A levelling machine includes a pair of spaced apart rail assemblies, a gantry assembly and a face mill assembly. The spaced apart rail assemblies define an x axis. The gantry assembly is moveably attached to the pair of spaced apart rail assemblies whereby the gantry assembly defines a y axis. The gantry assembly is moveable in the x axis along the pair of spaced apart rail assemblies. The face mill assembly is moveably attached to the gantry assembly and is moveable in the y axis along the gantry assembly. The face mill assembly has a plurality of saw blades, the saw blades being generally in an x-y plane defined by the x axis and y axis. The saw blades have a plurality of teeth that extend downwardly generally in a z axis. The face mill assembly is moveable in the z axis.

A dust collection assembly for a computer numerical control (CNC) cutting machine includes an adapter configured to couple to an arm of the CNC cutting machine and a head telescopically coupled to the adapter by a plurality of nested members. The CNC cutting machine includes the arm supporting a spindle and a tool holder coupled for co-rotation with the spindle. Each of the plurality of nested members are collapsible relative to each other. The head is movable between an extended position in which the nested members are configured to surround the tool holder and a tool bit, and a retracted position in which at least some of the nested members are telescopically received in the adapter. The head defines an inlet fluidly connected to the plurality of nested members when the head is at least in the extended position. The inlet is configured to fluidly connect to a vacuum.

A machine tool includes a frame with two opposite frame sections, a number of leg elements arranged on the frame, and a first carriage having a first linear axis. The first carriage is guided on the two opposite sections of the frame and is displaceable in a first direction. A second carriage of a second linear axis is guided on the first carriage and is displaceable in a second direction A tower element has a third linear axis, which is retained on the second carriage. A machining element is retained on the tower element and is displaceable in a third direction, and a tool spindle is arranged on the machining element for receiving a tool.

An automatic key duplicating machine is disclosed. A master key identification module includes at least one key blade cross-section detector with a plurality of sliding elements, the master key identification module being configured to determine a key type for a master key based at least in part on engagement of the plurality of sliding elements with a blade profile of the master key. A key extraction module is configured to retrieve a key blank of an identified key type. A key cutting module is configured to cut the key blank in accordance with a tooth pattern of the master key.

A levelling machine includes a pair of spaced apart rail assemblies, a gantry assembly and a face mill assembly. The spaced apart rail assemblies define an x axis. The gantry assembly is moveably attached to the pair of spaced apart rail assemblies whereby the gantry assembly defines a y axis. The gantry assembly is moveable in the x axis along the pair of spaced apart rail assemblies. The face mill assembly is moveably attached to the gantry assembly and is moveable in the y axis along the gantry assembly. The face mill assembly has a plurality of saw blades, the saw blades being generally in an x-y plane defined by the x axis and y axis. The saw blades have a plurality of teeth that extend downwardly generally in a z axis. The face mill assembly is moveable in the z axis.

An indexable plenum and a method of using the plenum to collect dust and/or debris during a cutting or milling process are disclosed. The plenum, when attached to the spindle nose of a conventional machine, enables the conventional machine that does not have a hollow spindle nose to be used with a hollow or conventional solid cutter to remove dust and/or debris generated during the cutting process. The indexable plenum comprises a hollow body and a base plate. Hollow bodies of different shape and size that are able to fit differently shaped and sized cutters are disclosed. The hollow bodies can be designed to releasably engage with the same base plate such that when the base plate is attached to the machine spindle nose, hollow bodies can be exchanged during a milling or cutting process to accommodate correspondingly shaped/sized cutters. In various embodiments, the object that is cut or milled is low density foam.

An electromechanical device for removing material from an enclosed space, wherein the electromechanical device comprises at least one arm having at least one first attachment thereon, for fixing a cutter box and a suction device to cut and/or draw in the material that is to be removed from the enclosed space, a body attached to the arm for displacing the arm within the enclosed space, and at least one power source coupled to the body and configured to permit controlled movement of the device in the enclosed space. The electromechanical device also comprises, a first controller configured to receive movement controlling signals from a second controller located remote from the enclosed space and an attachment means that connects the device to equipment for lowering and raising the device in the enclosed space.

Disclosed herein is a cyclonic system for performing subtractive machining in microgravity systems. The cyclonic system comprises: an enclosure, a blower, and a debris collection module to collect the debris from the milling machine. The enclosure includes a top plate, a base plate, and a tapered side wall joining the top plate to the base plate. The enclosure defines a chamber to house a milling machine having a cutter tool. The blower generates an airstream that induces a cyclonic airflow to achieve cyclonic separation of debris within the enclosure. In operation, the cyclonic airflow urges the debris from the milling machine toward the base plate and into the milling machine.

An automatic key duplicating machine is disclosed. A master key identification module includes at least one key blade cross-section detector with a plurality of sliding elements, the master key identification module being configured to determine a key type for a master key based at least in part on engagement of the plurality of sliding elements with a blade profile of the master key. A key extraction module is configured to retrieve a key blank of an identified key type. A key cutting module is configured to cut the key blank in accordance with a tooth pattern of the master key.

The wear status of a micro-endmill tool may be inferred by monitoring the chip production rate of the tool in operation. Chips may be extracted from a work area, captured on an adhesive surface, imaged, and counted to determine the chip production rate. When the rate of chip production falls, the feed rate of the micro-endmill may be modified to a level suitable for the current state of tool wear. In this manner, costly and inconvenient work stoppages to evaluate the wear status of a tool are eliminated.