A system for controlling an operation of a machine including a plurality of actuators assisting one or multiple tools to perform one or multiple tasks, in response to receiving an acoustic mixture of signals generated by the tool performing a task and by the plurality of actuators actuating the tool, submit the acoustic mixture of signals into a neural network trained to separate from the acoustic mixture a signal generated by the tool performing the task from signals generated by the actuators actuating the tool to extract the signal generated by the tool performing the task from the acoustic mixture of signals, analyze the extracted signal to produce a state of performance of the task, and execute a control action selected according to the state of performance of the task.

A self-configuring computer-controlled fabrication apparatus that utilizes no fewer than four user changeable tools concurrently installed to fabricate a three-dimensional component from digital design data out of a variety of materials using additive and/or subtractive methods. User interchangeable tools perform different tasks including paste extrusion, filament extrusion, inkjet deposition, laser curing, laser etching, milling, cooling, curing, inspection, and component placement, among others. Each tool, that is selected and installed by the user for each job, contains operational information regarding its performance in nonvolatile memory such that the system can read, then adapt, the build process to the set of tools currently installed.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating enhancing operations of a computer numerical control (CNC) cutting machine, in accordance with some embodiments. Further, the CNC cutting machine comprises a support table, a gantry, a carriage, and a main cutting tool. Further, the gantry is configured to move vertically along a length of the support table and the carriage is configured to move horizontally on the gantry along a length of the gantry defining an operation area on the support table. Accordingly, the apparatus comprises an extension device. Further, the extension device comprises a first end and a second end. Further, the first end is attachable to a carriage housing of the carriage and a tool holder is comprised in the second end. Further, the extension device is configured to extend between two positions. Further, the tool holder is configured for removably holding an auxiliary cutting tool.

A method and system for aggregate programming a computer numerical control (CNC) machine that includes (a) shifting a control point from an aggregate base point to a center tip of a tool being programmed, thereby enabling tool length and diameter adjustment along with C-axis aggregate rotation during a machine activity. The shifting includes (i) activating a tilted work plane (TWP); and (ii) shifting the control point to the tip of the tool using a tool length compensation. The system and method also include (b) implementing an activity on the CNC machine using the shifted control point and C-axis aggregate rotation. In some cases, activating the TWP comprises using a special machine control code such as g-code G68.2. In some cases, shifting the control point to the tip of the tool using a tool length compensation comprises using a special machine control code such as g-code G43.

A data interface device for data transmission between a numerically controlled machine tool and external data processing device, including: a control interface unit for data transmission with a control device of the machine tool and communications unit for data transmission with the external data processing device. Stored configuration data specifies a communication protocol used by the control device from a first group of communication protocols and a communication protocol used by the external data processing device from a second group. The control interface unit uses any protocol from the first group of communication protocols for data transmission and selects the communication protocol used by the control device for data transmission with the control device. The communications unit uses any protocol from a second group of communication protocols for data transmission and selects the communication protocol used by the external data processing device for data transmission with the data processing device.

A method and an apparatus for calibrating a tool in a flange coordinate system of a robot are disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a rotation angle of each joint of a robot when a to-be-calibrated tool fasted on an end joint mounting portion of the robot moves to a central point of the to-be-calibrated tool and overlaps with a calibration reference point; acquiring calibration information of a central point of a calibrated tool in a flange coordinate system of the robot; and completing calibration of the central point of the to-be-calibrated tool in the flange coordinate system of the robot according to the calibration information of the central point of the calibrated tool and a rotation angle of the to-be calibrated tool.

Provided is a control device for a machine tool that exchanges a tool and machines a work piece on the basis of a machining program, said control device being provided with a machining program analysis unit that analyzes a machining program and extracts, from the machining program, measurement-related information relating to a dimensional measurement of a tool, and with a measurement program generation unit that, on the basis of the measurement-related information and basic tool information input in advance, generates a measurement program for measuring the dimensions of the tool.

An offset number setting device that freely and easily sets an offset number for a tool to be mounted on a tool holder of a turret surface. A display linkage unit displays a turret surface selection screen on a display, displays a tool holder selection screen on the display by selecting the turret surface, and displays an offset number setting screen on the display by selecting the tool holder. An offset number is therefore set for the tool along with the selection of the turret surface on which the tool is mounted.

A numerical control device is the numerical control device that controls a machine tool including a plurality of spindles that each rotate a tool opposed to a workpiece around a tool axis relative to the workpiece and a feed shaft that performs a feed operation such that a plurality of the tools relatively move closer to a plurality of the workpieces, and the numerical control device includes an associated-synchronous-tapping unit that associates, according to an associated-synchronous-tapping command, rotation and feed of a spindle on an associated side among the spindles with rotation and feed of a spindle on a reference side among the spindles and simultaneously performs synchronous tapping with the tools.

The scheduling problem of a multi-cluster tool with a tree topology whose bottleneck tool is process-bound is investigated. A method for scheduling the multi-cluster tool to thereby generate an optimal one-wafer cyclic schedule for this multi-cluster tool is provided. A Petri net (PN) model is developed for the multi-cluster tool by explicitly modeling robot waiting times such that a schedule is determined by setting the robot waiting times. Based on the PN model, sufficient and necessary conditions under which a one-wafer cyclic schedule exists are derived and it is shown that an optimal one-wafer cyclic schedule can be always found. Then, efficient algorithms are given to find the optimal cycle time and its optimal schedule. Examples are used to demonstrate the scheduling method.