The automatic loading and unloading system for CNC machines of the present invention makes use of cross slide component of the CNC machine itself and its sliding movements to perform loading and unloading a finished job from machine, and eliminating need of external robots/gantry. The system comprises a set of twin grippers placed at the cross slide, first gripper and second gripper. The twin grippers perform the load, unload and eject operations in two actions: firstly, the first gripper picks up new job from pickup zone, while the second gripper unloads finished job from chuck simultaneously; and secondly, the first gripper loads the new job into chuck, while the second gripper drops the finished job into an ejector chute from where the finished job comes out of the machine simultaneously.

A muntin bar fabrication system can be used to efficiency produce a wide variety of different types of muntin bars, allowing the fabrication of both standard and custom muntin bar assemblies for doors, windows, and other fenestration products. In some examples, the fabrication system includes a muntin bar stock storage assembly that holds multiple different types of muntin bar stock. The system also includes a muntin bar stock extraction device that extracts one of the different types of muntin bar stock from the storage assembly and conveys the extracted muntin bar stock to a feed device. The feed device feeds the extracted piece of muntin bar stock into a cutting system that includes a multi-axis cutter. The cutting system that performs one or more cutting operations on the extracted muntin bar stock so as to fabricate one or more individual muntin bars from the extracted muntin bar stock.

A work-piece transfer apparatus, comprising at least one work-piece engagement structure; at least one first robot arm pivotally connected to the work-piece engagement structure; a first motor coupled to the first robot arm and being adapted for translating the first robot arm fore and aft in a generally horizontal direction; a second motor, at least one second robot arm being in operating driving relationship with the second motor and operatively coupled with the work-piece engagement structure for raising and lowering the work-piece engagement structure; and a support structure for supporting the apparatus or portions thereof; wherein the first motor and second motor are operated synchronously to raise, lower, and/or translate the work-piece engagement structure in a fore and aft direction by way of one or both of the first robot arm and second robot arm.

A work-piece transfer apparatus, comprising at least one work-piece engagement structure; at least one first robot arm pivotally connected to the work-piece engagement structure; a first motor coupled to the first robot arm and being adapted for translating the first robot arm fore and aft in a generally horizontal direction; a second motor, at least one second robot arm being in operating driving relationship with the second motor and operatively coupled with the work-piece engagement structure for raising and lowering the work-piece engagement structure; and a support structure for supporting the apparatus or portions thereof; wherein the first motor and second motor are operated synchronously to raise, lower, and/or translate the work-piece engagement structure in a fore and aft direction by way of one or both of the first robot arm and second robot arm.

An automatic load table and related method are provided. The automatic load table utilizes a movable loading arm and a riser assembly with a stepped configuration. The movable loading arm is operable to move billets in a loading direction along the stepped configuration of the riser assembly. The movable loading arm is capable of lifting and separating adjacent billets in a single lifting motion.

A machine tool with work transferring mechanism provided with a work transferring mechanism which transfers a work and receives/delivers the work from/to a main spindle. In the front-rear direction, the space inside the machine tool is divided via a shutter into a machining space in which the main spindle is arranged and a transferring space in which the work transferring mechanism transfers the work. The work transferring mechanism is equipped with a work retainer retaining the work and a moving mechanism moving the work retainer. While the work attached to the main spindle is machined, the work retainer is preliminarily moved by the moving mechanism to a vicinity of the main spindle via the shutter.

A machine tool with work transferring mechanism provided with a work transferring mechanism which transfers a work and receives/delivers the work from/to a main spindle. In the front-rear direction, the space inside the machine tool is divided via a shutter into a machining space in which the main spindle is arranged and a transferring space in which the work transferring mechanism transfers the work. The work transferring mechanism is equipped with a work retainer retaining the work and a moving mechanism moving the work retainer. While the work attached to the main spindle is machined, the work retainer is preliminarily moved by the moving mechanism to a vicinity of the main spindle via the shutter.

This machine tool is provided with: a bridge which is provided on a base in such a way as to straddle a moving body in a direction (X) perpendicular to a direction of movement (Z) of the moving body at a stroke end (E2) of the moving body; a pallet exchanging arm which is provided above the bridge and which engages with a pallet (P) supported on the moving body and a pallet (P) on a pallet loading station, lifts both pallets (P), and pivots about a vertical axis (Ov) to exchange the two pallets (P); and an arm drive device which is provided projecting upward on the bridge, and which moves the pallet exchanging arm along the vertical axis (Ov) and causes the pallet exchanging arm to pivot about the vertical axis (Ov).

This machine tool is provided with: a bridge which is provided on a base in such a way as to straddle a moving body in a direction (X) perpendicular to a direction of movement (Z) of the moving body at a stroke end (E2) of the moving body; a pallet exchanging arm which is provided above the bridge and which engages with a pallet (P) supported on the moving body and a pallet (P) on a pallet loading station, lifts both pallets (P), and pivots about a vertical axis (Ov) to exchange the two pallets (P); and an arm drive device which is provided projecting upward on the bridge, and which moves the pallet exchanging arm along the vertical axis (Ov) and causes the pallet exchanging arm to pivot about the vertical axis (Ov).

The invention relates to a supporting device for a plurality of components (100, 200, 100*) with different geometries, in particular for a plurality of geometrically different motor-vehicle external attachments made of polymer material, having a support frame (30), a drive (40) arranged on the support frame (30) and at least two supporting groups (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) arranged on the support frame (30), wherein each supporting group (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) serves as a supporting surface for a particular component geometry, wherein each supporting group (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) has at least two spaced-apart, disc-shaped supporting elements (1, 1, 1; 2, 2, 2, etc.), the upwardly facing rim (10, 10, 10; 20, 20, 20, etc.) of each of which already has, in the unloaded state, a contour adapted to the geometry of the associated component (100, 200, 100*). By means of the drive (40), the supporting elements (1, 1, 1; 2, 2, 2, etc.) are movable such that only the supporting elements (1, 1, 1; 2, 2, 2, etc.) of a single supporting group (1, 2, etc.) protrude upwards such that the upwardly facing rims (10, 10, 10; 20, 20, 20, etc.) thereof form the supporting surface for the component geometry associated therewith.