A method and apparatus for processing workpieces to form parts. Tools associated with a multi-spindle machine may be positioned with respect to a plurality of workpieces on a fixture comprising a plurality of platforms and an adjustment system. Each platform may be individually moveable with respect to others in the plurality of platforms about a number of axes. The plurality of platforms may be configured to hold the plurality of workpieces in which each platform may be configured to hold a workpiece in the plurality of workpieces during operations performed by the multi-spindle machine. The adjustment system may be configured to move each of the plurality of platforms about the number of axes independently from the others in the plurality of platforms. The operations may be performed on the plurality of workpieces using the multi-spindle machine and the fixture to form a plurality of parts.

A machining center for performing a plurality of machining operations, such as drilling, milling, cutting, using rotating tools, on metal profiles having a longitudinal extent greater than their cross-section dimension, particularly but not exclusively made of aluminum. The machining center comprises a base defining a work surface extending longitudinally with first and second ends, upon which the profile is manually laid by an operator or by a specially-designed automatic feeder. The base has a plurality of members thereon for supporting and locking the profile, as well as a pair of vertical columns for supporting motorized spindles, each column being located next to said base and being configured to being displaced in either direction, parallel to the longitudinal extent of the base along respective slide guides located next to said base. Each vertical column is equipped with a first carriage configured to vertically sliding in either direction along its respective column and with a second carriage mounted to the first carriage, and configured to sliding in either direction perpendicular to its respective column. The center also comprises a portal structure whose upper beam above said base is equipped with a motorized spindle for rotating tools, mounted to a support body configured to angular displacements around a pivot for rotating about a first axis parallel to the longitudinal extent of the base.

A machining center, comprising: a number N of workpiece tables equal to or greater than three, a number N of first guides, which extend parallel to a first direction; along said first guides being movable respective to workpiece tables, one for each first guide, a number N1 of second guides, which extend parallel to a second direction transverse to said first direction, a number N1 of machining groups each comprising at least one machining head; each machining group being movable parallel to said second direction along a respective second guide; a number N(N1) of machining areas wherein the machining groups can operate on workpieces present on said tables; along each first guide, or for a respective table, there being present N1 machining areas, one for each machining group, so that each machining group can operate, according to a programmed work cycle, on all said N workpiece tables, a number N of workpiece loading/unloading areas, one for each workpiece table.

A facer for use in preparing the opposed ends of polyolefin pipes for fusion into a pipeline has a pair of cutting wheels which rotate in unison. A controller causes the cutting wheels to trace and face the pipe end walls in a closed loop path.

A cutting machine waste extraction apparatus is provided for a cutting machine that cuts a plate where the cutting machine waste extraction apparatus is supported adjacent a cutting area at a cutting table. The cutting machine produces waste at the cutting area during the cutting of the plate where the apparatus includes a ducting system having a first duct that receives the waste from the plate, and a second duct that receives the waste from the first duct. The first duct is movable along the length of the second duct and the second duct includes a lengthwise opening which is sealed by a flexible belt. The flexible belt is deformable from sealed contact with the second duct, adjacent a junction apparatus, where the junction apparatus provides a fluid connection between the first duct and the second duct.

A vertical machining center includes a base; a tilting rotary table, a tool spindle, a tilting shaft, a recessed area, a slide door, and an inner cover. The tilting rotary table is disposed on the base and configured to turn and tilt a table face of a rotary table. The tool spindle is rotatable about a vertical axis line and movable in an X axis direction, a Y axis direction, and a Z axis direction. The tilting shaft is disposed in the tilting rotary table and oriented in the Y axis direction. The recessed area is disposed on a front surface of the vertical machining center. The recessed area is adjacent to a support supporting the tilting shaft. The slide door is configured to cover the front surface. The inner cover is integral with the slide door. The inner cover is configured to cover the recessed area.

The application describes a machine tool adapted and arranged to carry out removal and addition of material on a work piece located in a work station, the machine having a first head arranged to remove material from the work piece and at least a second head arranged to process the work piece, each of the first and second heads being arranged to be moveable in at least two axes and preferably in 3, 4 or 5 axes and wherein the machine is arranged to control an environment of the work station. The work station is at least partially sealable. The machine has a clean side and a dirty side. Novel processing heads particularly adapted for use in the new machine tool are disclosed. These may also be retrofitted to CNC machines. The novel heads include heads adapted to carry out two processes simultaneously. Heads adapted to carry out heat and pressure treatment are also disclosed. Use of the processing beads to carry out analysis in manufacturing steps is disclosed as is the provision and use of heads that can carry out analysis as well as processing.

A facer for use in preparing the opposed ends of polyolefin pipes for fusion into a pipeline has a pair of cutting wheels which rotate in unison. A controller causes the cutting wheels to trace and face the pipe end walls in a closed loop path.

The present invention discloses a five-axis vertical machining system with automatic loading and unloading, including a feeding mechanism, a loading mechanism, and a numerical control machine tool. The feeding mechanism is arranged in front of a ram assembly, and the feeding mechanism drives a raw material to move along an X axis and/or a Y axis of the numerical control machine tool; the loading mechanism is fixed on the ram assembly; and the loading mechanism moves along a Z axis of the numerical control machine tool to drive the raw material onto a cradle assembly of the numerical control machine tool. The present invention realizes an automatic loading and unloading function by setting a feeding mechanism capable of automatic feeding and a loading mechanism with automatic loading to cooperate with each other, thereby improving the working efficiency and saving manpower.

A manufacturing cell comprises a machine tool that has a tool carrier carrying a tool unit and has two adjacent workpiece paths oriented in a longitudinal direction. The tool unit can be displaced relative to a machine bed of the machine tool in a transverse direction and in a vertical direction. At least one workpiece carriage per workpiece path can be displaced in the longitudinal direction along the machine tool. The tool unit can be displaced in the longitudinal direction relative to the machine bed and/or relative to the workpiece carriages. The tool carrier overhangs or projects beyond the workpiece paths. The individual workpiece carriage can also be displaced in the longitudinal direction along the workpiece supply. Furthermore, the workpiece supply has at least one lowerable or tiltable stop device per workpiece path.