A tool changer is composed of a support shaft, a forward/backward movement drive motor moving the support shaft upward and downward, a rotation drive motor rotating the support shaft about an axis, a tool change arm having tool grippers formed at both ends thereof, and an air blow mechanism discharging compressed air to a tool and a next tool gripped by the tool grippers. In tool change using this tool changer, in a positioning operation, the tool change arm is rotated by degrees and compressed air is discharged toward the tool and the next tool by the air blow mechanism.

A machine tool having a tool magazine for changing a tool attached to a spindle is equipped with an initial operation speed setting unit configured to set the operation speed of the tool magazine to an initial operation speed, an operation speed adjusting unit configured to be operated by the user to thereby adjust the operation speed of the tool magazine relative to the initial operation speed, an actuator configured to actuate the tool magazine, an operation speed acquisition unit configured to acquire the operation speed of the tool magazine after adjustment of the operation speed made by the operation speed adjusting unit, and an actuator control unit configured to control the actuator to actuate the tool magazine at the operation speed acquired by the operation speed acquisition unit.

The machine tool has a machine bed (10) having a first horizontal linear guide (1) and a second horizontal linear guide (2) arranged at right angles to the first linear guide (1). On the first linear guide (1) is arranged, in an axially displaceable manner, a workpiece clamping fixture (3), which is swivelable about a swivel axis (4) oriented parallel to the second linear guide (2) and is rotatable about a rotation axis (5) oriented at right angles to the swivel axis (4). On the second linear guide (2) a toque motor driven swivel arm (6) is axially displaceable, the swivel axis (7) of which is arranged parallel to the first linear guide (1) and which on its free end bears a tool spindle (8), the axis (9) of which is oriented parallel to the first linear guide (1).

A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and tool changing system for changing tools on a machine. The tool changing system includes a tool magazine, a tool transporter, and an automatic tool changer (ATC). The ATC includes a tool holder and a tool changer. The tool magazine is configured to store at least one tool received at the tool loading station. The tool transporter is configured to transport a tool from the tool loading station or the tool magazine to a tool transfer position of the ATC, and to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during an automatic tool change process. The tool holder is configured to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during the automatic tool change process when the tool transporter is not positioned at the tool transfer position. The tool changer is configured to provide the tool at the tool transfer position to a tool change position of a machine during the automatic tool change process.

A tool changer includes a tool magazine, a support shaft disposed to have a center axis parallel to an axis of a tool spindle, a drive mechanism for rotating the support shaft about the center axis and moving the support shaft in the axial direction, three tool change arms fixed to the support shaft and each having a tool holding unit, a tool transfer mechanism for transferring a tool pot from the tool magazine to a standby position, and a provisional placing pot disposed at a provisional placing position. The tool changer starts a tool change operation in a state where a tool to be attached to the tool spindle, a tool to be used next, and a tool to be used after the next tool are held by the tool holding units of the tool change arms.

A machine tool includes a rotatable spindle, a spindle drive, a tool magazine, a tool changer including a rotating shaft, a rotating shaft drive motor, an angular position detector, a tool change arm having gripping units at both ends, and a controller. After interchanging a first tool mounted on the spindle and a second tool held in a tool pot, when rotating the tool change arm to an intermediate position, rotation of the spindle is started as soon as the second tool mounted on the spindle and the gripping unit are out of contact with each other.

A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and tool changing system for changing tools on a machine. The tool changing system includes a tool magazine, a tool transporter, and an automatic tool changer (ATC). The ATC includes a tool holder and a tool changer. The tool magazine is configured to store at least one tool received at the tool loading station. The tool transporter is configured to transport a tool from the tool loading station or the tool magazine to a tool transfer position of the ATC, and to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during an automatic tool change process. The tool holder is configured to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during the automatic tool change process when the tool transporter is not positioned at the tool transfer position. The tool changer is configured to provide the tool at the tool transfer position to a tool change position of a machine during the automatic tool change process.

A horizontal machining center serving as a machine tool includes: a bed; a front-side guide rail shaped to extend linearly along an upper surface of the bed and attached to the bed; and a column provided on the upper surface of the bed and fixed to the bed. The column has a facing portion arranged to face an end of the front-side guide rail in an X-axis direction in which the front-side guide rail linearly extends. The facing portion is provided with a hole through which the front-side guide rail can be inserted. By such a configuration, a machine tool with excellent workability during removal of an elongate body is provided.

A machine tool includes a rotatable spindle, a spindle drive, a tool magazine, a tool changer including a rotating shaft, a rotating shaft drive motor, an angular position detector, a tool change arm having gripping units at both ends, and a controller. After interchanging a first tool mounted on the spindle and a second tool held in a tool pot, when rotating the tool change arm to an intermediate position, rotation of the spindle is started as soon as the second tool mounted on the spindle and the gripping unit are out of contact with each other.

This tool exchange device for a machine tool uses an exchange arm to exchange tools between a processing area and a tool accommodation area. In the tool exchange device, an imaging device is used to capture an image of a tool in the tool accommodation area, operation parameters for the exchange arm when the exchange arm is used to exchange the tools are determined from the captured image of the tool, and the exchange arm is operated on the basis of the operation parameters to exchange the tool.