A robot apparatus includes a robot arm, an end effector provided in the robot arm and configured to hold a workpiece, and a controller configured to perform a control process for controlling the end effector to release the workpiece on a basis of a first torque acting on the end effector in a predetermined direction in a state in which the end effector is holding the workpiece.

A workpiece transfer system including a robot that transfers a workpiece taken out of a furnace to a press forging device, a temperature measuring device that measures a temperature distribution of the workpiece being transferred by the robot, and a heating device that is capable of locally heating the workpiece in a low temperature region of the temperature distribution measured by the temperature measuring device.

A machine tool system includes a machine tool having a processing chamber covered by a cover and a door for covering or uncovering an opening formed on the cover; a stocker for being removably mounted on the machine tool to thereby define a storage space outside the processing chamber; and a robot having a movement range spanning the storage space and the processing chamber when the stocker is mounted on the machine tool. In the machine tool mentioned above, the stocker includes a safety fence that defines, in cooperation with the outer surface of the machine tool, a protective space when the stocker is mounted on the machine tool. The protective space is a space for accommodating the storage space.

To change or update each operating pattern and/or an operating condition according to a workpiece feeding state and/or an operating state of a robot. A workpiece transfer system includes: a workpiece infeed device for feeding a workpiece; a robot for transferring the workpiece being fed; a control device for selecting an operating condition of the robot based on a condition related to the workpiece and/or a condition related to the robot, the control device including a storage unit in which plural operating conditions are stored and a selection unit for selecting, as the operating condition of the robot, an optimum operating condition out of the plural operating conditions.

An automation apparatus includes a mechanism having a machine coordinate system and configured to work on a work which moves in the machine coordinate system, a sensor configured to successively detect positions of the work as the work moves, and a processor. The processor is configured to calculate a plurality of machine coordinate positions of the work in the machine coordinate system successively based on the positions successively detected by the sensor, and is configured to determine, based on the plurality of machine coordinate positions of the work, a working position at which the mechanism is configured to work on the work.

A workpiece transferring tool including a base mounted on a distal end of a wrist of a robot, a workpiece holder releasably holding a workpiece, and a movable connection unit connecting the workpiece holder to the base so that the workpiece holder is displaceable in an escape direction of an external force acting on the workpiece. This can prevent an excessively large external force from acting on the robot due to the workpiece and can prevent frequent accidental stop of the robot.

A disclosed system enables easy installation and removal of an in-machine robot for use in a machine tool and further enables easy replacement of a robot with another robot to suit an intended purpose. A machine tool system includes a machine tool with a cover that covers a machining space, and a robot unit on which an articulated robot is mounted. A portion of the cover of the machine tool has an opening to allow insertion of the articulated robot of the robot unit into the machining space through the opening. The articulated robot of the robot unit is inserted through the opening, and the opening is closed by a lid of the robot unit.

A dispatch system and a dispatch method for manufacturing mold are provided. The dispatch system includes a control unit, a mold material storage unit, a processing cutter storage unit, an object pick-and-place and transfer unit, a mold processing unit and a mold product storage unit. The mold material storage unit includes many unprocessed mold materials. The processing cutter storage unit includes many processing cutters. The object pick-and-place and transfer unit is electrically connected to the control unit and disposed between the mold material storage unit and the processing cutter storage unit. One of the unprocessed mold materials and one of the processing cutters are transferred to the mold processing unit by the object pick-and-place and transfer unit, the unprocessed mold material is processed to form a mold product by the mold processing unit, and the mold product is transferred to the mold product storage unit.

A machine tool is disclosed. The machine tool includes a robot which is compact and which enables easy use of different end effectors for respective purposes. An internal robot includes a plurality of joints that are composed of a base joint and parallel joints, and a plurality of links. The distal end is split into two or more branches, each having a tool changer. An end effector is detachably attachable to each of the tool changers. Rotation of the base joint causes a change between a first tool-following position and a second tool-following position, so that different end effectors are used for respective purposes by using an end effector attached to a tool changer in the first tool-following position and using an end effector attached to another tool changer in the second tool-following position.

A first plate-like member on a bottom surface side is disposed in a horizontal direction. A second plate-like member is disposed in a vertical direction. A first position restricting mechanism is engaged with a first end portion including a first side that opposes the first plate-like member in a workpiece in a state where the workpiece stands while a front surface and a rear surface of the plate-like workpiece are along a vertical direction, and restricts the position of the first end portion in a plate thickness direction. A second position restricting mechanism is engaged with a second end portion including a second side that opposes the second plate-like member in the workpiece, and restricts the position of the second end portion in the plate thickness direction.