A motor control apparatus controlling a motor driving a machine tool includes, an abnormal load detecting unit that detects an abnormal load by monitoring a load of the motor, a retract amount storing unit that stores a plurality of retract amounts used when the machine tool performs a retract operation in response to detection of an abnormal load by the abnormal load detecting unit, a retract amount switching unit that switches a retract amount selected from the plurality of retract amounts in accordance with a result of determination of whether the machine tool is processing or not, and a retract amount adding unit that adds a retract amount selected by switching of the retract amount switching unit to an instruction value indicative of a movement amount of the machine tool.

A chip conveyor includes: a cover body; a guide plate configured to guide chips, which are conveyed inside the cover body, so as to be directed from a chip receiving position toward a chip discharging position; a case attached to the cover body and having an internal space provided therein; and a float switch configured to detect, based on a coolant flowing from inside the cover body into the internal space, that a liquid level of the coolant inside the cover body is equal to or greater than a prescribed liquid level. The cover body includes a first space and a second space that are partitioned from each other by the guide plate. The cover body is provided with: a first opening allowing communication between the first space and the internal space; and a second opening allowing communication between the second space and the internal space.

In a method of monitoring a condition of a machine tool (1) having a plurality of machine axes, at least a part of the machine axes is systematically actuated in a test cycle, and associated condition data are obtained by measurements. On this basis, EOL data correlating with a noise behavior of a gear train comprising a workpiece machined by the gear cutting machine are predicted. Disclosed is also the reverse direction in which condition data are predicted from EOL data.

An abnormality detection apparatus includes a machine learning apparatus for learning waveform data concerning a physical quantity detected when a machine tool is normally operating. The machine learning apparatus observes the waveform data concerning the physical quantity detected when the machine tool is normally operating, as a state variable indicating a current environmental state, and learns a feature of the waveform data concerning the physical quantity detected when the machine tool is normally operating, using the observed state variable.

A method of operating a hydraulically or electric motor operated tool includes providing a device shaft having electrical contacts; providing an accumulator having an adapter comprising a wall thereon; latching the adapter to the device shaft by a latching part; and engaging a tool with the latching part thereby detaching the adapter from the device shaft, whereupon during engagement of the tool with the latching part, the wall of the adapter is destroyed. When the device shaft and adapter are engaged, walls of the device shaft and adapter form an internal cavity and the latching part is positioned entirely therewithin such that the latching part is completely hidden from view. A hydraulically or electric motor operated tool is also disclosed.

An adaptive lubrication control method used in an adaptive lubrication control system for a machining center having an axial system comprises a controller and a lubricating system. The method uses a built-in macro program unit and programmable logic unit of the controller to acquire the feed rate and load data of the axial system of the machining center for computing the shift parameter of the axial system so that the optimal lubrication timing and lubrication time length can be figured out for controlling the lubricating system to lubricate the axial system automatically.

A method of providing cueing signals to a user of a tool. Engagement sensors are positioned, for obtaining engagement data regarding the user's engagement with the tool. The engagement data is compared to a preselected acceptable range of engagement data. If the engagement data is outside the preselected acceptable range of engagement data, then an alert signal is transmitted to an alert device. Upon receipt of the alert signal, the alert device generates a cueing alert signal to indicate that the engagement data is outside the preselected acceptable range.

A machine tool includes a rotation indexing device. The rotation indexing device includes a frame accommodates a rotary shaft, a drive motor rotationally drives the rotary shaft, a drive transmission mechanism accommodated in a space inside the frame, and a detection device. The drive transmission mechanism includes a gear mechanism, and the space includes one or more storage parts for storing lubricating oil. The detection device detects a height position of an oil level of the lubricating oil, and is provided on a one-to-one basis with respect to a detection target storage part, which is set as a detection target, of the one or more storage parts.

In order to provide a tool changer that can detect an entry of a foreign substance into a turret mechanism portion or wear of a turret mechanism part, a tool changer of the present invention includes a reference phase false detection sensing portion that monitors load variations which occur in a turret drive source and detects an entry of a foreign substance into the turret mechanism portion based on a difference between the load variations and a reference load used as a reference. Moreover, the reference phase false detection sensing portion can also detect the progress of wear of the turret mechanism part based on the integral of the absolute value of a difference between the load variations which occur in the turret drive source and the reference load used as a reference.

A mist removal system includes an observation unit that observes a situation related to the mist concentration in a factory, a first mist countermeasure unit that reduces the mist concentration in a machine tool, a second mist countermeasure unit that reduces the mist concentration in the factory, and a control unit. The control unit controls observation by the observation unit and interlocking operation of the first mist countermeasure unit and the second mist countermeasure unit. Furthermore, the control unit determines the control details of interlocking operation of the first and second mist countermeasure units based on the observation results of the mist concentration obtained by the observation unit.