A loading device adapted to be provided in a machine tool includes a rail portion and a loader configured to travel along the rail portion, wherein the loader includes a pivoting portion and an arm portion extending and contracting with respect to the pivoting portion, and the arm portion includes a hand portion that holds a workpiece.

The present application comprises a loading gantry with at least one carriage traversable on a horizontal guide rail, in particular for the transport of workpieces between stations of a production system. In accordance with the application the loading gantry includes a media station which in at least one position of the carriage releasably can be mechanically coupled with the same in order to produce at least one media connection between the media station and the carriage.

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.

It is possible to improve workpiece machining efficiency by efficiently receiving and delivering a workpiece from/to each workpiece holder and shortening a time required for workpiece conveyance. A workpiece conveyance system is a workpiece conveyance system that receives and delivers workpieces W to be machined to n spindles (workpiece holders, where n is an integer satisfying n2) that hold and rotate the workpieces W, and includes a main loader including n+m main loader chucks (where m is an integer satisfying m1) that receive and deliver workpieces from/to the n spindles or n relay loaders disposed corresponding to the n respective spindles to receive and deliver the workpieces W from/to the main shafts.

A milling device having a first milling station with a first workpiece spindle capable of rotating about a first spindle axis A1 intended to receive a first lens blank and with a first milling tool with first cutters capable of rotating about a first milling axis FA1 intended for machining a received first lens blank. At least one second milling station with a second workpiece spindle capable of rotating about a second spindle axis A2 receives a second lens blank, and with a second milling tool with second cutters capable of rotating about a second milling axis FA2 machining the received second lens blank, the spindle axes A1, A2 being aligned parallel to one another, the milling axes FA1, FA2 being aligned parallel to one another, and obliquely aligned to the spindle axes A1, A2. The invention also includes a method for the operation of the milling device.

A gantry loader having at least one carriage travelable at a horizontal guide rail, in particular for the transport of workpieces between stations of a production system, wherein the carriage has at least one drive. The present energy is characterized in that the carriage has an energy store for the at least partial energy supply of the drive.

A handling cell for a machine tool comprises a loading interface, a handling unit with a handling robot, a feeding interface for a feeding cart, and a provisioning unit. The loading interface is arranged to be coupled to a workspace of a first machine tool. The feeding cart is used to transport workpieces that are arranged on loading aids. The provisioning unit moves loading aids between the feeding cart and a provisioning position for a transfer between the handling unit and the provisioning unit. A manufacturing system for machining comprises at least one machine tool, and a handling cell. The machine tool is configured for multi-axis machining and comprises a tool holder and a workpiece holder. The tool holder and the workpiece holder are movable relative to each other in at least three axes. The tool holder and the workpiece holder are mounted on a rear side of a workspace of the machine tool. The loading interface couples laterally to the workspace of the machine tool.

A device (1) for the stepwise advancing of workpieces, in which a first swing arm (7) and a second swing arm (11) of a drive unit (8, 9) are respectively designed at each gripping rail (2, 3) of two gripping rails (2, 3), which are arranged in parallel to each other, for detecting and transporting the workpieces in a first end region (4) and a second end region (5), which include a gripping region (6) between them. The first swing arm and the second swing arm engage with the respective gripping rail (2, 3) at a distance from one another and movably retain them along a direction of extension of the gripping rail (2, 3).

A method wherein by reducing the amount of current, and therefore torque, to the linear servo motor (50) and/or rotary servo motor (52) of a loader mechanism (9), the loader mechanism is operable for determining proper workpiece positioning in a machine tool such as a gear manufacturing machine, particularly a machine (4) for manufacturing bevel and hypoid gears.

An automation cell for performing a plurality of secondary operations on manufactured parts is for use with a manufacturing machine operable to perform primary manufacturing of the parts. The automation cell includes a cell housing, a robot with a gripper mechanism capable of loading and unloading a part between the manufacturing machine and the automation cell, a gauging station being a secondary operation device and operable to gauge a parameter of a manufactured part, a marking device for marking the manufactured part, and a vision system for verifying the marking of the manufactured part.