JP3201829B2 - Figure extraction device in CAD system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CAD system that converts a data format into a data format that can be easily taken into a programming device and outputs the data. The present invention relates to a figure extracting apparatus in a CAD system suitable for continuously extracting a pattern.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a design / drafting work in a CAD system, a designer draws each figure element in consideration of an order in which the design / drafting work efficiency is maximized. This order is generally not often related to the order in which the processing steps are considered. Therefore, a great deal of labor is often required at the time of NC programming for using the graphic data created by the CAD system as NC data. On the other hand, by converting graphic data created on a CAD system into a part program according to a machining process, the burden on NC programming work in a later process is also reduced.
When forming a part program, for example, a series of graphic element data for equalizing the machining process is extracted, such as a plurality of graphic element data processed by the same tool or a plurality of continuous graphic element data belonging to the same contour line, The work of grouping these becomes necessary.

[0003]

However, conventionally, since the relationship between groups of graphic element data to be grouped is not clear, there is a problem that the grouping work is difficult and the work efficiency of the graphic extraction work is low. .

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and it is possible to improve the efficiency of extracting and grouping a series of graphic element data having a common processing step.
An object of the present invention is to provide a graphic extracting device in an AD system.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a graphic extracting apparatus for a CAD system, which sequentially converts a series of graphic element data belonging to the same processing step from graphic element data generated on the CAD system based on the processing step. And a series of graphic element data extracted for each of the processing steps are stored in a common layer (group).
A storage unit that will be stored in association to belong to the loop), and a display means for displaying a list of contents of the respective layers, in a state in which the list is displayed contents of said layer in the display means, the graphic input means for designating a layer to associate a set of graphic element data extracted by the element extracting section, associate the set of graphic element data thus being the extracted specified layer <br/> by the input means
And a graphic element writing means for writing into the storage means .

[0006]

According to the present invention, a series of graphic element data having a common processing step is extracted from the graphic element data created on the CAD system in an order based on the processing step, and stored in association with the designated layer. In doing so, a list of the contents of the plurality of layers is displayed on the display means. Layer
The list of contents includes, for example, comments on the layers, so that it is possible to clearly understand which process each layer relates to. Accordingly, in view of the other process, it determines an graphic element data to be extracted next Seki
Work such as designating a layer to be linked becomes easy.
That is, it is possible to perform a graphic extraction operation in consideration of the entire process while referring to the list display of the contents of the layers , and it is possible to improve the operation efficiency of graphic extraction and grouping.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A CAD system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the CAD system according to the present embodiment.

This system comprises an input device 1, a CAD processing unit 2, a data conversion / transfer unit 3, a drawing file storage unit 4,
It comprises a part program file storage unit 5, a display device 6, and a drawing output device 7. The input device 1
It is composed of a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and is used to specify necessary commands from a command menu displayed on the display device 6 and to specify points, graphic elements, areas, and the like when performing drawing / editing work on the display device 6. It is specified. Further, the input device 1 inputs attribute information such as processing conditions into NC hole graphic data generated on the present system, or stores a layer in which a graphic element data extracted by a graphic element extracting unit 13 described below is stored. Is specified on the basis of the layer setting screen displayed on the display device 6.

The CAD processing unit 2 includes a drawing / editing processing unit 1
1, a processing attribute setting unit 12, a graphic element extraction unit 13, a display control unit 14, a drawing output control unit 15, and a write control unit 16. The drawing / editing processing unit 11 interprets a command specified by the input device 1 and
Generates the required graphic element data at the position specified by, deletes, copies,
Perform editing processing such as movement. The processing attribute setting unit 12 is activated when an NC hole symbol is designated by the drawing / editing processing unit 11, and displays a necessary menu on the display device 6, thereby prompting input of attribute information, and setting / setting attribute information. Execute the editing process. The machining attribute setting unit 12 has a function of automatically calculating a pilot hole diameter from a nominal diameter when “tap” is selected among NC hole symbols, and stores a tap data table (not shown) for the calculation. Have. These drawings and
The graphic element data created by the editing processing unit 11 and the processing attribute processing unit 12 are stored in the drawing file storage unit 4.

