Dual-Purpose Synchronizing and Dependent-Drive Time-Sharing for Point-to-Point Numerical Control

Machine tool drives, used in conjunction with numerical positioning, can generally be classified into two categories; some form of servo drive or an open-loop drive such as a multiple gear train and on-off clutches. Dual-purpose synchronization will permit the use of either form of machine drive with the same numerical control equipment. By time-sharing one clutch drive system between two axes of a machine, it is possible to approach the performance of a separate machine drive for each axis at the cost of a single drive.