A dual-sleeve, locking adjustment arrangement includes a position-sensitive component comprising an aperture, an outer eccentric sleeve disposed in the aperture, and an inner eccentric sleeve disposed in the outer sleeve. Rotation of the outer sleeve with respect to the position-sensitive component and the inner sleeve drives rotation of the position-sensitive component to adjust an angular position of the component.

A woodworking gauge for use with a boring, drilling or cutting mechanism having a support surface and a cutting implement disposed on and extending through the support surface includes a pair of alignment blocks joined by a pair of connecting rods. The rods are slidably positioned within bores extending through each of the alignment blocks and can be fixed with regard to the alignment blocks by clamps disposed on the blocks. One alignment block includes a channel lock that is engaged with the support surface to secure the alignment block in a stationary position on the support surface. The remaining alignment block includes a cutting implement-engaging insert to be positioned against the boring, drilling or cutting blade. The position of the connecting rods extending past the alignment block engaged with the blade enables a cutting fence to be positioned to achieve the desired depth cut within the material workpiece.

Power tool methods and systems are provided for aligning a power tool to implement an angled cut in a workpiece. The power tool includes a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor. The power tool measures a first distance to the workpiece with the first distance sensor and a second distance to the workpiece with the second distance sensor. The power tool calculates an angle between the power tool and the workpiece based on the first and second distances, and indicates the angle via an angle output indicator of the power tool. The power tool may measure an angle between the power tool and the workpiece using a proximate edge and a distal edge of the workpiece, and indicate whether the power tool maintains a correct angle as it traverses a cut through the workpiece from the proximate edge to the distal edge.

A tool gripping mechanism includes a tool holder and a shaft to which the tool holder is attached. The shaft is fixed to a rotary shaft of a spindle device. A plurality of magnets are disposed in pairs on concentric circles on surfaces of the tool holder and the shaft which face each other. When the tool holder is in a specific phase with respect to the shaft, the magnets of the tool holder and the magnets of the shaft attract each other, and the tool holder is aligned with respect to the shaft in that phase.

A vacuum-based weld fixture includes a first work piece support for supporting a first work piece and a second work piece support for supporting a second work piece. The first work piece support may be slidable with respect to the second work piece support, and configured to supply a vacuum to the first work piece via at least one opening formed in a work piece support surface. The weld fixture includes a gage bar for aligning the first and second work pieces. Reduced pressure created by a vacuum source may be communicated to the opening in the work piece support surface, thereby holding the first work piece in place while the first work piece is aligned against the gage bar prior to welding.

Workpiece-holding tools and techniques are described. Workpiece-holding tools and techniques are usable to ensure consistent and durable alignment of various workpieces while providing access for performing attachment techniques thereon. In one example, the workpiece-holding tool is configured to allow objects to be held or removably affixed to an alignment surface. Holding objects with the workpiece-holding tool ensures that the alignment of objects with an alignment surface does not change while a user is operating upon a workpiece, e.g., as by joining aligned objects together, without interfering or obstructing access to the objects. The ability to hold objects is enhanced by the inclusion of cutouts that provide increased access to interior surfaces of the workpiece-holding tool, such as to increase the area available for use of clamps or other fastening devices.

Magnetic table jig assemblies and methods allow workpieces (e.g., aircraft components to be fabricated) on a table top of the table jig assembly to be accurately indexed relative to a robotically operated tool (e.g., a robotically operated drill). The magnetic table jig assembly may include a wheeled frame which is capable of rolling movement across a floor surface, a horizontally planar table top exhibiting ferromagnetic properties supported by the frame and a plurality of magnetic workpiece positioners each including an actuator to magnetically couple and decouple the magnetic workpiece positioner to the table top. The workpiece will therefore be positioning restrained on the table top by magnetically coupling the plurality of the magnetic workpiece positioners to the table top in abutting relationship to a perimetrical edge of the workpiece.

Alignment modules attached to a robotic tool changer assist spatial orientation and alignment of a robot arm relative to a robotic tool for location training. A three-axis spatial orientation sensor is first attached to an alignment module affixed to a tool unit. The sensor is “zeroed,” or calibrated to the spatial orientation of the tool unit. The sensor is transferred to a corresponding surface of an alignment module affixed to a master unit. The orientation of the robot arm is adjusted to eliminate sensor error signals indicating deviations from the zeroed orientation of the tool unit. An optical signal, such as a cross line laser beam, is then projected between the alignment modules. The x- and y-axis position of the robot arm is adjusted to align the optical signal with alignment markings. When the master and tool units are aligned, the robot arm is advanced in the z-axis direction until the master unit abuts the tool unit.

A dual-sleeve, locking adjustment arrangement includes a position-sensitive component comprising an aperture, an outer eccentric sleeve disposed in the aperture, and an inner eccentric sleeve disposed in the outer sleeve. Rotation of the outer sleeve with respect to the position-sensitive component and the inner sleeve drives rotation of the position-sensitive component to adjust an angular position of the component.

A processing apparatus is equipped with: a first stage system that has a table on which a workpiece is placed and moves the workpiece held by the table; a beam irradiation system that includes a condensing optical system to emit beams; and a controller to control the first stage system and the beam irradiation system, and processing is performed to a target portion of the workpiece while the table and the beams from the condensing optical system are relatively moved, and at least one of an intensity distribution of the beams at a first plane on an exit surface side of the condensing optical system and an intensity distribution of the beams at a second plane whose position in a direction of an optical axis of the condensing optical system is different from the first plane can be changed.