A machine tool facility includes the following: machine tools; a first pallet stocker in which a plurality of pallets are arranged in parallel with a predetermined space therebetween; a second pallet stocker in which a plurality of pallets are arranged in parallel with a predetermined space therebetween, and which is disposed in parallel with the first pallet stocker; a conveyance car that conveys a pallet in a direction parallel to the row of the pallets of the first pallet stocker; a first transfer device for transferring the pallet between the first pallet stocker and the conveyance car; and a second transfer device for transferring, by horizontal movement, the pallet between the first pallet stocker and the second pallet stocker.

A machine tool includes a base, a table, a main spindle, and a trunnion unit. The table is installed on the base. A tool is mounted to the main spindle. The main spindle is caused to approach a workpiece on the table along an up-down direction. The trunnion unit is configured to rotatably hold the table on which the workpiece is placed using a rotation axis along a front-rear direction as a center. The trunnion unit is disposed movable in a right-left direction.

An example secure enclosure system and associated methods are described. The example enclosure system includes a housing, a shelf disposed within the housing, an array of sensors arranged within the housing, and an interface operatively coupled to the array of sensors. The shelf includes a supporting surface configured to support physical objects. The array of sensors is configured to detect characteristics of the each physical object supported by the supporting surface of the shelf. The interface is configured to transmit the detected characteristics from the array of sensors to a central computing system. The central computing system is configured to determine an identity of each physical object based on the detected characteristics.

There is provided a flexible manufacturing system that can reliably place a workpiece that isn't defective piece in a state where the workpiece will be machined again. After a pallet is conveyed to a standby position and before machining of the workpiece attached to the pallet is started, controllers determines whether machining of the workpiece with a corresponding machining device is possible. When it is determined that machining is possible, the controller starts machining with the machining device. When it is determined that machining is impossible, the controller make a conveyor convey the pallet from the standby position to a pallet storage room, and stores the machining status information on the conveyed pallet as the machining-waiting state.

There is provided a flexible manufacturing system that can reliably place a workpiece that isn't defective piece in a state where the workpiece will be machined again. After a pallet is conveyed to a standby position and before machining of the workpiece attached to the pallet is started, controllers determines whether machining of the workpiece with a corresponding machining device is possible. When it is determined that machining is possible, the controller starts machining with the machining device. When it is determined that machining is impossible, the controller make a conveyor convey the pallet from the standby position to a pallet storage room, and stores the machining status information on the conveyed pallet as the machining-waiting state.

A work conveying pallet includes a base in the form of a flat plate having front and back principal surfaces and a plurality of side surfaces, the front and back principal surfaces being configured to carry a work, a linear motion block provided on the base, the linear motion block being configured to move on a guide rail provided along a conveyance path, and locking members configured to be locked to a circulation belt of a pallet conveying apparatus, wherein the locking members are provided on at least two surfaces out of the front and back principal surfaces and the plurality of side surfaces of the base.

A pallet conveying apparatus includes a first and a second guide rails separated in a vertical direction, an endless first circulation belt provided along the first and second guide rails, a first pallet feeding part configured to convey the pallet by rotating the first circulation belt engaged with the pallet, and a first pallet moving part provided at one end sides of the first and second guide rails, wherein the pallet is engaged with an upper side of the first circulation belt when moving along the first guide rail provided on a vertically upper side while being engaged with a lower side of the first circulation belt when moving along the second guide rail provided on a vertical lower side.

A pallet conveying apparatus includes a first and a second guide rails separated in a vertical direction, an endless first circulation belt provided along the first and second guide rails, a first pallet feeding part configured to convey the pallet by rotating the first circulation belt engaged with the pallet, and a first pallet moving part provided at one end sides of the first and second guide rails, wherein the pallet is engaged with an upper side of the first circulation belt when moving along the first guide rail provided on a vertically upper side while being engaged with a lower side of the first circulation belt when moving along the second guide rail provided on a vertical lower side.

A technology that can prevent leakage of confidential workpiece information in a course of workpiece transfer is provided. A pallet transfer system includes a transfer device, a pallet storage, a work station, a machine tool, and a control device. The control device determines whether or not the workpiece is a confidential target based on information indicating whether or not the workpiece to be machined is a confidential target, the control device transfers the pallet to which the workpiece is attached by a first transfer method when determining that the workpiece is not the confidential target, and the control device transfers the pallet to which the workpiece is attached by a second transfer method different from the first transfer method when determining that the workpiece is the confidential target.

A technology that can prevent leakage of confidential workpiece information in a course of workpiece transfer is provided. A pallet transfer system includes a transfer device, a pallet storage, a work station, a machine tool, and a control device. The control device determines whether or not the workpiece is a confidential target based on information indicating whether or not the workpiece to be machined is a confidential target, the control device transfers the pallet to which the workpiece is attached by a first transfer method when determining that the workpiece is not the confidential target, and the control device transfers the pallet to which the workpiece is attached by a second transfer method different from the first transfer method when determining that the workpiece is the confidential target.