AUTOMATIC SET-UP OF TOOL MONITORS BY A CAM SYSTEM

To protect industrial metal-working machine tools, tool monitoring systems are indispensable for automatic manufacturing cells that function without an operator. However, since adjustments are difficult, such systems are used only for large batch productions. This paper describes a new application of CAD-CAM systems in a CIM approach. A few tool monitors can be automatically set-up with NC programmes generated by a CAM system whose database contains models of cutting-force prediction. A computer-aided process planning system called LURPA-TOUR, with its cutting database, now generates the NC data including commands of the tool monitor which equips the NC lathe of the laboratory. The specific configuration of the tool monitor and parameters introduced in the NC data will be defined.