Patent ID: 6975919
Filing Date: 2005-12-13
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A monitoring system for in-process monitoring of machine tool events comprising: control means for controlling the operation of a machine tool and providing actual data and statuses of the control means, at least one sensor means for currently monitoring at least one of machine tool collision events and machine tool overstress condition events and providing current signal data, first means for storing said current signal data of the at least one sensor means for providing current signal data records of said at least one sensor means, second means for storing threshold data for each sensor means, means for comparing the current signal data of each sensor means and the respective threshold data for each sensor means for determining at least one of machine tool collision events and machine tool overstress condition events and upon exceeding at least one of the respective threshold signal data generating an event detection signal, bidirectional interface means for operating the control means to immediately control machine tool operation and to provide said actual data and statuses of the control means in response to the event detection signal, and means responsive to the event detection signal for permanently storing a data record of the event, consisting of the current signal data records of the first storing means immediately before, during and after the generation of the event detection signal and said actual data and statuses of the control means provided by said bidirectional interface whereby the cause of the at least one of the machine tool collision events and machine tool overstress condition events is readily determined on the basis of the said data record of the event.