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EP-4249170-B1 - TOOL TRANSPORT SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD FOR TOOL TRANSPORT SYSTEM, AND CONTROL PROGRAM FOR TOOL TRANSPORT SYSTEM

EP4249170B1EP 4249170 B1EP4249170 B1EP 4249170B1EP-4249170-B1

Inventors

  • YASUGI, Eisuke

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20201117

Claims (6)

  1. A tool transport system (10) comprising: a machine tool (400); and a tool storage unit (250) that stores a plurality of tool holders, each of the plurality of tool holders being capable of holding a tool, the tool transport system (10) further comprising: a work station (200) for an operator to conduct an operation concerning a tool holder; a transport device (300) that transports a designated tool holder among tool holders in the machine tool (400), tool holders in the tool storage unit (250), and tool holders in the work station (200), to a designated transport destination of the machine tool (400), the tool storage unit (250) and the work station (200); and a controller that controls the tool transport system (10), the controller executing: a process of specifying a tool holder holding a tool in an unusable state among tool holders in the machine tool (400) based on receiving a collection instruction for tool holder; a process of controlling the transport device (300) so as to carry the tool holder specified in the process of specifying out of the machine tool (400) at a higher priority than other tool holders in the machine tool (400), wherein the other tool holders in the machine tool (400) include a vacant tool holder holding no tool; and a process of controlling the transport device (300) so as to transport the tool holder carried out of the machine tool (400) in the process of controlling to the tool storage unit (250) or the work station (200),
  2. The tool transport system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the other tool holders in the machine tool (400) include a tool holder holding a tool in a usable state, and when there is no tool holder holding a tool in an unusable state in the machine tool (400), the controller further executes a process of controlling the transport device (300) so as to carry the vacant tool holder out of the machine tool (400) at a higher priority than a tool holder holding a tool in a usable state.
  3. The tool transport system (10) according to claim 2, wherein the other tool holders in the machine tool (400) include: a tool holder holding a tool not to be used in the machine tool (400); and a tool holder holding a tool to be used in the machine tool (400), and when there is no tool holder holding a tool in an unusable state, and there is no vacant tool holder in the machine tool (400), the controller further executes a process of controlling the transport device (300) so as to carry the tool holder holding a tool not to be used out of the machine tool (400) at a higher priority than the tool holder holding a tool to be used, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a tool is not to be used on the basis of a machining program of the machine tool (400).
  4. The tool transport system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tool holders stored in the tool storage unit (250) include: a first tool holder holding a first tool; and a second tool holder holding a second tool having a shorter residual service life than the first tool, and the controller executes a process of controlling the transport device (300) so as to carry the second tool holder into the machine tool (400) at a higher priority than the first tool holder based on receiving a carrying-in instruction for tool holder.
  5. A control method for a tool transport system (10), the tool transport system (10) comprising: a machine tool (400); and a tool storage unit (250) that stores a plurality of tool holders, each of the plurality of tool holders being capable of holding a tool, the tool transport system (10) further comprising: a work station (200) for an operator to conduct an operation concerning a tool holder; and a transport device (300) that transports a designated tool holder among tool holders in the machine tool (400), tool holders in the tool storage unit (250), and tool holders in the work station (200), to a designated transport destination of the machine tool (400), the tool storage unit (250) and the work station (200), the control method comprising: specifying a tool holder holding a tool in an unusable state among tool holders in the machine tool (400) based on receiving a collection instruction for tool holder; controlling the transport device (300) so as to carry the tool holder specified in the specifying out of the machine tool (400) at a higher priority than other tool holders in the machine tool (400), wherein the other tool holders in the machine tool (400) include a vacant tool holder holding no tool; and controlling the transport device (300) so as to transport the tool holder carried out of the machine tool (400) in the controlling to the tool storage unit (250) or the work station (200).
