Positionable block assemblies are described. Example block assemblies include a block body with a tooth surface and a plate member with a tooth surface. The tooth surfaces of the plate member and the block body are engageable to interlock the plate member with the block body. Further, the block body is engageable with the plate member at multiple different positions to enable precise positioning of a positionable block assembly to achieve a variety of different working scenarios.

A vacuum device for a material handling system includes a vacuum device body and a sealing element. The vacuum device body has a vacuum passageway in which a vacuum is generated in response to activation of a pressurized air supply that forces pressurized air through a venturi device. The sealing element moves to a sealing position to substantially seal the vacuum passageway when the air supply is activated, and is urged toward the sealing position via pressurized air that is diverted from an inlet of the vacuum device to the sealing element. The sealing element moves to substantially vent the vacuum passageway when the air supply is deactivated. The vacuum passageway may be in fluid communication with a vacuum cup, which seals against the object when the sealing element is at the sealing position and the vacuum generating device generates at least a partial vacuum in the vacuum passageway.

The present invention relates to a suction device, including a body. A cavity is disposed in the body. The cavity has a closed end face and an open end face. The open end face forms an end face to suck a workpiece. A tangential nozzle is disposed on a sidewall surface of the cavity. An external fluid enters the cavity through the tangential nozzle along a tangential direction of the cavity. A suction hole is disposed on the closed end face. The suction hole is connected to a suction unit. The suction unit sucks the fluid in the cavity through the suction hole. The suction device can suck a workpiece by using both a rotational flow negative pressure and a negative suction pressure of a fluid in the cavity, and therefore can suppress impact of a workpiece surface on a suction force and generate a larger suction force.

The present invention discloses a tool holding device for shank type tools, comprising at least one tool holder, a base part and a top part, whereby at least the top part comprises uptake holes for the at least one tool holder characterized in that, the tool holding device can be used for more than one process step among transfer, cleaning, pretreatment, coating, posttreatment, and each of the at least one tool holders can optionally take up a sleeve holding the shank type tool in a distinct, preferably upright position and comprises one or more openings, which allow fluid and/or solid treatment agents to exit the tool holder and/or sleeve and the at least one tool holder and/or sleeve enables three-fold rotation of the shank type tool. Further a method using the inventive tool holding device is disclosed.

The present invention discloses a tool holding device for shank type tools, comprising at least one tool holder, a base part and a top part, whereby at least the top part comprises uptake holes for the at least one tool holder characterized in that, the tool holding device can be used for more than one process step among transfer, cleaning, pretreatment, coating, posttreatment, and each of the at least one tool holders can optionally take up a sleeve holding the shank type tool in a distinct, preferably upright position and comprises one or more openings, which allow fluid and/or solid treatment agents to exit the tool holder and/or sleeve and the at least one tool holder and/or sleeve enables three-fold rotation of the shank type tool. Further a method using the inventive tool holding device is disclosed.

An apparatus comprising a heating unit and a support device is disclosed which apparatus is designed to place a controlled amount of heat into a very localized area of a substrate of interest. The substrate of interest here is intended to be a portion of a large structure [such as the portion of a ship]. The heating unit comprises a heat source and the necessary structure to closely control the heat applied to the substrate of interest. The support device supports the heating unit directly over the substrate of interest and permits the system to be secured to one surface of the substrate of interest in a removable and non-destructive manner. The support device has legs which have securing means on the bottom thereof to secure the system to one surface of the substrate of interest in a releasable and non-destructible way.

A stage for cutting a substrate includes: a body member; a plurality of first discharging members, each including a first suction portion in the body member and a first partition wall portion connected to the first suction portion and protruding from a top surface of the body member, each of the first discharging members defining a first space connected to an outside; a plurality of second discharging members, each including a second suction portion in the body member and a second partition wall portion connected to the second suction portion and protruding from the top surface of the body member, each of the second discharging members defining a second space connected to the outside; a plurality of connecting pipes each connected to the first partition wall portion and the second partition wall portion; and a plurality of supply pipes connected to the connecting pipes.

A mounting device for fastening a component, such as in particular a fixture, at a defined location has a base body having a holder or receptacle for the component and a suction device for retaining the component held in the holder at the defined location. In addition, the mounting device contains a pressing device to press the component held in the holder or receptacle to the defined location. A method for the validatable fixation of a component, such as in particular a fixture or bracket, at a defined location is also provided.

A wafer bonding apparatus including: a first chuck in a processing chamber, the first chuck being configured to hold a first wafer, the first chuck including: a chuck body, and a tunable stiffness layer including a plurality of actuators, the plurality of actuators including a tunable stiffness material, the tunable stiffness layer being disposed below the chuck body; a controller configured to send control signals to one or more of the plurality of actuators; and a vacuum line on the chuck body configured to apply a vacuum pressure from a vacuum pump to the first wafer; and a second chuck in the processing chamber, the second chuck being configured to hold a second wafer to be bonded with the first wafer; and where a stiffness of the plurality of actuators is configured to change based on the control signals from the controller.

In one embodiment, a spoilboard gasket tile system for increased work-hold vacuum pressure is provided. In particular, a universal work-hold gasketing solution is defined for vacuum table machining processes that can be used in a variety of sizes and applications, where the surface of a porous spoilboard (e.g., MDF/LDF or a porous plastic) is covered by a non-porous gasketing sheet (e.g., an adhesive foam layer) that is configured with a plurality of spaced apertures (holes) sized and located to create a corresponding plurality of focused vacuum passageways to suction clamp any workpiece placed thereon. In one particular embodiment, the spoilboard with gasketing are prepared as an interchangeable tile unit, allowing for dynamic configuration and reconfiguration of an array of spoilboard gasket tiles to cover a vacuum table, as well as for replacement of specific tiles as needed based on localized wear of the tiles.