According to various embodiments, a workpiece planarization arrangement may include: a chuck including a support carrier; and a workpiece-support replaceably mounted on the support carrier; and a planarization tool configured to planarize the at least one portion of the workpiece-support and to planarize one or more workpieces on the at least one portion of the workpiece-support.

The invention discloses a multi-set clamping fixture for diamond machining, which is used for machining diamonds. The clamping fixture includes a base shell, a lip ring, and a sealing ring. The upper end of the base shell is opened, the lip ring is arranged at the inner ring position of the base shell, an embedding groove is arranged at the inner ring position of the lip ring, the sealing ring is arranged in the embedding groove, a vacuum cavity is formed in the base shell, and the base shell is externally connected with a vacuum pumping pipeline. After the pavilion portion of a diamond to be machined is inserted into the lip ring and supported by the sealing ring, a vacuum cavity is formed in the base shell, the vacuum cavity is vacuumized by the external pipeline, and then the diamond is limited at the position of the lip ring to complete the clamping process. The lip ring is connected with the base shell in a detachable structure. An annular air pressure cavity is arranged on the outer edge of the upper portion of the base shell, one ends of a plurality of auxiliary clamping rods are located in the air pressure cavity, and one ends of the auxiliary clamping rods radially pass through the inner annular surface of the air pressure cavity and the lip ring to be in contact with the diamond. Shaft seals are arranged at the positions where the auxiliary clamping rods pass through the inner annular surface of the air pressure cavity, and the clamping fixture further includes a cavity cover that is mounted on the upper portion of the base shell and covers and wraps the air pressure cavity. The air pressure cavity is internally connected with an external pressure air source pipeline.

A method for fabricating vacuum tooling is disclosed using porous granular media. A sheet of steel webbing is affixed to a frame. A plurality of layers of fiberglass is affixed to the webbing. A vacuum port is installed through the webbing and plurality of layers of fiberglass. A granular media is mixed with epoxy to form a granular mixture. The granular mixture is layered over the plurality of layers of fiberglass to form a flat surface and machined for uniformity before sealing.

A device (1) for the movement of sheet-like pieces (P) in a machine tool (M), including a frame (10) moving towards or away from the machining surface (P1) of the machine, a gripping device (20) including a sheet-like element (21) with a gripping surface (21a) having openings (24) and mounted on the frame (10) rotatingly around at least one axis (x) substantially orthogonal to the direction of movement (D) of the frame (10) and element for the creation of a vacuum (25) communicating with the openings (24) and adapted to generate a vacuum pressure at the openings (24), which, when the gripping surface (21a) is substantially next to the machining surface (P1), makes it possible to detach the pieces (P) from the machining surface and keep them on the gripping surface.

The present disclosure relates to a fixing device arranged to be fastened to a machining head such as a drill head. A machine tool for machining workpieces such as metal sheets at a machining point is also disclosed. The workpieces may be machined from a machining side. A fastening device is included and adapted for fastening the fixing device to the machining head. A fixing head is included and adapted for releasably, locally fixing the workpiece on its machining side and adjacent to the machining point. A controller is included and configured to control the fixing and releasing of the fixing head on a workpiece.

A manufacturing system for processing workpieces includes a manufacturing cell, a plurality of pallets supporting workpieces, and at least one robotic device configured to operate on the workpieces. The manufacturing system also includes first and second processing stations configured to support any one of the pallets in fixed position relative to the robotic device. The manufacturing system additionally includes at least one transport device configured to transport any one of the pallets to and from each of the first and the second processing stations. In addition, the manufacturing system includes a controller configured to coordinate the operation of the manufacturing cell in a manner allowing the robotic device to continuously operate on a workpiece supported by a pallet at the first processing station, while another pallet is transported to or from the second processing station.

Systems and methods are provided for gripping of a workpiece with a layer jamming structure having rigid datum structures. A system includes a layer jamming structure configurable in an inactivated conformable state, with a membrane defining an internal cavity containing a number of overlapping material layers. The rigid structures engage the layer jamming structure. A pressure system includes a pump coupled with the internal cavity to change a pressure therein to transform the layer jamming structure from the inactivated conformable state to an activated rigid state disposed around the workpiece. The rigid structures help conform the layer jamming structure to the workpiece during transformation to the activated rigid state and to present datum fixturing surfaces in the activated rigid state.

A fixture and a method of operating the fixture are disclosed for repositioning a workpiece disposed on the fixture to correct an offset between the centerline of the workpiece and an indexing position on the fixture. The fixture includes one or more linear actuators that linearly move vacuum grippers on their outboard ends into contact with surfaces of the workpiece. Vacuum is applied to the vacuum grippers, which enables the vacuum grippers to grip the surfaces of the workpiece. The linear actuators are driven to reposition the workpiece on the fixture to reduce the offset between the two below a threshold value. When in position, the fixture secures the workpiece in place for subsequent machining operations that may be performed on the workpiece.

An auxiliary sheet, an auxiliary sheet manufacturing method, and a suction-attachment method with which it is possible to stabilize the attachment of an object being attached by suction. An auxiliary sheet according to an embodiment is provided with: a plurality of first regions having elasticity and including a plurality of pores arranged continuously to allow for passage of air; and one or a plurality of second regions having elasticity and in which the amount of passage of air is less than in the plurality of first regions. The plurality of first regions and the one or a plurality of second regions are disposed alternately, with those of the first regions and the second regions that are adjacent to each other being in contact with each other.

A suction device for retaining and/or transporting objects, comprising a main supporting body (2) and at least one operating plate (3) provided with suction holes (7) connected to and suction means, in which the operating plate (3) is removably associated with the main supporting body (2) and has a second connecting face (5) coupled to a first connecting face (4) of the main supporting body (2), and in which the device also comprises one or more magnets (13) and one or more ferromagnetic bodies (14), each ferromagnetic body (14) being magnetically coupled to one or more magnets (13) when the operating plate (3) is associated with the main supporting body (2) for keeping the operating plate (3) fastened to the main supporting body (2), each magnet (13) and the ferromagnetic body (14) magnetically coupled to it being constrained respectively one to the operating plate (3), the other to the main supporting body (2).