A virtual computer numerical control (CNC) machining system includes: a virtual CNC design server, including a work-holding library and workpiece library; a virtual CNC manufacturing server, including a CNC Machine library and a machining tool library; a virtual CNC manufacturing device; a virtual CNC machine job, including a logical workpiece, a design model, a logical work-holding device, a logical machining tool, a logical CNC machine, and a logical machine job; a plurality of physical CNC machine systems, each including a physical CNC machine, and physical work-holding devices, machining tools, and work pieces. Also disclosed is a virtual CNC machining method, including installing CNC machine systems; creating, editing, validating, translating, and calculating cost of a logical machine job; and manufacturing.

A design support system includes memory, a receiving unit, and an associating unit. The memory stores information on design element classification that classifies a design element included in a product, and information on design requirement classification that classifies a design requirement required for the product. The receiving unit receives technical information regarding a design trouble. The associating unit refers to technical information regarding a design trouble, received by the receiving unit, and associates a classification item in the design requirement classification to which the design trouble belongs and a classification item in the design element classification to which a design element causing the design trouble belongs with each other, along with information on a phenomenon indicating a failure status of the design element included in the technical information.

A parameter setting support device is provided with a parameter setting interface unit configured to display an input screen for setting a parameter of a function of a numerical controller and accept the setting of the value of the parameter of the function to be set, a related parameter identification unit configured to identify a related function related to the parameter of the settable function, based on the relationship between the parameter and each function of the numerical controller, and a setting range identification unit configured to identify a setting range of the parameter of the related function by calculating a conditional expression predetermined for the setting range of the parameter of the related function. The parameter setting interface unit displays the setting range of the parameter of the related function identified by the setting range identification unit.

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 making a counter-die cutter for a die cutting machine having a die cutter and respective counter-die cutter includes: acquiring a digital drawing of a die cutter to be made, which is provided with comparing means; acquiring a digital drawing of a respective counter-die cutter to be made; providing a wooden support of the die cutter; making a plurality of comparing means on the support of the die cutter; making the die cutter; detecting the position and/or orientation of the comparing means of the finished die cutter; comparing the detected position and/or orientation with corresponding position and/or orientation of the comparing means being in the digital drawing of the die cutter; modifying the digital drawing of the counter-die cutter based on the detected differences to adapt the digital drawing to the finished die cutter; and making the counter-die cutter based on the modified digital drawing.

A design support system includes memory, a receiving unit, and an associating unit. The memory stores information on design element classification that classifies a design element included in a product, and information on design requirement classification that classifies a design requirement required for the product. The receiving unit receives technical information regarding a design trouble. The associating unit refers to technical information regarding a design trouble, received by the receiving unit, and associates a classification item in the design requirement classification to which the design trouble belongs and a classification item in the design element classification to which a design element causing the design trouble belongs with each other, along with information on a phenomenon indicating a failure status of the design element included in the technical information.

A numerical controller in which a plurality of software packages using the same type of parameters are installed includes a parameter storage unit having a plurality of storage areas for storing the parameters, for each of parameter types, and a storage unit configured to store, for each of the software packages, a parameter information file in which information of the storage areas used by each of the software packages is described for each of the parameter types.

A method of making a counter-die cutter for a die cutting machine having a die cutter and respective counter-die cutter includes: acquiring a digital drawing of a die cutter to be made, which is provided with comparing means; acquiring a digital drawing of a respective counter-die cutter to be made; providing a wooden support of the die cutter; making a plurality of comparing means on the support of the die cutter; making the die cutter; detecting the position and/or orientation of the comparing means of the finished die cutter; comparing the detected position and/or orientation with corresponding position and/or orientation of the comparing means being in the digital drawing of the die cutter; modifying the digital drawing of the counter-die cutter based on the detected differences to adapt the digital drawing to the finished die cutter; and making the counter-die cutter based on the modified digital drawing.

A numerical controller in which a plurality of software packages using the same type of parameters are installed includes a parameter storage unit having a plurality of storage areas for storing the parameters, for each of parameter types, and a storage unit configured to store, for each of the software packages, a parameter information file in which information of the storage areas used by each of the software packages is described for each of the parameter types.

A parameter setting support device is provided with a parameter setting interface unit configured to display an input screen for setting a parameter of a function of a numerical controller and accept the setting of the value of the parameter of the function to be set, a related parameter identification unit configured to identify a related function related to the parameter of the settable function, based on the relationship between the parameter and each function of the numerical controller, and a setting range identification unit configured to identify a setting range of the parameter of the related function by calculating a conditional expression predetermined for the setting range of the parameter of the related function. The parameter setting interface unit displays the setting range of the parameter of the related function identified by the setting range identification unit.