The graphic element extraction unit 13 extracts necessary graphic element data from the graphic element data stored in the drawing file storage unit 4. For example, attribute information specified by the input device 1 is used as a search condition. Select and extract graphic element data that matches the search conditions. The graphic element extracting unit 13 includes a contour tracing unit 18 for automatically tracing a contour in the tracing direction specified by the operator with the input device 1 among the graphic element data stored in the drawing file storage unit 11. The contour tracking unit 18 extracts graphic element data constituting the contour. The display control unit 14 is for displaying, on the display device 6 such as a CRT display, graphic element data, a command menu, and a list of layer use states generated and edited by the drawing / edit processing unit 11 and the processing attribute setting unit 12. Perform display control. The drawing output control unit 15
Generated by the drawing / editing processing unit 11 and the processing attribute setting unit 12
Output control for outputting the edited graphic element data to the drawing output device 7 such as a pen plotter is performed. Further, the writing control unit 16 performs control for writing the graphic element data extracted by the graphic element extracting unit 13 to the designated layer of the drawing file storage unit 4.

The data conversion / transfer section 3 includes a part program conversion processing section 21 and a part program output control section 22. The part program conversion processing unit 21 converts a graphic element data group copied on a predetermined layer of the drawing file storage unit 4 and equalizing the machining process into a part program while referring to a layer comment described later. It has a function to convert to a file. The part program file is stored in the part program file storage unit 5. The part program output control unit 22 performs control for outputting the part program file obtained by the part program conversion processing unit 21 or the part program file stored in the part program file storage unit 5 to an NC programming device (not shown) online. Or write control to a storage medium such as a floppy disk or paper tape.

The drawing file storage unit 4 includes a structure part 31, a parameter part 32 and a layer part 33, for example, as shown in FIG. The structure part 31 and the parameter part 32 are databases for registering graphic element data constituting the created drawing. The structure part 31 includes a code for specifying an element type (straight line, free curve, circular arc, NC hole graphic, etc.), an address to the parameter part 32, a layer number to which it belongs, a group number, a drawing color, a line type, a pen number. ,
A symbol number, a selection flag, and the like are stored. The parameter part 32 stores data indicating coordinates of both end points (in the case of a straight line), center point coordinates, start / end point coordinates, a radius (in the case of a circle), and the like. When the element type is the NC hole figure, the parameter part 32 includes information on the center point and the diameter of the outer circle, the center line, the inner circle, and the like, and the hole includes a drill, a reamer, a tap, a counterbore, and the like. Among other things, attribute information such as a hole type name and a hole comment indicating a processing method of which method is to be processed is stored. In this example, the coordinate data is directly stored in the parameter part 32. However, in order to reduce the storage capacity, a point database is further provided, and the parameter part 32 stores an index to the point database. Is also good.

The layer part 33 has an active flag indicating whether the layer is to be drawn or edited, a display flag indicating whether the layer is to be displayed,
A status indicating a current state of the layer, a comment for describing a feature of the layer, and the like are stored.

Next, the operation of the present system configured as described above will be described. Here, a description will be given of an operation of extracting graphic element data necessary for NC processing from the generated graphic element data, copying the graphic element data in an order based on a processing step, and copying the graphic element data to a designated layer. Although various forms of element extraction are conceivable, the following embodiment will particularly describe two methods, namely, outline extraction and extraction based on attribute information of the NC hole figure.

(1) Contour extraction "Element extraction" from a drawing auxiliary command menu (not shown)
When is selected, an element extraction command menu shown in FIG. Then, when the user operates the cursor 41 of the input device 1 to select “outline”, an outline selection menu shown in FIG. Here, if "automatic tracking selection" is selected, an automatic contour tracking mode is set. FIG. 4 is an example of a drawing to be subjected to contour tracking. In the automatic contour tracking mode, the display device 6
Is displayed, "Please designate the first element." When the cursor 41 is operated to designate the trace start element S11, the contour tracing unit 18 is activated, and the automatic contour tracing process is started.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method of specifying a tracking start element and a tracking direction. When the start element is a straight line, the end point farther from the designated point P and the designated point P are centered on the end point closer to the designated point P as shown in FIG.
If the counterclockwise angle θ is smaller than π, a clockwise tracking process of selecting the rightmost route at the branch point is executed, and as shown in FIG. If it is not less than π, a counterclockwise tracking process of selecting the leftmost route at the branch point is executed. When the starting element is an arc, as shown in FIGS. 9C and 9D, the same route selection is performed at an angle θ between the tangent C at the center end point and the designated point P. Go. In this example, the tracking method is determined so that the end point closer to the designated point P is set as the end point of the start element, but the tracking direction may be reversed.

