Patent ID: 7181310

Claim:
An automatic tool layout apparatus, comprising: a drawing processing module for receiving one or more drawings from one or more client computers, and for obtaining information on workpieces from the drawings; a condition maintaining module for calculating exact conditions according to sizes and shapes of each type of drawing entity of the workpieces, and for calculating inexact conditions according to materials of the workpieces and machining allowances set by users; a matching module for selecting punching tools for each type of drawing entity according to the exact conditions or the inexact conditions of the type of drawing entity; a searching module for searching for punching tool information in a database according to the exact conditions or the inexact conditions of the type of drawing entity when no punching tool on a corresponding turret matches the type of drawing entity; and a tool layout module for selecting a corresponding tool station on the turret for each selected punching tool according to a type of the turret and specifications of the punching tool, mounting the punching tool in the corresponding tool station on the turret, and selecting an optimum manufacturing path for the punching tool.