A punching apparatus includes a beating element that is arranged for interacting with at least one punching tool and is movable inside a container along and around a work axis, a first rotating actuator coupled to the beating element to move it linearly along the work axis between internal and external operating positions and drive the punching tool, and a second rotating actuator connected to the beating element and arranged for rotating it around the work axis, in particular for angularly orienting the punching tool. The second rotating actuator comprises a second electric motor having a stator fixed to the container and a rotor that is internal to the stator and connected to the beating element to rotate it. The rotor extends along the work axis to face, and be engaged with, the stator between the operating positions.

A multi-tool is a constituent part of a punch device, in particular of a turret punch press. An upper tool part has a plurality of upper tools which are activatable from a head side via a machine pusher of the punch device for workpiece-machining purposes. A lower tool part has a plurality of lower tools. A workpiece is arrangeable between the upper tool part and the lower tool part. In each case one of the lower tools interacts with an associated upper tool. The number of the upper tools is greater than the number of the lower tools. This results in a multi-tool for extending the possible uses of a punch device.

The invention relates to tools and methods for the handling of workpieces in a processing machine, having a tool body, having a clamping pin that is fixedly arranged on the tool body and having an indexing wheel that is arranged between the clamping pin and the tool body. At least one suction element is provided, to which a fluid channel leads, and the at least one suction element can be transferred by means of the indexing wheel or the tool body into an active position, in which the fluid channel is closed and, due to lengthening of the at least one suction element, the at least one suction element is attached by suction to the workpiece, and the at least one suction element can be transferred by means of the indexing wheel or the tool body into a rest position, in which the fluid channel is open.

A punching apparatus includes a tool holder unit rotatable around a working axis and provided with a plurality of seats for slidably housing respective punching tools, a beating element movable along and around the working axis and provided with an operating end that has a beating portion to selectively interact with a set punching tool, a first driving assembly for moving the beating element along the working axis to move the set punching tool, and a second driving assembly for rotating the tool holder unit around the working axis. The operating end of the beating element includes a first coupling element and the tool holder unit includes a plurality of second coupling elements, each of the second coupling elements being associated with a respective one of the seats and a related one of the punching tools and being arranged to couple with the first coupling element in a connection configuration.

A punching apparatus includes a tool holder unit rotatable around a working axis and provided with a plurality of seats for slidably housing respective punching tools, a beating element movable along and around the working axis and provided with an operating end that has a beating portion to selectively interact with a set punching tool, a first driving assembly for moving the beating element along the working axis to move the set punching tool, and a second driving assembly for rotating the tool holder unit around the working axis. The operating end of the beating element includes a first coupling element and the tool holder unit includes a plurality of second coupling elements, each of the second coupling elements being associated with a respective one of the seats and a related one of the punching tools and being arranged to couple with the first coupling element in a connection configuration.

A multi-tool is provided having a plurality of tool-receipt openings adapted to receive respective tools, wherein at least one of the tools is a slitting punch. In some cases, the slitting punch can be centrally positioned/oriented in the multi-tool. The multi-tool includes a guide plate configured to connect a driver assembly of the multi-tool and a selected one of the tools of the multi-tool via a drive mechanism. In some cases, the guide plate has a plurality of openings through which protruding portions of the drive mechanism correspondingly extend. One or more of the protruding portions extending through the guide plate openings are positioned in front of the desired tool-receipt opening. Adjustment of the drive mechanism can result from corresponding adjustment of the guide plate and/or corresponding adjustment of the driver assembly head.

A punching apparatus for forming workings on a workpiece has a punch holder unit, which includes an upper support body rotatable about a working axis, a punch holder body that houses a plurality of upper forming tools and an upper beating element movable parallel to the working axis to selectively interact with an established upper forming tool, and a die holder unit that includes a lower support body rotatable about the working axis, a die holder body that houses a plurality of lower forming tools and a lower beating element movable linearly along and rotatably about the working axis to selectively interact with an established lower forming tool. The lower beating element is movable linearly between an non-operative position, a first operative position, and a second operative position.