Patent ID: 8355813

Claim:
A machining status monitoring method for, in a machine tool in which one or both of tool holding means for holding a tool and workpiece holding means for holding a workpiece are operated based on operation commands, monitoring the machining status with actual two-dimensional image data displayed on display means, the actual two-dimensional image data generated by at least one of a plurality of actual imaging means, disposed in the machine tool, for imaging the tool and workpiece, or the tool, workpiece and workpiece holding means at a certain time interval from different view points, and in turn generating actual two-dimensional image data thereof, wherein based on the operation commands and data on three-dimensional models of the holding means, tool and workpiece, model data of the holding means, tool and workpiece when one or both of the holding means are operated according to the operation command are generated and the model data thereof are updated, virtual two-dimensional image data of the tool and workpiece, or virtual two-dimensional image data of the tool, workpiece and workpiece holding means are in turn generated based on the updated model data, the virtual two-dimensional image data being image data which is assumed to be obtained when a three-dimensional space is virtually set; in this virtual three-dimensional space, the three-dimensional models of the tool and workpiece, or the three-dimensional models of the tool, workpiece and workpiece holding means are arranged and virtual imaging means having the same condition as that of the actual imaging means are virtually set and arranged as many as the actual imaging means; and the tool and workpiece, or the tool, workpiece and workpiece holding means are imaged at a certain time interval by the virtual imaging means from the same view points as those of the actual imaging means, and based on the generated virtual two-dimensional image data, at least one is selected from the virtual imaging means corresponding to, among a plurality of the virtual two-dimensional images, the virtual two-dimensional images in which the distal end of the tool is not hidden by the workpiece or the workpiece holding means, and the actual two-dimensional image data generated by the actual imaging means corresponding to the selected virtual imaging means is displayed on the display means.