A machine tool (1) includes a tool information storage (9) storing therein used tool information for, when an NC program execution part (5) executes an NC program, specifying a tool used for machining, and a magazine operation panel (18) includes an announcement part (18b) for announcing an alarm to an operator. When receiving an operation signal from an input part (18a) while the NC program execution part (5) is executing an NC program, a tool change control part (11) checks the used tool information stored in the tool information storage (9), and in the case where a tool held by a tool pot (17a) corresponding to the operation signal is not used for machining, moves the tool pot (17a) to a tool attachment/detachment position (17c), and in the case where the tool is used for machining, causes the announcement part (18a) to announce an alarm indicating that it is unavailable.

A blocking device of tool-holders on lathes, especially for the rapid and precise blocking of tool-holders on CNC (Computer Numerical Control), single spindle or multi-spindle lathes as well as on transfer machines, milling centres of any kind and, in general, on machine tools which perform machining by chip removal, is paired with a tool-holder, motorized or non-motorized, connected to the existing support on said lathes and comprises an anchoring pawl provided with a female truncated-cone shaped recess. Said pawl is moved vertically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tool-holder by mechanical or hydraulic means driven to engage said female, truncated-cone shaped recess with an inclined, male truncated-cone appendage made on said tool-holder.

A sheet material bending system includes a tool changing apparatus that changes tools between a press brake and a tool stocker. The tool stocker is arranged behind the press brake. To change tools from the front and rear of the tool stocker, the front and rear of the tool stocker are opened. The tool changing apparatus has a pivot that is movable in front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions and is rotatable around an axis extending in the up-down direction. A front end of the pivot is provided with tool holding units to hold tools.

A blocking device of tool-holders on lathes, especially for the rapid and precise blocking of tool-holders on CNC (Computer Numerical Control), single spindle or multi-spindle lathes as well as on transfer machines, milling centres of any kind and, in general, on machine tools which perform machining by chip removal, is paired with a tool-holder, motorized or non-motorized, connected to the existing support on said lathes and comprises an anchoring pawl provided with a female truncated-cone shaped recess. Said pawl is moved vertically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tool-holder by mechanical or hydraulic means driven to engage said female, truncated-cone shaped recess with an inclined, male truncated-cone appendage made on said tool-holder.

A method is proposed for controlling tool change operations on a machine tool, wherein a machining procedure on a workpiece includes a sequence of machining operations having in each case a particular tool and in each case a particular duration, and for a tool change, tools of a tool spindle are provided by a second storage device in communication with a first storage device, and wherein there is associated with the machining procedure a sequence of tool provision operations in which a tool provision operation has in each case a particular duration, wherein the method includes a determination stage wherein the durations of the machining operations and the tool provision operations are determined, and a control stage wherein the tool provision operations are temporally grouped in relation to the machining operations such that the tool provision operations bring about a minimized idle time in the machining procedure.

A machine tool (1) includes a tool information storage (9) storing therein used tool information for, when an NC program execution part (5) executes an NC program, specifying a tool used for machining, and a magazine operation panel (18) includes an announcement part (18b) for announcing an alarm to an operator. When receiving an operation signal from an input part (18a) while the NC program execution part (5) is executing an NC program, a tool change control part (11) checks the used tool information stored in the tool information storage (9), and in the case where a tool held by a tool pot (17a) corresponding to the operation signal is not used for machining, moves the tool pot (17a) to a tool attachment/detachment position (17c), and in the case where the tool is used for machining, causes the announcement part (18a) to announce an alarm indicating that it is unavailable.