A tool changer 10 includes a tool change arm 40 having tool holding portions 42, 52 at ends thereof, a support shaft supporting the tool change arm 40, a rotation mechanism including a rotation drive motor 25 and rotating the tool change arm 40 about an axis of the support shaft, a forward/backward movement mechanism including a forward/backward movement drive motor 13 and moving the tool change arm 40 forward and backward along the support shaft, and a mount base 11 having the rotation drive motor 25, the forward/backward movement drive motor 13 and the support shaft mounted thereon. The tool changer has a restraining member 60 provided thereon which restrains movement of the tool change arm 40 in a direction along the support shaft by engaging with the tool change arm 40 positioned at an original position.

The device and the corresponding method according to the invention relate in particular to a CNC machine tool and a machining method preferably for large machining patterns. The CNC machine tool may comprise a machining head 2 which may be connected to a Z-axis 1 such that it can be manually and/or automatically changed, and which may have at least two tool spindles 3 for receiving tools 4. The Z-axis 1 can be moved in a linear manner at least along two linear axial directions. The Z-axis 1 and/or the machining head 2 may have at least one axis of rotation.

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 tool changer includes a holding member having a tool change arm, a rotating mechanism for rotating the holding member, a forward/backward moving mechanism for moving the holding member forward and backward, and a controller controlling the mechanisms. A zero return controller determines whether the tool change arm is holding tools. When it is not holding tools, the tool change arm is rotated to a predetermined non-interference angle, the tool change arm is translated to a forward/backward movement zero point, and the tool change arm is rotated to a rotation zero point. When it is holding tools, the tool change arm is translated to a forward end, the tool change arm is rotated to position it on an expected path, and the tool change arm is moved along the expected path, thereby moving the tool change arm to the rotation zero point and the forward/backward movement zero point.

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 tool holding part holds two boring bars in a manner in which axes of the boring bars are parallel to a spindle axis. A tool change mechanism has a circular arc movement mechanism in which the boring bar moves from a tool holding position to a tool change position by at least a circular arc movement on a plane surface including an axis of the spindle in the tool change position and an axis of the boring bar positioned in the tool holding part.

A processing machine includes a splash guard, a tool spindle that is provided inside a processing area and holds a tool, and an automatic tool changer that is movable between an internal-side tool changing position inside the processing area and a standby position outside the processing area and changes the tool held by the tool spindle at the internal-side tool changing position. The splash guard includes a cover body that is coupled to the automatic tool changer, defines and forms the processing area when the automatic tool changer is positioned at the standby position, and enters the processing area when the automatic tool changer moves from the standby position to the internal-side tool changing position.