and the API control section does not execute but terminates the process of the API function when the processing period estimation means estimates that the execution of the API function will not be completed in the predetermined period.

To provide an electronic device and numerical controller that can achieve reduction in work for changing a display state after start-up of an application. A numerical controller comprises: a display control unit that displays one started application or multiple started applications simultaneously on the display unit; an input unit that accepts input through the operation unit and identifies a position on the display unit; a recognition unit that recognizes a figure drawn with the operation unit based on the identified position; and a start-up unit that starts an application associated with the figure and determines an initial display position for the started application based on the position on the display unit where the figure is drawn.

A NC-program editing apparatus includes a 3D-machining-shape generating unit that generates, for each unit of machining, a three-dimensional machining shape including position information in a three-dimensional virtual space on the basis of attribute information described for each unit of machining configuring an NC program, an attribute processing unit that extracts the attribute information from the NC program and associates three-dimensional position information corresponding to a machining shape corresponding to the extracted attribute information with the extracted attribute information, and a display-screen control unit that displays the NC program on a program display screen and displays a projection drawing of the machining shape on a shape display screen according to position information contained in the machining shape and, when receiving an input for editing the NC program via the program display screen, reflects content of the input on the NC program.

To provide an electronic device and numerical controller that can achieve reduction in work for changing a display state after start-up of an application. A numerical controller comprises: a display control unit that displays one started application or multiple started applications simultaneously on the display unit; an input unit that accepts input through the operation unit and identifies a position on the display unit; a recognition unit that recognizes a figure drawn with the operation unit based on the identified position; and a start-up unit that starts an application associated with the figure and determines an initial display position for the started application based on the position on the display unit where the figure is drawn.

To provide an analysis apparatus capable of improving the accuracy of analysis results. An analysis apparatus makes predictions about the quality of conditions of a production facility or the quality of conditions of a production object in a process of producing a crankshaft as the production object by a grinder as the production facility. The analysis apparatus includes the plurality of predictors making predictions about the quality by using different analysis methods based on data concerning the production facility, a selection unit selecting the plurality of predictors in use from the plurality of predictors, and an overall predictor calculating a comprehensive prediction result about the quality based on the plurality of prediction results obtained by the plurality of predictors in use selected by the selection unit.