  6. A control program for a tool transport system (10), the tool transport system (10) comprising: a machine tool (400); and a tool storage unit (250) that stores a plurality of tool holders, each of the plurality of tool holders being capable of holding a tool, the tool transport system (10) further comprising: a work station (200) for an operator to conduct an operation concerning a tool holder; and a transport device (300) that transports a designated tool holder among tool holders in the machine tool (400), tool holders in the tool storage unit (250), and tool holders in the work station (200), to a designated transport destination of the machine tool (400), the tool storage unit (250) and the work station (200), the control program causing the tool transport system (10) execute: specifying a tool holder holding a tool in an unusable state among tool holders in the machine tool (400) based on receiving a collection instruction for tool holder; controlling the transport device (300) so as to carry the tool holder specified in the specifying out of the machine tool (400) at a higher priority than other tool holders in the machine tool (400), wherein the other tool holders in the machine tool (400) include a vacant tool holder holding no tool; and controlling the transport device (300) so as to transport the tool holder carried out of the machine tool (400) in the controlling to the tool storage unit (250) or the work station (200).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a technique for transporting a tool holder in a tool transport system. BACKGROUND ART An increased number of companies have administered a plurality of machine tools. As the number of machine tools to be administered increases, it becomes difficult to manage tools used in each machine tool. In this respect, PTL 1 (WO2015/029232) discloses a tool management system that manages tools to be used in a plurality of machine tools. CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE PTL 1: WO2015/029232 JP 6 775704 B1 describes a tool transport system with a tool storage device having two magazines for loading and unloading tools in a machine tool, a control device, and a transport device that can transport designated tool holders from a machine tool to the storage and vice vera. The system automates tool management among multiple machine tools.JP 863105852 A describes a system for rearranging tools in a cartridge-type tool magazine using size classification, evaluation matrices, and a tool moving mechanism. The system aims to minimize the required steps, avoid interference, and optimize space, thus enhancing operational efficiency.JP H03 221340 A describes a system that manages tools in a processing machine with an automatic tool changer by setting tool change levels based on usage. Tools are stored in magazine areas according to these levels, and if a specified tool is missing, it is replaced with tools from the magazine in order of decreasing change level.JP 2013 022661 A describes a device for preparing a drill for use by a machine tool.JP H10-100033 A describes a tool selection method for selecting a tool to be used for machining from a plurality of tools in a machine tool. JP H11-158857 A describes an oil recovery method and an oil recovery device for recovering oil floating on the water surface. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM In recent years, development of a tool transport system is being advanced. The tool transport system includes a plurality of tool holders. A tool is attached to each tool holder. The tool transport system supplies a machine tool with a needed tool by automatically carrying a tool holder into the machine tool. Also, the tool transport system automatically carries a tool holder holding an unneeded tool out of the machine tool. The tool management system disclosed in PTL 1 does not relate to such a tool transport system. The machine tool can contain not only a tool in a usable state, but also a tool in an unusable state. The number of tool holders that can be stored in a machine tool is limited. If there is a tool holder in an unusable state in a machine tool, the storage space for the tool holder will be used uselessly. Therefore, it is desired to collect the tool holders stored in the machine tool according to the priority. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM In one example of the present disclosure, a tool transport system includes a machine tool, and a tool storage unit that stores a plurality of tool holders. Each of the plurality of tool holders is capable of holding a tool. The tool transport system further includes a work station for an operator to conduct an operation concerning a tool holder, a transport device that transports a designated tool holder among tool holders in the machine tool, tool holders in the tool storage unit, and tool holders in the work station, to a designated transport destination of the machine tool, the tool storage unit, and the work station, and a controller that controls the tool transport system. The controller executes a process of specifying a tool holder holding a tool in an unusable state among tool holders in the machine tool based on receiving a collection instruction for tool holder, a process of controlling the transport device so as to carry the tool holder specified in the process of specifying out of the machine tool at a higher priority than other tool holders in the machine tool, and a process of controlling the transport device so as to transport the tool holder that is carried out of the machine tool in the process of controlling to the tool storage unit or the work station. According to the present invention, the other tool holders in the machine tool include a vacant tool holder holding no tool. In one example of the present disclosure, the other tool holders in the machine tool include a tool holder holding a tool in a usable state. When there is no tool holder holding a tool in an unusable state in the machine tool, the controller further executes a process of controlling the transport device so as to carry the vacant tool holder out of the machine tool at a higher priority than a tool holder holding a tool in a usable state. In one example of the present disclosure, the other tool holders in the machine tool include a tool holder holding a tool not to be used in the machine tool, and a tool holder holding a tool to be used in the machine tool. When there is no tool holder holding a tool in an unusable sta