In a method for automated positioning of a blank in a processing machine provided with a housing and a spindle unit with an electric motor, a control unit for control and electrical supply of the processing machine, a computer producing processing programs for manufacturing workpieces, a workpiece holder, and an image recording unit that optically records image data of a blank received in the workpiece holder, a blank is fixed in the processing machine and the image recording unit produces an image of the blank. A division of the blank into an already processed region and into an unprocessed region based on the image data of the image is performed. A workpiece geometry to be produced is assigned to the unprocessed region of the blank, and a milling operation is performed on the unprocessed region. In a variant of the method, the image recording unit is separate from the processing unit.

The present invention concerns a method and a system for detecting malfunctions in an apparatus and/or defects in a workpiece processed by said apparatus. The method provides for acquiring a sound signal emitted by an apparatus during an operation cycle of the same, then comparing the sound signal with a plurality of audio tracks stored in a memory area for determining a malfunction of the apparatus and/or a defectiveness of the workpiece processed by the apparatus based on the result of said comparison. The operation cycle is subdivided into a plurality of work phases and during the acquisition of the sound signal a work phase of said plurality of work phases is identified. Each audio track of the plurality of stored audio tracks comprises an audio component relating to acquired sound signals, and additional information data comprising at least one identifier of the work phase executed by the apparatus during the acquisition of the sound signals of the audio component. The plurality of audio tracks used for the comparison with the sound signal is a group of audio tracks of the plurality of audio tracks whose identifier of the work phase of the apparatus corresponds to the identified work phase. The identification data of the audio tracks additionally comprise at least one identifier of a plurality of components activated during the phase to which the audio component refers, and it is further provided for a) identifying a plurality of components activated during the identified work phase, b) on the basis of the plurality of activated components, identifying a set of comparison phases among the plurality of phases of the operation cycle, and c) identifying as defective at least one component between the plurality of components activated during the work phase and/or the workpiece, on the basis of the audio tracks relating to the set of comparison phases identified and/or on the basis of sound signals acquired during the identified comparison phases.

A system to control a workpiece during its manufacturing in a machining system. The control being performed in the same manufacturing phase following machining operation. The workpiece being set in the work volume of the machining system. The check operation includes the acquisition of points on the surface of the part. The robot is moved by a cart so the robot can reach the protected working area. The measuring device is positioned relative to the workpiece by the robot. Acquisition of a plurality of points on the surface of the workpiece is performed. The position of the plurality points acquired is compared with the three-dimensional model stored in the memory of the computer.

The invention relates to a spindle device (100), comprising: a tool holder (14) for holding a tool or a tool interface; a spindle drive comprising a spindle rotor (130) for rotationally driving the tool holder (14); an electrical load (160), which is arranged on the side of the spindle rotor (130) facing the tool holder (14); and a coil unit (140) for supplying electrical energy to the electrical load (160); wherein the coil unit (140) is arranged on the side of the spindle rotor (130) facing away from the tool holder (14).

An automated apparatus for grinding an ice blade on an ice skate comprises a processor, an input device in communication with said processor, a skate holder, a non-contact measuring device in communication with said processor, and a grinding device in communication with said processor. The input device permits a user to select an ice blade grinding option. The skate holder releasably holds at least one said ice skate to said apparatus. The non-contact measuring device is configured to measure a three-dimensional (3D) shape of said ice blade. The grinding device is configured to perform a grinding action on said ice blade in said holder based on said selected ice blade grinding option to change said 3D shape of said ice blade to a desired 3D shape.

A machine tool is provided with a main shaft configured to have a tool fitted to a distal end portion thereof, a tool magazine for holding a plurality of tools, a tool exchanging arm for exchanging tools between the tool magazine and the rotary main shaft, and a table for attaching a workpiece, wherein the machine tool machines the workpiece by causing the main shaft and the table to move relative to one another in accordance with a machining program, and wherein the machine tool: is provided with an image capturing device for capturing an image of the tool fitted to a tool holder, and an interference checking device which uses the machining program, and shape data relating to the workpiece, the tool, and the machine tool to simulate machining before machining is carried out, to check for the presence or absence of interference between at least the tool and the workpiece; and acquires the shape data relating to the tool from the interference checking device, generates a two-dimensional tool model from the acquired shape data relating to the tool, compares the two-dimensional tool model with an image of the tool captured by the image capturing device, and determines that the tool is invalid if an amount of displacement between the two-dimensional tool model and the image data is equal to or greater than a prescribed threshold.

In a method for referencing a workpiece (2) arranged in a machine tool, an image of the workpiece (2) is first of all created using a camera device (5) of the machine tool and is then displayed on a display device (6). An X-Y display coordinate (9) is selected by a user using the displayed image. A Z reference coordinate is then determined in an automated manner. An X-Y-Z starting coordinate (7) can be calculated on the basis of the Z reference coordinate determined in an automated manner and the X-Y display coordinate (9) input by the user. A measuring probe (8) of the machine tool is then moved in an automated manner to the X-Y-Z starting coordinate (7) and the X-Y-Z reference coordinate of the workpiece (2) is determined on the basis of the position of the measuring probe (8), as predefined by the X-Y-Z starting coordinate (7), by means of a suitable determination method using the measuring probe (8). In order to determine the Z reference coordinate, the measuring probe (8) is moved through the region which can be captured by the camera device (5) along a viewing beam (16) starting from the camera device (5) in the direction of a target point (26) until the measuring probe (8) touches the workpiece (2).

A machine tool includes a machining unit for feeding cutting oil to a work surface of a workpiece and machining the work surface, an optical sensor body unit dividing light outputted from a frequency sweep light source for outputting light whose frequency varies periodically into irradiation light with which the workpiece is to be irradiated and reference light, irradiating the workpiece with the irradiation light, detecting a peak frequency of interference light between reflected light which is irradiation light reflected by the workpiece, and the reference light, and measuring the distance from the machine tool to the work surface on the basis of the peak frequency, and a shape calculation unit calculating the shape of the workpiece on the basis of the distance measured by the optical sensor body unit.

A method for repairing a composite structure is provided. A rework zone is defined on the composite structure. A theoretical scarfing bottom surface is identified for the rework zone from a model of the composite structure. An actual scarfing bottom surface in a local axis system is identified for the rework zone. Parameters for a rework program for an automated scarfing tool are modified based on deviations between the theoretical scarfing bottom surface and the actual scarfing bottom surface. Plies in the rework zone are removed using the automated scarfing tool.

An ice blade measuring system comprises a holder for holding an ice blade in a measurement position, and a non-contact measuring device operationally positioned relative to the holder to measure at least a three-dimensional (3D) shape of an ice contacting surface of the ice blade held in the holder. The non-contact measuring device is configured to create a dataset which corresponds to the measured 3D shape. The system further comprises a data storage means operatively connected to the non-contact measuring device to record the measured dataset.