A method and system for determining geometric properties of a manipulator (2). The manipulator (2) is controlled to perform constrained motions exhibiting force interaction with the environment, or between different links of the manipulator (2), such that a kinematic chain is formed mechanically. The chain may include peripherals and external axes of motion. A constraining device, enables motions that facilitate the determination of geometric properties. A unified model of joint and link compliances facilitates determination of stiffness parameters. The force interaction is controlled with awareness of friction such that non-geometric properties are possible to identify, thereby enabling separation of non-geometric effects from the geometric ones, which improves accuracy.

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 tool changer includes a holding member having a tool change arm disposed thereon, a rotation mechanism rotating the holding member at a first rotation speed in normal and reverse directions, a forward/backward movement mechanism moving the holding member forward and backward at a first forward/backward movement speed, and a controller comparing a first difference as a difference between a command value for the rotation and an output value of an encoder with a first threshold. When the first difference is equal to or greater than the first threshold, a rotational speed of the holding member is chained to a second rotation speed slower than the first rotation speed. Alternatively, when the first difference is less than the first threshold, the rotational speed of the holding member is maintained at the first rotation speed.

A tool magazine receives a plurality of tools which are provided for arrangement on a tool spindle of a machine tool, and a method for changing tools using a tool magazine. The tool magazine exhibits a guide rail arranged in a fixed position on a machine base, a magazine carriage displaceably mounted on the guide rail, a rotary drive arranged on the magazine carriage and having a magazine shaft which can be rotated around a shaft axis of rotation, at least two magazine wheels arranged non-rotatably on the magazine shaft and having a plurality of tool holders, and a transfer device linearly displaceable along a transfer axis transverse to the guide rail and which picks up a tool arranged on one of the tool holders of the magazine wheels and transports the tool to the tool spindle and back.

A machine tool, in particular multi-spindle turning machine, comprising a machine frame, a turret body being rotatably supported by the machine frame, a plurality of workpiece spindles being arranged on the turret body, each of the workpiece spindles having a workpiece receiving portion for receiving a respective workpiece on one side of the turret body facing a working space of the machine tool, and a plurality of tool post assemblies supported by the machine frame around the turret body, wherein each tool post assembly includes a tool post having one or more tool cartridge receiving openings respectively being configured to detachably receive a tool holder cartridge TC holding a tool.

A machining apparatus capable of measuring the surface shape of the lateral side of a workpiece includes a tool magazine housing various types of tools, an automatic tool changing device which picks up a tool from the tool magazine and uses it to replace the tool mounted on a spindle, and a non-contact sensor that is housed in the tool magazine and measures the surface shape of a workpiece. The automatic tool changing device replaces the tool mounted on the spindle with the non-contact sensor picked up from the tool magazine. The non-contact sensor includes a light irradiation unit which applies a line light to the workpiece in an oblique direction thereto, and an imaging unit which captures an image of the line light reflected from the workpiece. The dead zone between the sensor and the measurement unit may be monitored with a separate detector.

A machine tool includes a lower tool post for holding a cutting tool, a tool main spindle for holding a cutting tool, a storage unit capable of storing the cutting tool, an exchange mechanism for exchanging the cutting tools between the tool main spindle and the storage unit, an inside robot for exchanging the cutting tools between the lower tool post and the tool main spindle, and a controller. The controller performs control such that the cutting tools are exchanged between the lower tool post and the storage unit via the inside robot, the tool main spindle, and the exchange mechanism.

A gear machining apparatus includes a rough working tool having a plurality of replaceable tool blades attached to a tool main body, such that the tool blades are arranged in a circumferential direction of the tool main body and blade tips of the tool blades are oriented outward in a radial direction of the tool main body, a finish working tool having a plurality of tool blades provided to a tool main body in a similar manner to the rough working tool, and machining controllers control to perform rough and finish machinings on the workpiece, such that the working tools are rotated on center lines in axial directions of the working tools, the workpiece is rotated on a center line in axial direction of the workpiece, and the working tools are relatively moved to the workpiece along the center line in the axial direction of the workpiece.

A machine tool includes a tool spindle, a tool intermediate device, and a tool storage which includes first tool magazines, a first tool magazine support mechanism, an additional first tool magazine support mechanism, and a tool carrier. The first tool magazine support mechanism includes a first shaft to support at least one of the first tool magazines to be rotatable about a first rotation axis. The additional first tool magazine support mechanism includes an additional first shaft to support at least one of the first tool magazines to be rotatable about an additional first rotation axis. The tool carrier includes a first guide extending along the first and additional first rotation axes, a second guide extending along a line connecting the first and additional first rotation axes, and a lift configured to move along the first guide. The first guide is movable along the second guide.

This machine tool system is provided with a tool holder adaptor that has a flange having formed therein: a hole part that contains a tool holder; and an engagement part that engages with a hand of a self-propelled robot, wherein when transporting the tool holder to a machine tool from a tool storage that contains a plurality of tool holder adaptors, the self-propelled robot grasps the tool holder adaptor to transport the tool.