A laser processing machine for carrying out hole-forming on a plate-shaped workpiece is provided. A first program storage that stores a plurality of hole-forming programs and a second program storage that stores a plurality of cutout piece drop programs are also provided. A program selector that selects, from the second program storage, a cutout piece drop program associated with a hole-forming program selected from the first program storage to form the hole on the workpiece. A working head controller that controls a laser processing head according to the hole-forming program and the cutout piece drop program that are selected is also provided. A motion path of the processing head after forming the hole on the workpiece and a jetting condition of assist gas to an inside of the outline from the processing head on the motion path are programed in each of the plurality of cutout piece drop programs.

An unloading method for unloading a machining product of a workpiece machining operation from a product support is provided. The method includes moving the machining product with a transfer movement along a transfer axis into an unloading region including a spatial unloading region limit located along the transfer axis and an unloading region length along the transfer axis which is larger than an actual product length of the machining product along the transfer axis; and continuing the unloading operation after the machining product has been provided for unloading. A reference length extends along the transfer axis and is at least the actual product length. After completion of the transfer movement, a distance along the transfer axis is compared with the limit distance from the reference point, and the unloading operation is continued only under a condition that the distance is less than the limit distance.

A method for handling a releasable product assembly having at least one workpiece part and a residual grid includes releasing the at least one workpiece part from the residual grid by using at least one vibration generator at a separation station, and fixing the product assembly to a holding device, which engages underneath the product assembly at an edge side thereof with at least one holding member. The releasing the at least one workpiece part from the residual grid takes place on the product assembly fixed by the holding device.

A processing machine has a holding unit, which includes a holding surface, a suction valve, an air ejection valve, a water ejection valve, a plurality of suction openings, and a suction-openings suction valve that establishes or interrupts communication between the suction openings and a suction source. An unloading method of a wafer in the processing machine includes a separation step of separating the wafer from the holding surface by closing the suction valve and opening the air ejection valve and the water ejection valve such that a mixed fluid of air and water is supplied to the holding surface, and an unloading step of unloading, from the holding surface, the wafer separated from the holding surface. The separation step includes a drawing step of opening the suction-openings suction valve and drawing the mixed fluid outside of the holding surface.