A substrate processing apparatus includes a pair of first substrate chucks each configured to hold a substrate from below while allowing a first main surface of the substrate to face upwards; a pair of second substrate chucks each configured to hold the substrate from below while allowing a second main surface of the substrate opposite to the first main surface to face upwards; a rotary table which is configured to be rotated about a rotation axis; a first processing unit equipped with a first processing tool configured to process the first main surface of the substrate held by the first substrate chuck; and a second processing unit equipped with a second processing tool configured to process the second main surface of the substrate held by the second substrate chuck.

An invertible part loading system includes a pallet adapted for holding articles for machining, a frame adapted for receiving the pallet, and latching mechanisms adapted for holding the pallet within the frame. A support structure is adapted to support the frame above a machining tool. An axle rotatably couples the frame with the support structure for allowing the pallet to be inverted, enabling the articles to face the machining tool from above, which allows chips of material to fall away from the articles. The axle rotates about a pivot axis aligned centrally through the frame. The pallet is adapted for rapid transfer on and off the part loading system via a compatible loading and storage assembly to reduce machining down time between swapping pallets. A two-sided pallet may be adapted to enable switching between parts, or between two sides of the same part, by inverting the pallet via the axle.

The invention relates to a handling system (1000) comprising a handling device (100) that has a carrier device (20) and a handling means (30) which is carried by the carrier device (20), intended for handling workpiece pallets (101, 101a, 101b), and comprises an exchange device (40) having at least two receiving spaces (41a, 41b) designed for receiving workpiece pallets (101, 101a; 101b), and the handling means (30) being designed to move the exchange device (40) relative to the carrier device (20) in a first movement direction X in such a way that both receiving spaces (41a, 41b) are moved together, characterized in that the handling means (30) is also designed to decouple a workpiece pallet (101a, 101b) which is handled by the handling means (30) and received in one of the at least two receiving spaces (41a, 41b) from the exchange device (40) via at least one decoupling device (42a, 42b) in such a way that the decoupled workpiece pallet (101a; 101b) substantially retains its position relative to the carrier device (20) during a movement of the exchange device (40) in the first movement direction X.

The invention relates to a handling system (1000) comprising a handling device (100) that has a carrier device (20) and a handling means (30) which is carried by the carrier device (20), intended for handling workpiece pallets (101, 101a, 101b), and comprises an exchange device (40) having at least two receiving spaces (41a, 41b) designed for receiving workpiece pallets (101, 101a; 101b), and the handling means (30) being designed to move the exchange device (40) relative to the carrier device (20) in a first movement direction X in such a way that both receiving spaces (41a, 41b) are moved together, characterized in that the handling means (30) is also designed to decouple a workpiece pallet (101a, 101b) which is handled by the handling means (30) and received in one of the at least two receiving spaces (41a, 41b) from the exchange device (40) via at least one decoupling device (42a, 42b) in such a way that the decoupled workpiece pallet (101a; 101b) substantially retains its position relative to the carrier device (20) during a movement of the exchange device (40) in the first movement direction X.

An automatic pallet changer 2 includes: a pallet housing unit 11 having a plurality of pallet placement portions; and a pallet transfer unit 12 configured to transfer a pallet P that is at a required pallet placement portion and has an un-machined workpiece W attached thereto to a standby station S2 and configured to transfer a pallet P that is at the standby station S2 and has a machined workpiece W attached thereto to a required pallet placement portion. The pallet housing unit 11 includes: main housing portions 13a to 13f that have a plurality of rows of pallet placement portions, each having a plurality of stages, and are disposed to face the machine tool body 1; and three rows of secondary housing portions 14 that have one stage of pallet placement portions and are disposed above the machine tool body 1.

An automatic pallet changer 2 includes: a pallet housing unit 11 having a plurality of pallet placement portions; and a pallet transfer unit 12 configured to transfer a pallet P that is at a required pallet placement portion and has an un-machined workpiece W attached thereto to a standby station S2 and configured to transfer a pallet P that is at the standby station S2 and has a machined workpiece W attached thereto to a required pallet placement portion. The pallet housing unit 11 includes: main housing portions 13a to 13f that have a plurality of rows of pallet placement portions, each having a plurality of stages, and are disposed to face the machine tool body 1; and three rows of secondary housing portions 14 that have one stage of pallet placement portions and are disposed above the machine tool body 1.

Machine tool including a workpiece carrier assembly including a workpiece carrier for supporting a plurality of workpieces, the workpiece carrier assembly being supported on a workpiece carrier support for horizontal movement in a first direction parallel with a horizontal Z axis, a tool carrier configured for carrying a plurality of tools corresponding to the plurality of workpieces and for machining the workpieces, the tool carrier being supported on a tool carrier support for horizontal movement in a second direction parallel to a horizontal X axis, the X axis being perpendicular to the horizontal Z axis, where the tool carrier is displaceable on the tool carrier support in the second direction between an operative position in which the tools are arranged for the contacting the workpieces and an inoperative position in which the workpieces are not contactable by the tools, where the workpiece carrier is arranged to be rotatable around an axis parallel with the X axis, and where the workpiece carrier includes a workpiece support area for supporting the workpieces and arranged substantially in parallel with the X axis.

Machine tool including a workpiece carrier assembly including a workpiece carrier for supporting a plurality of workpieces, the workpiece carrier assembly being supported on a workpiece carrier support for horizontal movement in a first direction parallel with a horizontal Z axis, a tool carrier configured for carrying a plurality of tools corresponding to the plurality of workpieces and for machining the workpieces, the tool carrier being supported on a tool carrier support for horizontal movement in a second direction parallel to a horizontal X axis, the X axis being perpendicular to the horizontal Z axis, where the tool carrier is displaceable on the tool carrier support in the second direction between an operative position in which the tools are arranged for the contacting the workpieces and an inoperative position in which the workpieces are not contactable by the tools, where the workpiece carrier is arranged to be rotatable around an axis parallel with the X axis, and where the workpiece carrier includes a workpiece support area for supporting the workpieces and arranged substantially in parallel with the X axis.

An automatic pallet changer 2 includes: a pallet housing unit 11 having a plurality of pallet placement portions; and a pallet transfer unit 12 configured to transfer a pallet P that is at a required pallet placement portion and has an un-machined workpiece W attached thereto to a standby station S2 and configured to transfer a pallet P that is at the standby station S2 and has a machined workpiece W attached thereto to a required pallet placement portion. The pallet housing unit 11 includes: main housing portions 13a to 13f that have a plurality of rows of pallet placement portions, each having a plurality of stages, and are disposed to face the machine tool body 1; and three rows of secondary housing portions 14 that have one stage of pallet placement portions and are disposed above the machine tool body 1.

An automatic pallet changer 2 includes: a pallet housing unit 11 having a plurality of pallet placement portions; and a pallet transfer unit 12 configured to transfer a pallet P that is at a required pallet placement portion and has an un-machined workpiece W attached thereto to a standby station S2 and configured to transfer a pallet P that is at the standby station S2 and has a machined workpiece W attached thereto to a required pallet placement portion. The pallet housing unit 11 includes: main housing portions 13a to 13f that have a plurality of rows of pallet placement portions, each having a plurality of stages, and are disposed to face the machine tool body 1; and three rows of secondary housing portions 14 that have one stage of pallet placement portions and are disposed above the machine tool body 1.