A feed unit for drilling and/or tapping comprising a housing, a quill in the housing movable between retracted and extended positions, the quill rotationally supporting a spindle for carrying a rotary tool, a screw for moving the quill between said positions, a ball spline shaft in the housing coaxial with the spindle, a ball spline nut having recirculating steel balls rolling in raceways on the ball spline shaft, the spindle radially supporting the ball spline shaft within the quill with zero clearance through the ball spline nut, rotation of the ball spline shaft being imparted to the spindle through the ball spline nut.

A feed unit for drilling and/or tapping comprising a housing, a quill in the housing movable between retracted and extended positions, the quill rotationally supporting a spindle for carrying a rotary tool, a screw for moving the quill between said positions, a ball spline shaft in the housing coaxial with the spindle, a ball spline nut having recirculating steel balls rolling in raceways on the ball spline shaft, the spindle radially supporting the ball spline shaft within the quill with zero clearance through the ball spline nut, rotation of the ball spline shaft being imparted to the spindle through the ball spline nut.

Feed tools and methods of use for initiating a change in a spindle feed direction from an advance direction that moves the spindle towards a workpiece to a retract direction that moves the spindle away from the workpiece. The tool and methods may use a thrust overload force that is generated on one or more of the components to initiate the shift from forward to retract and/or a lift ring that acts on one or more of the components. The tool and methods may also include a two-stage piston to accomplish the shift. The various components may be used independently or in combination within the tool.

Actuators, systems, and methods for controlling tools are disclosed. One actuator includes a first motor, a second motor, and a controller. The first motor is operable to rotate a first threading extending in a first helical direction around an axis. The second motor is operable to rotate a second threading axially spaced apart from the first threading and extending in a second helical direction opposite the first helical direction around the axis. The controller is in communication with the first and second motors. The controller is configured to control speed and direction of the first and second motors to effect a desired pattern of axial and rotational movement of the tool. One method includes rotating the first threading in a first rotational direction, and simultaneously, rotating the second threading in a second rotational direction opposite the first direction.

An apparatus and method for assigning drill holes. The apparatus is arranged to determine a forthcoming position of a bottom of a new drill hole before it is drilled. The forthcoming position of the drill hole bottom is determined on the basis of the current location and direction of a tool and a planned length of the drill hole.

A milling machine (10), having a milling spindle (12) and a workpiece holder (24) which is mounted so as to move with respect to the milling spindle (12) in at least 3 or 4 spatial directions, having a workpiece which is held in a clamped manner on the workpiece holder (24), having a sensor, relative to which the workpiece can be brought into contact and relative to which workpiece the sensor can be moved to sense the workpiece, wherein the sensor is designed as a sensing probe (18), having a deflection and detection of a deflection of its sensing element (30) in at least 1 spatial direction, or in 2 or 3 spatial directions.

A milling machine (10), having a milling spindle (12) and a workpiece holder (24) which is mounted so as to move with respect to the milling spindle (12) in at least 3 or 4 spatial directions, having a workpiece which is held in a clamped manner on the workpiece holder (24), having a sensor, relative to which the workpiece can be brought into contact and relative to which workpiece the sensor can be moved to sense the workpiece, wherein the sensor is designed as a sensing probe (18), having a deflection and detection of a deflection of its sensing element (30) in at least 1 spatial direction, or in 2 or 3 spatial directions.

A magnetic drill press includes a housing, a magnetic base coupled to the housing for engagement with a workpiece, and a motor carriage slidably coupled to the base housing. The magnetic drill press further includes an electric motor supported by the motor carriage and configured to rotate a bit about a bit axis, and a spindle assembly supported by the housing and coupled to the motor carriage for selectively positioning the motor carriage relative to the housing. The magnetic drill press further includes a handle hub coupled to the spindle assembly, and a ratchet assembly including a ratchet head coupled to the handle hub and a ratchet handle coupled to the ratchet head for actuating the spindle assembly by reciprocating motion of the ratchet handle.

A control device for controlling a machine tool so as to drill a workpiece based on a machining program, includes a motor control unit configured to, when drilling the workpiece, control an axis feed motor of the machine tool so that the rotary tool of the machine tool is axially moved by intermittently decelerated feed in which the feed rate of the rotary tool is alternately switched between a first feed rate and a second feed rate that is lower than the first feed rate, under the condition in which the relational equations (1) and (5) are satisfied.

A control device for controlling a machine tool so as to drill a workpiece based on a machining program, includes a motor control unit configured to, when drilling the workpiece, control an axis feed motor of the machine tool so that the rotary tool of the machine tool is axially moved by intermittently decelerated feed in which the feed rate of the rotary tool is alternately switched between a first feed rate and a second feed rate that is lower than the first feed rate, under the condition in which the relational equations (1) and (5) are satisfied.