The present invention provides an automatic loading and unloading system and method for double spindle CNC machines. The system makes use of cross slide component of the CNC machine itself and its sliding movements to perform loading and unloading a finished job from the machine, and eliminating need of external robots/gantry. The system comprises two sets of twin grippers placed at the two cross slides across the two spindles. Each set of grippers perform pickup, unload, load and ejection of jobs. A transfer arm travels between the two spindles to transfer semi-finished jobs between the spindles, in order to finish the jobs and collect them in an out-feed bin. The present system provides simpler and faster way of loading and unloading jobs automatically.

A tool changer at a distal end of a robotic arm may include a proximal engagement plate and a tool may include a distal engagement plate magnetically engaged with the proximal engagement plate. The tool changer may be configured to magnetically engage and disengage with a variety of tools as different tools are needed for operations being performed by the robotic arm. Decisions regarding which tools to couple to the tool changer may be made on-the-fly and based on changing circumstances as the robotic arm is used to operate on objects.

A muntin bar fabrication system can be used to efficiency produce a wide variety of different types of muntin bars, allowing the fabrication of both standard and custom muntin bar assemblies for doors, windows, and other fenestration products. In some examples, the fabrication system includes a muntin bar stock storage assembly that holds multiple different types of muntin bar stock. The system also includes a muntin bar stock extraction device that extracts one of the different types of muntin bar stock from the storage assembly and conveys the extracted muntin bar stock to a feed device. The feed device feeds the extracted piece of muntin bar stock into a cutting system that includes a multi-axis cutter. The cutting system that performs one or more cutting operations on the extracted muntin bar stock so as to fabricate one or more individual muntin bars from the extracted muntin bar stock.

A workpiece clamp apparatus includes: a robot arm having, at a distal-end portion thereof, a holding section for holding a workpiece; a hydraulic-fluid supply coupler provided at the distal-end portion of the robot arm; a hydraulic-fluid supply device for supplying a hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic-fluid supply coupler; a clamping device having a plurality of clamping members that grip the workpiece for machining with a machine tool; and a cylinder that has a hydraulic-fluid supply port to which the hydraulic-fluid supply coupler can be connected and that drives the clamping member in the workpiece-gripping direction as a result of the hydraulic fluid being supplied via the hydraulic-fluid supply port.

A billet supply device is provided with: a base; a first frame supported on the base to be freely movable back-and-forth; a first movement conversion mechanism for moving the first frame back-and-forth with respect to the base; a second frame provided with a billet mounting unit and supported on the first frame to be freely movable back-and-forth; and a second movement conversion mechanism for moving the second frame back-and-forth with respect to the first frame. Parts of both movement conversion mechanisms including a ball screw mechanism are supported rotatably on a common support member for the first frame. The first frame and the second frame are moved back and forth to the extrusion center side with respect to the base simultaneously by a driver for rotationally driving the parts at the same time.

A system and method for using a robotic arm and a part gripping jaw to tend a CNC machine. A robotic arm picks up a part gripping jaw and used the jaw to grip a part, and moves the part into a vise in the CNC machine. The part gripping jaw has features which the vise engages, and secures the part in the part gripping jaw for processing in the CNC machine. The system and method includes a novel racking system, robotic end of arm tool, jaw grippers and vise system. The jaw grippers that hold the part are moved from the rack system, with the part to be processed, by the robot, to the vise where the vise uses the jaw grippers to secure the part for processing. After the part is processed, the robot removes the part from the vise with the jaw grippers and stores the part back into the rack system using the jaw grippers.

In a transport system, a gripper includes long-side grippers aligned in a long-side direction of a workpiece which is cut, by machining/cutting, into a product and a skeleton including an outer frame with an overall rectangular shape and a crossbar inside the outer frame, so that both ends thereof are connected to two shorter sides facing each other, and extending in the long-side direction, the long-side grippers gripping longer sides of the outer frame of the skeleton, and short-side grippers aligned in a short-side direction with respect to the workpiece and that grip shorter sides of the outer frame. At least one of the short-side grippers moves in the short-side direction and grips the shorter sides of the outer frame. A lifter lifts or lowers the gripper gripping the outer frame and the product to separate the outer frame and the crossbar from the product.

A workpiece conveying apparatus for a pressing machine includes an arm unit including: a first arm; a second arm; a workpiece holding portion configured to hold a workpiece; a first arm drive mechanism; and a second arm drive mechanism. A pipe or the like arranged on an outer side of a second joint is supported at one side thereof by the first arm, and is supported at another side thereof by the second arm. When the first arm and the second arm are bent and stretched between a folded state and an extended state for workpiece conveyance, the pipe or the like is deformed utilizing a holding angle between the first arm and the second arm so that the pipe or the like is arranged so as to prevent swing of the pipe or the like about the second joint at the time of the workpiece conveyance.

A method and a system for handling slender bodies in a semi-finished production plant includes a cutting station separating slender bodies from a continuous wire, a finishing station of the head ends of the slender bodies, a dimensional verification station downstream of the finishing station, and transporting equipment transporting the slender bodies between stations. At or upstream of the cutting station a marking unit applies a reference marking on the slender bodies, which working identifies an original attitude including angular position. The transporting equipment includes gripping and locking assembly, locking at least the angular position of the reference mark to a relative reference system of the transport equipment. Upstream of the finishing station is a detecting and storing unit for data of the angular position to the relative reference system. A unit determines the original attitude of the slender bodies using the data in the dimensional verification station.

A workpiece holding device includes: a chuck including a chuck body, and a plurality of chuck claws openably supported on the chuck body and configured to hold a workpiece; an operation rod configured to drive the plurality of chuck claws for opening and closing with movement of the operation rod; and a measuring apparatus configured to measure an opening dimension of the plurality of chuck claws based on a movement amount of the operation rod.