The invention relates to a tail stock device (10) for supporting a workpiece in a machine tool, for example a grinding machine. The tail stock device (10) comprises a tail stock arm (16) that is pivotally supported about a pivot axis (S), said tail stock arm having arranged on its outer end (16a) a centering tip (12) that is oriented parallel to the pivot axis (S). By means of a pivot drive (30) comprising a first pneumatic cylinder (31), the tail stock arm 16 can be pivoted between a working position (A) and a resting position (R). The movement of the piston (32) of the first pneumatic cylinder (31) is transmittedvia a first coupling arrangement (35)to the tail stock arm (16). When the tail stock arm (16) is in working position (A), the first coupling arrangement (35) assumes a self-locking position in which a force feedback effect being triggered by a torque that forces the tail stock arm (16) out of working position (A) and into resting position (R) does not or only minimally retroact on the piston (32) of the first pneumatic cylinder (31).

Described is a method for grinding workpieces, which comprise at least one cylindrical and profiled portion each, on one and the same grinding machine. The workpiece is ground initially in a first grinding operation in a first clamping in the grinding machine, said first grinding operation being followed by a second grinding operation once the first clamping has been released and then, before the start of the second grinding operation, a second clamping has been generated.

A grinding apparatus grinds a workpiece by rotating the workpiece held by main spindles and a grinding wheel held by a wheel spindle, and by relatively moving the grinding wheel toward and away from the workpiece. The grinding apparatus includes a first detection unit that detects a rotational phase of the workpiece; a second detection unit that detects a grinding resistance moment at a grinding point between the grinding wheel and the workpiece, or detects a drive current of a rotary drive unit of the workpiece or a rotary drive unit of the grinding wheel; a storage unit that stores the grinding resistance moment or the drive current in a manner associated with the rotational phase; and a determination unit that determines a slip between the workpiece and the main spindles based on the grinding resistance moment or the drive current at a current rotational phase, and on the grinding resistance moment or the drive current at the same phase as the current rotational phase of a previous time.

A method and a grinding machine to implement the method includes, in a single clamping, a machine part is ground. The part is clamped on its ends and has an internal recess for grinding. The internal recess is ground with an internal grinding wheel, wherein the part is rotated between a workpiece headstock and a tailstock, and an external contour is ground by means of a grinding wheel. The part is held on the tailstock by a hollow tailstock sleeve, on the end region of the internal recess, and the internal grinding wheel passes through the hollow tailstock sleeve during grinding. In the grinding machine, a separate grinding spindle head carrying the internal grinding wheel can be included in the region of the tailstock, and can be advanced against the peripheral surface of the internal recess by passing through the hollow tailstock sleeve and the hollow center.

Systems and methods of providing run-time quality control and monitoring of a single or multiple sequencing runs are provided herein. In some embodiments, the run-time system includes or is in communication with a processor capable of determining various types of run-time information relating to the quality, progress, etc. of various sequencing runs. In some embodiments, the system can also be in communication with a user interface, for example, a GUI, capable of representing and communicating various types of information to a user regarding the quality of the individual or multiple runs, the functioning of the instrument, an error event, etc. Additionally, the system can capable of receiving actionable information from a user via the GUI thereby allowing the user to terminate or repeat various sequencing steps in a particular run, terminate a entire run, terminate all runs, allow a run to proceed, etc.

Systems and methods of providing run-time quality control and monitoring of a single or multiple sequencing runs are provided herein. In some embodiments, the run-time system includes or is in communication with a processor capable of determining various types of run-time information relating to the quality, progress, etc. of various sequencing runs. In some embodiments, the system can also be in communication with a user interface, for example, a GUI, capable of representing and communicating various types of information to a user regarding the quality of the individual or multiple runs, the functioning of the instrument, an error event, etc. Additionally, the system can capable of receiving actionable information from a user via the GUI thereby allowing the user to terminate or repeat various sequencing steps in a particular run, terminate a entire run, terminate all runs, allow a run to proceed, etc.

A clamping device for holding a workpiece, in particular a cutting tool, during machining in a grinding machine, wherein peripheral grinding of the workpiece is performed by means of a particularly approximately cup-shaped grinding wheel, wherein the clamping device comprises a support unit provided to be mounted on the grinding machine, a clamping unit comprising a clamping anvil supported in a clamping anvil holding element and translationally drivable to apply a clamping force parallel to a clamping axis, and a drive unit comprising a drive anvil supported in a drive axis and rotationally drivable for rotary orientating the workpiece by means of the drive axis. The clamping unit and the drive unit are provided as individual components, which are releasably or slidably attached to the support unit to form a workpiece spindle headstock of the grinding machine.

An apparatus for machining a cylindrical workpiece has a hollow spindle with a driving center on its tip end. The hollow spindle is rotationally journaled within a spindle unit. A tail stock spindle, with a centering center on its tip end, is rotationally supported and axially movable within a centering unit. A shaft-like kelly is non-rotationally and axially movably supported within an inner bore of the spindle. A drive rotates the spindle. Cylinders axially drive the kelly and the tail stock spindle, respectively. The spindle, the tail stock spindle and the cylinders are arranged on the same axial line. The cylindrical workpiece is sandwiched between the driving center and the centering center. An outer circumferential surface of the workpiece is finish machined while rotating the workpiece under a condition where the kelly engages the workpiece within an inner bore of the workpiece.