A PROGRAMMING SYSTEM FOR NUMERICALLY CONTROLLED FLAME CUTTING OF SHIPS' PARTS

A mew machining control system involving numerical control is applicable to shipyard metal burning and forming operations. Numerical control is the control of a piece of equipment by means of numerical data fed into a director in the form of punched tape, punched cards, or magnetic tape. The director converts this data into electrical impulses which actuate a servo-mechanism creating the motion along the axis of the machine. Tape controlled methods are used for cutting odd shaped parts from flat steel plate. The complexity of shapes, due to the hull contours involved, are handled by automatic computations made by computer routines developed especially for numerical control and shipyard requirements. The APT language (Automatic Programmed Tools) accepts input data in a form the parts programmer can understand and converts it to computer form; performs the necessary arithmetical calculations to convert this data into geometrical lines defining boundaries and intersections; and produces the data in a format understood by the machine director.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document is available for review at the Department of Commerce Library, Main Commerce Building, Washington, D.C., under reference number TODD-TR-5.4.0.
• Corporate Authors:

  Todd Shipyards Corporation

  Los Angeles Division
  San Pedro, CA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Feeny, R W
  • Smith, T G
• Publication Date: 1962-9-10

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References;
• Pagination: 46 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Flame cutting; Forming; Information processing; Modernization; Numerical control; Shipyards
• Old TRIS Terms: Flame cutting machines; Flame forming
• Subject Areas: Construction; Data and Information Technology; Marine Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00026493
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: TR-5.4.0 Tech Rpt
• Contract Numbers: NObs-4427
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 6 1973 12:00AM