A multi-tool positioning and manufacturing system moves a workpiece among many tools, such as grinding wheels, each of which performs a manufacturing operation on the workpiece. The system moves the workpiece automatically, quickly, repeatably, and precisely among the tools, without any manual intervention. It can perform the same manufacturing operations as many separate tools, such as grinding the inner diameter, outer diameter, and rib of a tapered roller bearing cone. Because a machinist does not have to move the workpiece between machines for different operations, the total manufacturing process can be faster and higher yield than with separate tools. The system can also move a single dresser among the tools for dressing and truing, further increasing manufacturing efficiency by eliminating the need for separate dressers for separate tools.

This application discloses magnetically coupled integrated probes and probe systems, attachable to the robotic arms of a remotely operated vehicle to perform both cathodic protection (CP) voltage measurements and ultrasonic testing (UT) thickness measurements at an underwater surface. The integrated probe system can include a spring for coupling to an ROV end effector. An ultrasonic probe is disposed within and extends from the sleeve housing. A magnetic carrier, flux concentrator, and gimbal surround a portion of the ultrasonic probe, and one or more electrically conductive legs extend from the front surface of the gimbal to function as a CP probe. The legs are arranged about the ultrasonic probe, which has a flexible membrane exposed at the front surface of the gimbal, such that during inspection, at least one leg contacts the surface and the ultrasonic probe is sufficiently proximate to provide substantially simultaneous CP and UT measurements.

An apparatus for coupling a robot arm to a tool that is suspended by an ergonomic arm capable of supporting 3D motion of the tool within a working volume. The apparatus includes a tool sleeve configured to accept the tool, a freely rotating rotary fitting coupled to the tool sleeve, and a coupling that couples a distal end of the robot arm to the rotary fitting. When the tool is inserted into the tool sleeve, the tool is free to rotate around the rotational axis with respect to the robot arm, such that a motion of the distal end of the robot arm does not impose a torque between the robot arm and the tool around the rotational axis, and such that motion of the distal end of the robot arm repositions or reorients the tool within at least a portion of the working volume.

An apparatus for coupling a robot arm to a tool that is suspended by an ergonomic arm capable of supporting 3D motion of the tool within a working volume. The apparatus includes a tool sleeve configured to accept the tool, a freely rotating rotary fitting coupled to the tool sleeve, and a coupling that couples a distal end of the robot arm to the rotary fitting. When the tool is inserted into the tool sleeve, the tool is free to rotate around the rotational axis with respect to the robot arm, such that a motion of the distal end of the robot arm does not impose a torque between the robot arm and the tool around the rotational axis, and such that motion of the distal end of the robot arm repositions or reorients the tool within at least a portion of the working volume.

A machine tool having at least two rotary feed axes (B, C) is provided with: a base; a column which moves in a left-right direction (X); a main spindle head which moves in a vertical direction (Y); and a table which has a workpiece attachment surface and in which the workpiece attachment surface is oriented in a plurality of attitudes including a horizontal attitude and a vertical attitude. The column is guided in the left-right direction (X) by means of an inclined linear motion guide which faces forward and upward. The table includes: a first table stand having an inclined rotary guide which faces backward and upward; and a second table stand which is rotationally fed about an inclined axis (Oc) perpendicular to the inclined rotary guide. The inclined linear motion guide of the column and the inclined rotary guide of the table are disposed facing one another.

The machining station can include a table; at least three robots each having a multi-axis mover secured to the table, and a gripper opposite the table, the robots being interspaced from one another on the table; and a controller. The controller controls the robots to hold a workpiece in a coordinated manner. The computer numerical command (CNC) machine-tool system machines the workpiece while the workpiece is held by the robots. The workpiece can be moved into and out from the machining station with a trolley which slidingly engages a trolley path formed within the table.

A non-Cartesian coordinate positioning machine is provided that comprises an extendable leg assembly for positioning a component such as a measurement probe within a working volume of the machine, and a constraint member associated with the extendable leg assembly for providing a predetermined part of the extendable leg assembly with substantially a same orientation relative to gravity for a same position of the component within the working volume. In a preferred embodiment, the orientation relative to gravity is maintained substantially constant, so that a plane defined by the predetermined part is substantially aligned with gravity, as the component is moved around the working volume.

Disclosed is a universal fixture based machine tool used in the machining industry. The tool includes a numerically controlled machine tool body, a multifunctional machine tool countertop, a first fixture pallet, a second fixture pallet, a fixture integration platform, a split bench vise, and a flexible fixture element. The multifunctional machine tool countertop, the first fixture pallet and the second fixture pallet are all made of perforated foundation plates. The numerically controlled machine tool body can achieve a three-axis linkage machining function of X-, Y-, and Z-coordinate moving axes. The fixture integration platform can achieve a rotary machining function of three rotation axes A, B, and C of the universal fixture based machine tool. The flexible fixture element can have various combinations and changes, so that the universal fixture based machine tool has a machining function of three increment axes U, V, and W.

Disclosed is a universal fixture based machine tool used in the machining industry. The tool includes a numerically controlled machine tool body, a multifunctional machine tool countertop, a first fixture pallet, a second fixture pallet, a fixture integration platform, a split bench vise, and a flexible fixture element. The multifunctional machine tool countertop, the first fixture pallet and the second fixture pallet are all made of perforated foundation plates. The numerically controlled machine tool body can achieve a three-axis linkage machining function of X-, Y-, and Z-coordinate moving axes. The fixture integration platform can achieve a rotary machining function of three rotation axes A, B, and C of the universal fixture based machine tool. The flexible fixture element can have various combinations and changes, so that the universal fixture based machine tool has a machining function of three increment axes U, V, and W.

A tilt adjusting mechanism provided in a processing apparatus including a chuck table having a holding surface for holding a workpiece thereon and a processing unit having a processing surface for processing the workpiece held on the chuck table, for adjusting parallelism between the holding surface and the processing surface. The tilt adjusting mechanism includes at least three support posts supporting the chuck table, the support posts including at least one expansible and contractible support post that is provided with a piezoelectric actuator including layered piezoelectric elements, a direct current power supply electrically connected to the piezoelectric actuator, and a voltage controller for controlling a direct current voltage value of direct current electric power supplied to the piezoelectric actuator.