As shown in FIG. 6A, when the element S1 being tracked and the next element S2 share an end point as shown in FIG. In the case where the end point of the element S1 being tracked is combined with the next element S2 as shown in (c), the end point of the next element S2 is combined with the element S1 being tracked as shown in FIG. And the like. In the case of FIG. 7B, the next element S2 is divided according to the tracking path, and in the case of FIG. 7C, the element S1 being tracked is divided according to the tracking path.

Therefore, when an instruction for contour processing as shown in FIG. 7 is issued, the position of the cursor 41 is changed to the straight line element S11.
The tracking direction is from P1 to P
2 and P1 about the end point P2.
Since the counterclockwise angle between the cursor and the cursor 41 is equal to or larger than π, the left tracking process is performed. For this reason, the tracking process is performed through the outermost contour. Where tracking is point P
At time point 4, the outer arc element S20 from P4 to P5 of the circle element S14 is newly generated as a child element having the circle element S14 as a parent element. Similarly, when the tracking reaches P7, an outer arc element S21 from P7 to P8 of the circle element S17 is newly generated as a child element having the circle element S17 as a parent element.

The structure part 31 and the parameter part 32 of the element selected in the course of the tracking and the generated child element are copied by the writing control unit 16 to a temporary database (not shown) of the drawing file storage unit 4 in the tracking order. . Further, the selection flag of the structure part 31 of the element stored in the temporary database is set to ON. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, only the graphic element data constituting the extracted contour among the graphic element data is highlighted. When the contour figure does not fit in one drawing or when a partial additional processing is required, an open contour (unclosed contour) as shown in FIG. 9 must be extracted. In this case, the tracking start element SS and the tracking end element SE are designated by the cursor 41, or the processing is completed so that the tracking is terminated when the next continuous element cannot be found in the course of the tracking processing. I just need. As a method of extracting an open contour, the tracking is terminated at an arbitrary place during the contour tracking processing (by pressing an ESC key on a keyboard or the like), or the tracking is interrupted during the contour tracking processing. And release the selected element to any location, that is, ES
The tracking may be returned by pressing the mouse button after pressing the C button and returning by one line.

When the operator confirms the contour extraction result, corrects the extraction result as necessary, and determines the contour extraction result, the display device 6 displays the use status of a plurality of layers at once as shown in FIG. When the displayed layer setting screen is displayed, the user inputs the layer number of the copy destination of the extracted contour graphic element data by key. The layer setting screen is in accordance with the contents of the layer part 33. The layer marked with “*” in the active field is the layer currently being drawn / edited, and “ON” is displayed in the display field. Layer that is currently displayed, the status column displays "EMPT
The layer in which “Y” is displayed is a layer that is currently unused.
In the comment column, a comment specifying the layer is described. Therefore, for example, an unused layer may be specified from this list. Here, for example, when the layer 4 is designated, the writing control unit 16 writes the contour element data written in the temporary database (not shown) in the drawing file storage unit 4 into the structure part 3.
1 at the end of layer No. 1 of the structure part 31 of the copied element data. Write "4" of the designated layer number in the column. As a result, the extracted contour graphic element data is copied to the designated layer in the drawing file storage unit 4. At this time, the operator can input an arbitrary comment in the comment column of FIG. Here, a comment “NP-A” for identifying the extracted contour is input.

(2) NC Hole Figure Extraction Next, the NC hole symbol extraction processing as shown in FIG. 11 will be described. In this case, it is necessary to execute the attribute setting process before the extraction process. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a specific operation procedure for adding attribute information relating to a processing method to hole graphic element data. That is, when the user operates the cursor 41 with the input device 1 and selects “drawing drawing” in the master command menu of FIG. 12A displayed on the display device 6, the drawing drawing command menu of FIG. Displayed, the cursor 4
When the user operates “1” to select “NC hole symbol”, the machining attribute setting unit 12 is started up, and the NC hole symbol command menu shown in FIG.

