A method and apparatus for determining a trajectory of a robot's end effector are disclosed. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a force obtaining device to obtain a collision force of the end effector of the robot, caused by a collision of the end effector upon the collision being detected; and a trajectory determining device to determine a second trajectory of the end effector based on the collision force of the end effector obtained, and based on a recorded first trajectory of the end effector. The recorded first trajectory is a trajectory recorded before the collision, and the second trajectory is a trajectory determined after the collision. As such, an efficient protection for the robot and its working environment at the moment of collision may be achieved.

A system and method for using a probe assembly to apply a desired force to a target surface. The method includes moving the probe assembly into an approach position, the approach position being a predetermined distance from the target surface. The probe assembly is then moved from the approach position to the target surface pursuant to a soft landing procedure. The soft landing procedure includes determining that the probe assembly has moved into soft contact with the target surface. The method further includes applying, subsequent to establishment of the soft contact between the probe assembly and the target surface, force to the probe assembly until an applied force on the target surface reaches the desired force. The applied force may then be monitored based upon an output of a load cell responsive to a force exerted by the probe assembly.

A numerical control device that controls a machine tool that machines work by moving a tool relatively to the work on the basis of a machining program includes a analyzing unit that analyzes the machining program and generates movement command data, a detecting unit that detects abnormality during the machining, a retract control unit that supplies, when abnormality is detected, an operation command for a retract operation for retracting the tool from the work, and an integrating unit that integrates a movement amount of the tool based on the supplied operation command. The analyzing unit executes a tool retraction program for moving the tool or the work to a predetermined position after adding the movement amount of the tool integrated by the integrating unit to a coordinate value of the tool on the machining program to update the coordinate value at a point in time when the retract operation ends.

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for machining a workpiece (2). The method comprises specifying a path along which a cutting tool (6) is moved during machining the workpiece (2), the path comprising segments (26); defining, for each segment (26), an exit point on that segment (26); defining, for each segment (26), an exit path (38) from the exit point of that segment (26) to a point remote from the workpiece (2); performing a machining process including moving the cutting tool (6) along the tool path and machining the workpiece (2); and, during the machining process, when one or more criteria are satisfied: interrupting the machining process and, without machining the workpiece (2), moving the cutting tool (6) to the exit point of the current segment (26) and then along the exit path (38) of the current segment (26).

A method and apparatus for determining a trajectory of a robot's end effector are disclosed. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a force obtaining device to obtain a collision force of the end effector of the robot, caused by a collision of the end effector upon the collision being detected; and a trajectory determining device to determine a second trajectory of the end effector based on the collision force of the end effector obtained, and based on a recorded first trajectory of the end effector. The recorded first trajectory is a trajectory recorded before the collision, and the second trajectory is a trajectory determined after the collision. As such, an efficient protection for the robot and its working environment at the moment of collision may be achieved.

A control device is provided with an instructed path generation unit that generates an instructed path for a movement path of a moving part on the basis of an instruction of a program, an actual forward path prediction unit that predicts an actual forward path from the instructed path using a machine model relating to a transfer characteristic of an industrial machine, an instructed reverse path generation unit that generates an instructed reverse path by reversing the movement direction of an actual forward path, an actual reverse path prediction unit that predicts an actual reverse path from the instructed reverse path using the machine model, and an instructed speed adjustment unit that adjusts an instructed speed based on a movement speed indicated by the instruction of the program so as to reduce an error of the actual reverse path relative to the instructed reverse path, and generates an instructed reverse speed.

Optimized positioning paths for multi-axis CNC machining can be generated based on the machine tool kinematics, machine axes travel limits, machine axis velocity and acceleration limits, and machine positioning methodologies. Machine axes travel limits and machine positioning methodologies are incorporated in order to ensure that the developed positioning paths do not violate machine axes travel limitations. Multi-axis positioning paths are developed to avoid collisions with dynamically changing in-process stock and other surroundings, including fixtures and both moving and non-moving components of the machine. Positioning tool path customizations give the user the flexibility to apply safety based constraints to the automatically generated tool paths. The disclosed automatic positioning path planning and optimization methods are used to develop a process for part manufacturing using CNC machining in order to reduce the manufacturing cycle time.

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for machining a workpiece (2). The method comprises specifying a path along which a cutting tool (6) is moved during machining the workpiece (2), the path comprising segments (26); defining, for each segment (26), an exit point on that segment (26); defining, for each segment (26), an exit path (38) from the exit point of that segment (26) to a point remote from the workpiece (2); performing a machining process including moving the cutting tool (6) along the tool path and machining the workpiece (2); and, during the machining process, when one or more criteria are satisfied: interrupting the machining process and, without machining the workpiece (2), moving the cutting tool (6) to the exit point of the current segment (26) and then along the exit path (38) of the current segment (26).

A numerical controller which controls a five-axis machining machine having two rotary axes generates speed data for deceleration stop along movement paths when a stop signal that requires interruption of machining and retraction is sensed, and based on the speed data, generates stop retraction path command data combining a path for the deceleration stop along the movement paths and a retraction path receding from the movement paths.

A numerical control device that controls a machine tool that machines work by moving a tool relatively to the work on the basis of a machining program includes a analyzing unit that analyzes the machining program and generates movement command data, a detecting unit that detects abnormality during the machining, a retract control unit that supplies, when abnormality is detected, an operation command for a retract operation for retracting the tool from the work, and an integrating unit that integrates a movement amount of the tool based on the supplied operation command. The analyzing unit executes a tool retraction program for moving the tool or the work to a predetermined position after adding the movement amount of the tool integrated by the integrating unit to a coordinate value of the tool on the machining program to update the coordinate value at a point in time when the retract operation ends.