A remote processing system for the APT language

Abstract

With the advent of time shared computers and the development of remote terminals capable of providing fast access to these computers, it became evident that processors could be developed to greatly increase the efficiency of an N/C part programmer. In general, a majority of the errors which occur in the processing of N/C programs are errors of syntax, and these errors cause nearly as much loss of time in processing as the more complex arithmetic errors. Therefore, any system which could provide a partial or complete interactive APT processing capability would be a valuable aid in reducing processing time. A system has been devised whereby a part programmer can sit at a remote console (teletype, etc.), and directly communicate with the computer. This system can produce output for immediate display or for punching onto a tape. Such a system requires a highly specialized processor which can accept APT language statements, check each statement for detailed errors in syntax, and then perform the necessary computations needed to produce an N/C output tape.