When "Kiri", "Reamer" or "Arbitrary hole type" is selected on this menu, drawing is performed with the general hole shape shown in FIG. If you select “Tap”,
Drawing is performed using the tapped hole-like shape shown in FIG. When "counterbore" is selected, drawing with a counterbore-like shape shown in FIG. These hole types are designated by the command menu shown in FIG.
When "arbitrary hole type" is selected, a character code indicating the hole type is input by key. When the hole type is specified, the hole diameter and the hole comment are input by key, and the arrangement point is designated by the input device 1 specifying the point. However, when “tap” is selected, the machining attribute setting unit 12 requests the input of the value of the nominal diameter.
The pilot hole diameter is calculated with reference to the internal tap data table.

When "SET" in FIG. 12C is selected, the drawing mode of the center line and the inner circle can be set. When setting the center line, the center line command mode (not shown) is used to set the mode with / without the center line, the amount of overshoot of the center line, the line type to be drawn, the pen number and color of the plotter at the time of drawing, and the like. Set.

The attribute information of the NC hole graphic element data set as described above is stored in the drawing file storage unit 4 as data of the parameter part 32 shown in FIG. Here, when considering the link to the NC programming device, what is important is the hole type, the hole comment, and the hole diameter.
These pieces of information can be effectively used as search keywords in later grouping processing.

Next, a specific procedure for selectively extracting NC hole graphic element data of the same type and diameter specified and copying (grouping) the data to the specified layer will be described. That is, when “element extraction” is selected from a drawing auxiliary command menu (not shown), an element extraction command menu shown in FIG. Then, when the cursor 41 of the input device 1 is operated to select “NC hole”, an NC hole data selection menu shown in FIG. Here, if you select “selection condition”,
The selection condition setting screen shown in FIG. 14 is displayed on the display device 6. Therefore, when setting “hole type”, the corresponding hole type is selected by the cursor 41. When "arbitrary hole type" is selected, a character code for specifying the hole type is key-input. When setting “hole diameter”, “nominal diameter”, and “borebore diameter”, select the corresponding item, and then key-input the diameter of the hole to be extracted. Also,
When selecting by "hole comment", select "hole comment" and then key in the comment. After setting the selection conditions, the selection mode is completed.

When the selection condition of the NC hole graphic element data is set, the graphic element extraction unit 13 extracts the graphic element data that matches the set selection condition from the drawing file storage unit 4 and sets the structure of the element data. The selection flag of part 31 is turned ON. As a result, the extracted elements become apparent on the drawing file storage unit 4.

Next, a layer setting screen shown in FIG. 15 is displayed on the display device 6, and the user inputs a layer number of a copy destination of the selected NC hole data by key. When the layer is specified, the graphic element extracting unit 13 copies the element data of the drawing file storage unit 4 for which the selection flag of the structure part 31 is ON to the end of the structure part 31, and copies the copied element data. Layer No. of the structure part 31 of the data Write the designated layer number in the column.
As a result, the extracted NC hole graphic element data is copied to the designated layer in the drawing file storage unit 4.

For example, among the NC hole symbols shown in FIG.
The points P11 to P14 have the hole type set to “tap” and are processed by the same method. Also, points P21 to P3
Reference numeral 4 denotes a hole type set to “cut”, which is processed by the same method. Therefore, for example, when the hole type “cut” is set as a selection condition and the copy destination is designated as layer 7, P21 to P3
When the NC hole symbol No. 4 is copied to layer 7 and the hole type “tap” is selected as a selection condition and the copy destination is designated as layer 8, the NC hole symbols P11 to P14 are copied to layer 8 (FIG. 15). ).

Here, the part program conversion processing unit 21
Is started, for example, a layer whose display is “ON” is batch-converted into a part program. Therefore, before the conversion, as shown in FIG. 16, the "display" item on the layer setting screen is set in advance so that only the layers 4, 7, and 8 to be converted are turned ON. It is also conceivable that the conversion layer is specified by a layer comment. That is, only the layer with “N” at the beginning of the comment can be the conversion target. In the case where the conversion order is the order of the layer numbers, the operator may copy the graphic element data preceding the machining step to the lower-numbered layer in order from the graphic element data while referring to the layer setting screen. Since the use status of the layers is displayed collectively, the layer to be copied next can be easily specified from the content of the layer comment. Alternatively, the layer conversion order may be specified by the layer number. In this case, the storage destination layer of the extracted graphic element data is not important,
It is important to specify the conversion order after storage.

