A tooling assembly is provided, for use with a panel defining a tool-side surface and the tool-side surface defining a profile. The tooling assembly includes a base, a plurality of support members fixedly attached to the base, a plurality of frames, and a securing system. The frames each define an upper surface, where each support member is releasably coupled to a corresponding frame by a fastening system. The upper surfaces of the frames are each shaped to correspond with a portion of the profile of the tool-side surface of the panel. The securing system is for providing a suction force configured to releasably secure the panel against the upper surface of the frames.

The machining station can include a table; at least three robots each having a multi-axis mover secured to the table, and a gripper opposite the table, the robots being interspaced from one another on the table; and a controller. The controller controls the robots to hold a workpiece in a coordinated manner. The computer numerical command (CNC) machine-tool system machines the workpiece while the workpiece is held by the robots. The workpiece can be moved into and out from the machining station with a trolley which slidingly engages a trolley path formed within the table.

A workpiece support system includes: a plurality of rods that are extendable and retractable in an axial direction; a holder rotatably placed in an upper end portion of each of the rods, to hold a workpiece; a first lock part that keeps an extended/retracted position of the rod in the axial direction; and a position adjustment device including a hand portion configured to hold the rod or the holder, to perform position control of the hand portion. The position adjustment device moves the hand portion, to extend and retract the rod, based on shape data of the workpiece that is recorded in advance, in a state where the rod or the holder is held by the hand portion, and the first lock part keeps the extended/retracted position of the rod extended and retracted by the position adjustment device.

The purpose of the present invention is to facilitate bonding between a jig and a plate-shaped workpiece and to suitably support the workpiece. A support device is provided with: a jig that has a bent support surface for supporting a plate-shaped workpiece; a first abutment that abuts against one end of the workpiece mounted on the support surface; and a second abutment that is disposed so as to face the first abutment across the support surface and that abuts against the other end of the workpiece mounted on the support surface. The first and second abutments move toward each other and apply a load, in the tangential direction load of the support surface, with respect to the workpiece mounted on the support surface.

The low profile of the flexible tooling system disclosed allows for flexible tooling to be added to nearly all CNC machines with an accommodating z-axis height and allows easier relocation of the system from one CNC machine to another. The system includes one or more pods, each of the pods of the system replacing the function of four independent actuators of earlier systems but operating with a shared mechanical frame. Arranging the mechanism into groups of four allows for greater density of part support spacing, minimizes cable requirements, and allows for air, vacuum, and vacuum sensor requirements be localized on each pod. The pods allow for part supports to be spaced as close as 6 in the x and y axis. An increased variable position assembly density allows for greater flexibility to hold complicated parts.

An apparatus for holding a workpiece includes a fixture base, a linear actuator coupled to the fixture base and having an outboard end that is linearly movable by the linear actuator, and a vacuum gripper located at the outboard end of the linear actuator. The linear actuator is configured to linearly move the vacuum gripper relative to the fixture base into contact with a surface of the workpiece. With the vacuum gripper in contact with the surface of the workpiece, the vacuum gripper is configured to grip the workpiece using a vacuum formed between the vacuum gripper and the surface of the workpiece. With the vacuum formed between the vacuum gripper and the surface of the workpiece, the linear actuator is configured to lock linear movement of the vacuum gripper.

The present disclosure discloses a carrier frame, which includes at least two plug boards and a plurality of hollow insert parts. Each plug board includes a plurality of hollow insert parts, either end of the support rod is configured to be inserted into any one of the hollow insert parts; the carrier frame has a first state, in the first state, the at least two plug boards are arranged in parallel and the two adjacent plug boards are connected through the support rods.

A jig device includes an upper end configured to support an object, and a lower end comprising a hole for insertion and coupling of the upper end in an upper portion and an air inlet and an opening and closing portion configured to open and close the air inlet, in a lower portion. A position of the upper end is configured to be fixed at a point in time at which the air inlet is closed due to air pressure that occurs inside the lower end in response to closing the air inlet.

The invention relates to a supporting device for a plurality of components (100, 200, 100*) with different geometries, in particular for a plurality of geometrically different motor-vehicle external attachments made of polymer material, having a support frame (30), a drive (40) arranged on the support frame (30) and at least two supporting groups (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) arranged on the support frame (30), wherein each supporting group (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) serves as a supporting surface for a particular component geometry, wherein each supporting group (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) has at least two spaced-apart, disc-shaped supporting elements (1, 1, 1; 2, 2, 2, etc.), the upwardly facing rim (10, 10, 10; 20, 20, 20, etc.) of each of which already has, in the unloaded state, a contour adapted to the geometry of the associated component (100, 200, 100*). By means of the drive (40), the supporting elements (1, 1, 1; 2, 2, 2, etc.) are movable such that only the supporting elements (1, 1, 1; 2, 2, 2, etc.) of a single supporting group (1, 2, etc.) protrude upwards such that the upwardly facing rims (10, 10, 10; 20, 20, 20, etc.) thereof form the supporting surface for the component geometry associated therewith.

A tooling fixture includes a tilt platform including an indexing point, defining an intersection of orthogonal axes, and a frame assembly coupled to the tilt platform. The frame assembly is configured to support rotational movement of the tilt platform about two of the orthogonal axes. A location of the indexing point is fixed relative to a reference frame during rotational movement of the tilt platform. The frame assembly allows access to the tilt platform from a direction opposite the frame.