A substrate processing apparatus including a substrate support unit connected to a vacuum pump to fix a substrate is provided. The substrate processing apparatus comprises a chamber including a processing space therein, a substrate support unit disposed in the processing space and for supporting a substrate, a first vacuum pump, a second vacuum pump connected to the processing space of the chamber, a first valve disposed between the first vacuum pump and the second vacuum pump, and a second valve disposed between the first vacuum pump and the substrate support unit, wherein the first vacuum pump reduces a pressure in a space between the substrate support unit and the substrate to fix the substrate to the substrate support unit in response to the second valve being turned on.

A method of supporting a cantilevered component mounted to a hub by locating a cassette in proximity to the cantilevered component, the cassette defining a volume for filling with an encapsulant; filling the volume with an encapsulant material; and causing the encapsulant to solidify to the cantilevered component to support the cantilevered component. The cantilevered component is preferably a blade on a bladed disc and the encapsulant provides support to change the vibration response of the blade during a subsequent machining step.

A workpiece holding apparatus includes: a main body; at least one shaft member capable of coming into contact with a workpiece; a clamping device into which the shaft member is inserted, the clamping device being attached to the main body and capable of switching between an unclamping state that releases the shaft member and a clamping state that clamps the shaft member; and a trigger member configured to switch the clamping device between the unclamping state and the clamping state. The trigger member comes into direct contact with the workpiece, or comes into indirect contact with the workpiece via at least a part of the shaft member, thus moving relative to the main body, and the clamping device switches from the unclamping state to the clamping state.

An output part is provided to the left end of a clamp arm that is supported by a housing so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. At the left end of the housing, a first hole for spring fitting opens obliquely upward towards the output part. A through hole that links the upper surface and the lower surface of the clamp arm is disposed obliquely upward at a left-leaning part of the clamp arm. A second hole for spring fitting and a female screw hole are formed, in that order, upwards in the through hole. A return spring that is installed through the first hole and the second hole impels the output part upwards. A push bolt that is screwed into the female screw hole rom above compresses the return spring.

The invention relates to a clamping arrangement with a clamping device (1) which is able to be fastened on a clamping base, and with a clamping element (26) able to be tightened thereon. The clamping device (1) has a clamping module (2), provided with clamping members (15), which is able to be fixed by means of a fixing element (3) on the clamping base, wherein the fixing element (3) is configured such that the clamping module (2) is thus fixed in the X-Y plane in a floating manner on the clamping base. The clamping module (2) is displaceable in the fixed state of the fixing element (3) with respect to the fixing element (3) in the X-Y plane, but is non-displaceable in Z-direction, wherein the fixing element (3) is provided with Z-support surfaces (24) for the clamping element (26). Such a clamping arrangement is suitable in a particularly advantageous manner as a module for constructing a large clamping system, with which thermally caused dimension changes of the workpiece carrier with respect to the clamping base can be equalized with high repeat accuracy, without the clamping system being overconstrained geometrically/mechanically in the X-Y plane.

The invention relates to a clamping arrangement with a clamping device (1) which is able to be fastened on a clamping base, and with a clamping element (26) able to be tightened thereon. The clamping device (1) has a clamping module (2), provided with clamping members (15), which is able to be fixed by means of a fixing element (3) on the clamping base, wherein the fixing element (3) is configured such that the clamping module (2) is thus fixed in the X-Y plane in a floating manner on the clamping base. The clamping module (2) is displaceable in the fixed state of the fixing element (3) with respect to the fixing element (3) in the X-Y plane, but is non-displaceable in Z-direction, wherein the fixing element (3) is provided with Z-support surfaces (24) for the clamping element (26). Such a clamping arrangement is suitable in a particularly advantageous manner as a module for constructing a large clamping system, with which thermally caused dimension changes of the workpiece carrier with respect to the clamping base can be equalized with high repeat accuracy, without the clamping system being overconstrained geometrically/mechanically in the X-Y plane.

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.

In a clamping device, a detection mechanism detects a state of clamping/unclamping and includes: a detected body that moves together with a piston and a piston rod; a circuit board disposed to face the detected body and capable of detecting the position of the detected body; and an indicator lamp that is connected to the circuit board and is lit/extinguished depending on the state of clamping/unclamping. By pressing a setting button provided on the detection mechanism when the rotation angle of the arm is changed, the second detection position of the circuit board for detecting the unclamped state is changed, making it possible to detect the detected body at a newly set detection position.

In a clamping device, a detection mechanism detects a state of clamping/unclamping and includes: a detected body that moves together with a piston and a piston rod; a circuit board disposed to face the detected body and capable of detecting the position of the detected body; and an indicator lamp that is connected to the circuit board and is lit/extinguished depending on the state of clamping/unclamping. By pressing a setting button provided on the detection mechanism when the rotation angle of the arm is changed, the second detection position of the circuit board for detecting the unclamped state is changed, making it possible to detect the detected body at a newly set detection position.

A method of monitoring a tool clamping device mounted on a machine spindle, the clamping force of which tool clamping device is generated by a spring assembly which exerts a force in the direction of the clamping position on an actuating element actuating the clamping or the release of a tool or tool holder. In the method, the spring force and the displacement of the actuating element are continuously measured during the release and/or clamping of a tool or tool holder and recorded as functions of the time. These recorded functions are used to identify at least one parameter characteristic for the status of the tool clamping device. Based on the spring force and the displacement over time, a spring characteristic curve is plotted in the form of the spring force as a function of displacement, the analysis of which spring characteristic curve provides information about a number of characteristic parameters.