A system for duplicating a master key includes a mechanism for receiving and positioning a master key. The master key defines a major key axis and an intermediate key axis along which a key blade variably extends, and a minor key axis along a key thickness. Optical path components direct a light beam along the minor key axis. The light beam impinges upon the key blade. A portion of the light beam traverses the key blade. A detector receives the portion of the light beam that traverses the key blade. An apparatus imparts relative motion along the major key axis between the light beam and the master key. The light beam scans along the major key axis of the master key. A processor receives a signal from the detector as the beam scans along the major key axis and generates information usable for defining the machining of a duplicate key.

Saw blades and methods of machining saw blade tooth profiles of saw blades. The saw blades include a blade body and a plurality of teeth defined by the blade body. Each tooth includes a tooth back, a tooth tip, a tooth face, and a tooth gullet. In at least one tooth, a relief region extends toward the tooth back and separates the tooth face from the tooth gullet. The methods include supporting the saw blade with a blade support structure and advancing the saw blade with a blade advance structure. The methods also include dry-machining a finished tooth profile in a working portion of the saw blade in a single pass. The dry-machining includes dry-machining with an end mill by operatively translating the end mill relative to the saw blade and within a plane that is at least substantially perpendicular to an end mill rotational axis of the end mill.

A system for duplicating a master key includes a mechanism for receiving and positioning a master key. The master key defines a major key axis and an intermediate key axis along which a key blade variably extends, and a minor key axis along a key thickness. Optical path components direct a light beam along the minor key axis. The light beam impinges upon the key blade. A portion of the light beam traverses the key blade. A detector receives the portion of the light beam that traverses the key blade. An apparatus imparts relative motion along the major key axis between the light beam and the master key. The light beam scans along the major key axis of the master key. A processor receives a signal from the detector as the beam scans along the major key axis and generates information usable for defining the machining of a duplicate key.

Systems and methods for milling saw blade tooth profiles and saw blades with milled tooth profiles are disclosed herein. The systems include blade milling systems that include a milling head, a blade support structure, a blade advance structure, and a control system. The methods include supporting a saw blade, advancing the saw blade, and machining a finished tooth profile in a working portion of the saw blade with an end mill. In some embodiments, the machining may include operatively translating the end mill relative to the saw blade with a milling head and within a plane that is at least substantially perpendicular to an end mill rotational axis. In some embodiments, the machining may include dry-machining the finished tooth profile in the working portion of the saw blade in a single pass. The saw blades include a plurality of teeth and may include at least one relief region.

A system for duplicating a master key includes a mechanism for receiving and positioning a master key. The master key defines a major key axis and an intermediate key axis along which a key blade variably extends, and a minor key axis along a key thickness. Optical path components direct a light beam along the minor key axis. The light beam impinges upon the key blade. A portion of the light beam traverses the key blade. A detector receives the portion of the light beam that traverses the key blade. An apparatus imparts relative motion along the major key axis between the light beam and the master key. The light beam scans along the major key axis of the master key. A processor receives a signal from the detector as the beam scans along the major key axis and generates information usable for defining the machining of a duplicate key.

Systems and methods for milling saw blade tooth profiles and saw blades with milled tooth profiles are disclosed herein. The systems include blade milling systems that include a milling head, a blade support structure, a blade advance structure, and a control system. The methods include supporting a saw blade, advancing the saw blade, and machining a finished tooth profile in a working portion of the saw blade with an end mill. In some embodiments, the machining may include operatively translating the end mill relative to the saw blade with a milling head and within a plane that is at least substantially perpendicular to an end mill rotational axis. In some embodiments, the machining may include dry-machining the finished tooth profile in the working portion of the saw blade in a single pass. The saw blades include a plurality of teeth and may include at least one relief region.

A clamp is disclosed for use in a key making machine. The clamp may have a stationary head guide with a slot configured to receive a key, and a pressure pad configured to engage the head guide and sandwich the key therebetween. The clamp may also have at least a first spring configured to continuously generate a force biasing the pressure pad toward the stationary head guide, a plunger configured to selectively engage the pressure pad, and a second spring configured to bias the plunger toward the pressure pad. The clamp may further have a release lever manually operable to urge the plunger away from the pressure pad and to compress the second spring.

A machine tool includes a stationary machine frame, a tool head, which is able to be positioned relative to the machine frame along three mutually orthogonal translation axes, and a motor-driven tool. The machine tool includes a swivel unit, which can be pivoted about a horizontal swivel axis relative to the machine frame and includes a workpiece positioning device, via which a workpiece can be rotated about an axis of rotation oriented perpendicularly to the swivel axis. The swivel unit is assigned a measuring frame, which is able to be rotated with the swivel unit and is arranged to be thermally and/or mechanically decoupled from the swivel unit and includes components of a first and second position measuring system. Additional components of the first position measuring system are disposed on the tool head, and further components of the second position measuring system are situated on the workpiece positioning device. The spatial position of the tool head in relation to the measuring frame is ascertained via the first position measuring system, and the spatial position of the workpiece positioning device in relation to the measuring frame takes place via the second position measuring system.

A live tool system having a live tool and a collar surrounding a rotating shaft or a rotating cutting tool of the live tool. The collar houses at least one sensor capable of monitoring an operating condition proximate to the cutting tool during a cutting operation. Example operating conditions including temperature and vibration. The system also includes a wireless transmitter in communication with the at least one sensor for transmitting a signal for use by a machining center controller.

A clamp is disclosed for use in a key making machine. The clamp may have a stationary head guide with a slot configured to receive a key, and a pressure pad configured to engage the head guide and sandwich the key therebetween. The clamp may also have at least a first spring configured to continuously generate a force biasing the pressure pad toward the stationary head guide, a plunger configured to selectively engage the pressure pad, and a second spring configured to bias the plunger toward the pressure pad. The clamp may further have a release lever manually operable to urge the plunger away from the pressure pad and to compress the second spring.