Patent ID: 7747336

Claim:
A turning program creation apparatus for creating a finish machining program, comprising: a machining element identification means for identifying a machining element from machined shape data; a cutting direction determination means for automatically determining a direction in which to cut a workpiece on the basis of a feature of the machining element identified by the machining element identification means; and a program creation means for creating a machining program that cuts in the direction determined by the cutting direction determination means, wherein when the machining element identified by the machining element identification means from the machined shape data is a straight line element, the cutting direction determination means compares an angle that the straight line element makes with an axis of rotation of the workpiece with a preset angle and, if the angle made by the straight line element is greater than the preset value, changes the cutting direction from a profile direction to a direction from a rim toward a center of the workpiece.