A tool changing system of a machining center for machining a workpiece of a vehicle includes a machining unit including a jig portion for loading the workpiece and a tool loading device for loading a tool for machining the workpiece, a first magazine for storing a plurality of first tools, a second magazine for storing a plurality of second tools, and a controller configured to manage changing of the first tool between the machining unit and the first magazine and changing of the second tool between the machining unit.

This machine tool has a tool changing device, and sequentially changes tools to machine a workpiece. The machine tool comprises: an input unit which receives a machining program output from a CAM system and tool basic data; a storage unit which stores the tool basic data received from the input unit for each tool number; a tool measuring device which measures the size of a tool loaded into a tool magazine of the tool changing device; and a determination unit which compares the tool basic data stored in the storage unit and the actual data measured by the measuring device, and determines that the measured tool is different from a desired tool if the difference between the two tool sizes is beyond a preset allowable range.

A tool selection unit has an analysis unit and a selection unit. The analysis unit determines a pick feed direction and the feed direction of a tool on the basis of information relating to the shape of a machining region including a double curved surface or a machining surface in the machining region, and creates parameter information in which at least a value relating to the smallest curvature radius in the machining surface and a value relating to the largest curvature radius in the pick feed direction are recorded. The selection unit selects a tool to use for machining the machining region on the basis of the parameter information, from among a plurality of tools having a bottom cutting edge and a side cutting edge formed in a curved-surface shape having a curvature radius different from a curvature radius of a curved surface of the bottom cutting edge.

An automatic tool exchange system which allows a tool management mode to be arbitrarily selectable between a fixed address scheme and a memory random scheme in operation of the same machining center. The control unit for controlling the respective drive units of the tool exchanger and the magazine includes a storage unit for storing tool information containing a registered correspondence relationship between the tools and corresponding addresses of the stowage parts of the magazine, a modifying unit for modifying the tool information, and a tool exchange instruction unit for sequentially designating the tool to be used in each of the machining steps in accordance with the machining program, and driving the magazine to move the stowage part at the address corresponding to the designated tool to a predetermined position based on the tool information so that the tool is located at the exchange position at a predetermined timing. The control unit is configured to manage the tool in a mode selectively switchable between a first tool management mode in a fixed address scheme for returning the tool after use to a corresponding address, and a second tool management mode in a memory random scheme so as to stow the tool after use at an unoccupied address where the tool for next use has been previously stowed, and allow the modifying unit to modify the correspondence relationship between the tool after use and the address, which has been contained in the tool information.

A cutting machine having a work surface, configured to accommodate at least one object to be cut, a working group, which is movable above the work surface including a receptacle device for accommodating a replaceable cutting tool, and a processing unit for controlling the cutting machine and storage capacity for providing a database, characterized by a first sensor unit, which is designed to detect individual items of identification information of the cutting tool and to provide detected items of identification information to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is designed to recognize the cutting tool based on the items of identification information, to detect operating data of the cutting tool and store these data in the database, wherein the operating data comprise at least one operating time of the cutting tool, and to carry out operational monitoring of the cutting tool based on the operating data.

A machine tool configured to attach multiple tools to a turret is provided to improve the efficiency of a tool exchanging operation and, thus, also the production efficiency. A control device determines whether an expired tool, which is a tool needs to be exchanged, is present among the tools held by the turret. The control device sets a tool exchanging position, which is a position within the movable range of a head section and is a position where the expired tool is exchanged with a new tool. If the control device determines that an expired tool is present, the control device causes a head section driving device to move the head and rotate the turret to position the expired tool at the tool exchanging position.

This control device of a machine tool is provided with: a storage unit which stores in advance a nominal diameter and a nominal length of a blade part of a rotary tool; an image-capturing instruction unit which outputs an image-capturing instruction to an image-capturing device; a model creation unit which generates model data of the blade part of the tool on the basis of the nominal diameter and the nominal length stored in the storage unit, generates model data of a tool shank and holder on the basis of an image stored in the image-capturing device, and creates model data of the rotary tool on the basis of the generated model data of the blade part and the generated model data of the tool shank and holder.

This method, for controlling a machine tool using a tool holder to which a coolant pipe is attached, includes: a step of detecting, in response to a signal indicating that a tool is prepared on a tool loading station of the machine tool, whether or not an abnormality has occurred in attaching the coolant pipe to the tool holder of the tool while the tool holder is at the tool loading station; and a step of issuing an alarm when the abnormality is detected in the step of detecting the occurrence of the abnormality.

A removable assembly (38) comprising an information holding unit (36). The removable assembly is positionable in a material object (2), such as a tool, tool component or part, machine, machine component or part, device, etc., and can be removed therefrom by fluid pressure whereby the material object can be subjected to processing that would otherwise cause damage to, or destroy, the information holding unit (36).

There is provided a cutting blade stock apparatus that stocks multiple cutting blades used for cutting of a workpiece. The cutting blade stock apparatus includes a case placement stage at which a case capable of housing the cutting blade is placed, a case conveying unit that conveys the case placed at the case placement stage, a shelf that supports and stocks the case conveyed by the case conveying unit, a case identification information reading unit that reads case identification information given to the case, a case opening unit that opens the case, a cutting blade conveying unit that carries out the cutting blade from the case opened by the case opening unit, and an input interface to which information that specifies the cutting blade to be carried out by the cutting blade conveying unit is input.