FIG. 17 shows an example of a part program converted by the above operation. In FIG. 17, the first half A of the program indicates the conversion result of layer 4, the middle B indicates the conversion result of layer 7, and the second half C indicates the conversion result of layer 8. “RPD” in the contour program A is a tool rapid traverse command, and is attached to the approach figure from the machining origin P0 generated at the time of conversion. The programs B and C for the NC hole symbol include coordinate values of the NC hole symbol with respect to the reference point O,
It is composed of grouped comments of the same kind of hole symbol indicated by G1 and G2.

At the time of conversion, a layer comment can be added to the part program. In this case, if "|" (vertical line) is inserted in the layer comment, the subsequent comment is started from the line comment. If two or more vertical lines such as "||" are inserted in the layer comment, the comment after that is inserted at the end of the program of the layer. Further, a vertical line thereafter is always a line feed regardless of the number of inserted lines. Thus, for example, AB | CDE ||
The layer with the comment of FG | HIJ ||| KLM
Comments are inserted in the part program as follows. In the example of FIG. 17, for example, "NH"
-D10K | SPAN30mm ", the comment * NH-D10K * SPAN30mm is added at the beginning of the part program B relating to the layer 7. Layers 4 and 8
For the part programs A and C, comments described in the comment column are added in the same manner. According to such a method, there is an advantage that a program insertion comment can be created and edited on the layer setting screen of the CAD system.

The converted part program is stored in the part program file storage unit 5 and, under the control of the part program output control unit 22, is transmitted online to an NC programming device (not shown) or
Alternatively, the program is supplied to the NC programming device off-line via a paper tape, a floppy disk, or the like.

As described above, according to the system of the present embodiment, when the graphic element data extracted by the contour tracking processing or the search based on the attribute information such as the hole type is stored in the designated layer, the graphic element data is displayed on the display device 6. Since it is possible to refer to the list of the storage status of the layers, there is an advantage that the grouping operation of the graphic elements in consideration of the processing steps is extremely easy.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, C
When extracting a series of graphic element data that share a processing step from the graphic element data created on the AD system in an order based on the processing step and storing the extracted graphic element data in a designated layer, the display means stores a plurality of layers. The situation is collective or
Partially displayed. Thus, with reference to the display of layers storage conditions, it is possible to extract work shapes in consideration of the overall process, it is possible to improve the working efficiency of the graphics extraction and grouping.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of a CAD system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the contents of a drawing file storage unit in the system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an element extraction menu by contour tracking processing in the same system.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a drawing from which elements are extracted by the system and a method of specifying a contour tracking start element.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a contour tracking operation of the system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a contour tracking operation of the system.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an outline tracking operation of the system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state after the contour tracking operation of the system is completed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an open contour tracking process of the system.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a layer setting screen in the same system.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a display example of NC hole symbols in the same system.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an attribute setting menu of NC hole symbols and hole types in the same system.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an NC hole symbol element extraction menu in the same system.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an element selection condition setting screen for NC hole symbols in the same system.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a layer setting screen in the same system.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a layer setting screen in the system.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a part program converted by the system.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 input device 2 CAD processing unit 3 data conversion / transfer unit 4 drawing file storage unit 5 part program file storage unit 6 display device 7 drawing output device 1
1 ... Drawing / editing processing unit, 12 ... Processing attribute setting unit, 13 ...
Graphic element extraction unit, 14 display control unit, 15 drawing output control unit, 16 writing control unit, 18 contour tracking unit, 21 part program conversion processing unit, 22 part program output control unit.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G05B 19/4097

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A graphic element extracting means for extracting a series of graphic element data belonging to the same processing step from graphic element data generated on a CAD system in an order based on the processing step, and for each of the processing steps The extracted series of graphic element data are stored in association with each other so as to belong to a common layer.
Storage means Re that, said display means for displaying a list of contents for each layer, with the list is displayed in the content of the layers to the display unit, a series of graphic elements extracted by the graphic element extracting means input means and said memory hand associate a set of graphic element data thus being the extracted to the specified layer by the input means for designating a layer to associate the data
A graphic extracting apparatus for a CAD system, comprising: graphic element writing means for writing in a row .