A device for moving at least one cutting and welding arrangement able to cut, then weld a tail of a first metal strip to a head of a second metal strip, includes at least one first carriage holding at least one welding head. The first carriage is movable over a guide path following a first course across a transverse strip region. At least one second carriage is movable separately from the first carriage and holds a cutting head. The second carriage is movable on a guide path following a second course. The welding head is used exclusively for a welding mode, the second carriage is used exclusively for a cutting mode and the two carriages have parked positions on either side of the tail and head widths of the strips. A welding method which is associated with the device is also provided.

A machine for machining workpieces, including a first column and a second column facing each other according to a first horizontal axis, a guide system guided displacement of at least one of the columns in parallel with the first horizontal axis, one or two tool units, each tool unit being arranged on respective column for controlled displacement perpendicularly to the first horizontal axis, on each column, a workpiece holding device, at least one of the workpiece holding devices being arranged for controlled displacement in parallel with the first horizontal axis, where the workpiece holding devices are arranged for supporting a workpiece between them and for controlled rotation of the workpiece around a workpiece axis parallel with the first horizontal axis.

The present invention relates to a machining center, and more specifically to a horizontal multi-spindle machining center, in which 2-axis (Y- and Z-axis) or 3-axis (X-, Y- and Z-axis) transfer drive units are disposed in the machining center installed to machine workpieces, in which a ram equipped with spindles is moved in the up-down, front-back, and/or left-right directions of the workpieces, in which the spindles are configured to include a plurality of spindles, i.e., 2 to 8 spindles, so that a plurality of workpieces may be machined simultaneously, and in which tool change is simultaneously performed for tools fastened to the plurality of spindles and configured to machine workpieces by using an auto tool changer (ATC), so that tool change speed may be improved and thus manufacturing efficiency may be improved.

An operational control method is provided for a machine tool that includes a plurality of tool holders with a cutting-tool. The machine tool relatively moves the tool holders with respect to a workpiece to process the workpiece. The operational control method includes determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the cutting-tool during a processing or not, determining whether a simultaneous processing in which at least two or more of the tool holders perform the processings to an identical workpiece is being performed or not and whether the cutting-tool having the detected abnormality is the cutting-tool that is performing the simultaneous processing or not when the abnormality is detected, and causing the tool holder with the cutting-tool having the detected abnormality to take an abnormality avoidance operation and another of the tool holders to take a response operation based on a determination result at the determining of the simultaneous processing.

Various embodiments relate to a machine tool, in particular for the robot-assisted machining of workpieces. The machine tool comprises a drive and a first shaft with a mounting point for a first tool and a second shaft with a mounting point for a second tool. The drive is coupled to the first shaft directly or indirectly via a first freewheel coupling and to the second shaft directly or indirectly via a second freewheel coupling such that the drive drives the first or second shaft on the basis of the rotational direction. The invention additionally relates to a corresponding method for the robot-assisted machining of a workpiece using machine tool.

A tool carrier assembly for use at a machine tool, which includes at least one workpiece-carrying spindle for rotatably driving a workpiece received in the workpiece-carrying spindle. The tool carrier assembly includes a first slide being movable in a first direction, a tool carrier being supported on the first slide and configured to hold a plurality of tools, a tool drive unit including a tool drive for engaging with one of the plurality of tools held by the tool carrier to rotatably drive said tool, when the tool is arranged at a tool drive position with respect to the tool drive, and a drive mechanism for driving movement of the first slide together with the tool carrier in the first direction relative to the tool drive position, when the tool drive is disengaged with the tool, to relatively move another tool of the plurality of tools into the tool drive position.

An invertible part loading system includes a pallet adapted for holding articles for machining, a frame adapted for receiving the pallet, and latching mechanisms adapted for holding the pallet within the frame. A support structure is adapted to support the frame above a machining tool. An axle rotatably couples the frame with the support structure for allowing the pallet to be inverted, enabling the articles to face the machining tool from above, which allows chips of material to fall away from the articles. The axle rotates about a pivot axis aligned centrally through the frame. The pallet is adapted for rapid transfer on and off the part loading system via a compatible loading and storage assembly to reduce machining down time between swapping pallets. A two-sided pallet may be adapted to enable switching between parts, or between two sides of the same part, by inverting the pallet via the axle.

A multifunctional end effector includes a support structure configured to be carried by a robotic system and at least two of a fluid stream cutting system, a spindle system and/or a scanning system, each mounted to the support structure. Also described is a fluid stream cutting system having a plurality of fluid stream catchers selectively mountable to the fluid stream system and a mounting arrangement for mounting each fluid stream catcher to the fluid stream cutting system.

Machine tool including a workpiece carrier assembly including a workpiece carrier for supporting a plurality of workpieces, the workpiece carrier assembly being supported on a workpiece carrier support for horizontal movement in a first direction parallel with a horizontal Z axis, a tool carrier configured for carrying a plurality of tools corresponding to the plurality of workpieces and for machining the workpieces, the tool carrier being supported on a tool carrier support for horizontal movement in a second direction parallel to a horizontal X axis, the X axis being perpendicular to the horizontal Z axis, where the tool carrier is displaceable on the tool carrier support in the second direction between an operative position in which the tools are arranged for the contacting the workpieces and an inoperative position in which the workpieces are not contactable by the tools, where the workpiece carrier is arranged to be rotatable around an axis parallel with the X axis, and where the workpiece carrier includes a workpiece support area for supporting the workpieces and arranged substantially in parallel with the X axis.

A turret tool rest includes a main shaft, a turret turning shaft, a turret, a joint base, a mill housing connection shaft, and an engagement member. The main shaft rotates a tool. A part of the main shaft is provided in the turret turning shaft. The turret turning shaft has a first coupling hole. The turret is connected to the turret turning shaft via which the turret is rotated. The joint base has a second coupling hole. The mill housing connection shaft is connected to the joint base. The mill housing connection shaft is provided between the main shaft and the turret turning shaft. Each of the mill housing connection shaft, the joint base, the part of the main shaft, and the turret turning shaft are disposed to rotate around a rotation axis of the turret. The engagement member moves in the first coupling hole and the second coupling hole.