The invention is a modular table-top automation apparatus, or for short, a tac, a word derived from an acronym for a table-top automation center, of which, this is the first. Employing integrated mechanical and electronic systems, a tac is a flexible, programmable apparatus, readily reconfigurable, which can be used as either a stand-alone unit, or as a cell within a configuration of other tacs or machines. The tac can utilize various purchasable application devices, mounted on one or two horizontal carriage rail assemblies, which extend past both sides of a frame containing a central work area, giving it a unique ability to load, position, perform numerous operations and unload a wide variety of small parts or assemblies. By combining with optional rotary magazines positioned on both sides of the frame, the tac can be set-up as a fully automatic “load and walk-away” production center.

A reconfigurable machining center includes a base structure extending in a first direction, a movable crossmember movable in the first direction and provided with a machining head, supporting elements on the base structure to enable movement of the movable crossmember along the first direction, a first leadscrew rack, integral with the base structure and having a first helical circular toothed sector, and extending along the entire base structure parallel to the first direction, and a first screw rotatably coupled to the movable crossmember and engaging a corresponding first leadscrew rack, and having a rotation axis parallel to the first direction. The longitudinal extension of the base structure in the first direction is an integer multiple of the pitch of tooth of the leadscrew racks, and the base structure includes coupling elements adapted to couple the base structure to a following and/or preceding adjacent base structure along the first direction.

The low profile of the flexible tooling system disclosed allows for flexible tooling to be added to nearly all CNC machines with an accommodating z-axis height and allows easier relocation of the system from one CNC machine to another. The system includes one or more pods, each of the pods of the system replacing the function of four independent actuators of earlier systems but operating with a shared mechanical frame. Arranging the mechanism into groups of four allows for greater density of part support spacing, minimizes cable requirements, and allows for air, vacuum, and vacuum sensor requirements be localized on each pod. The pods allow for part supports to be spaced as close as 6″ in the x and y axis. An increased variable position assembly density allows for greater flexibility to hold complicated parts.

The present invention relates to a slanting-bed feed processing machine tool of a large propeller. The machine tool comprises a slanting column feed bed, a machine tool spindle, a workpiece rotary worktable, a large propeller and a bed feed mechanism. The present invention coordinates the geometrical relationship between the machine tool and the large propeller to ensure that the slanting column feed bed moves between two blades, thereby reducing the overhang length of the spindle. Different forms of workpiece rotary worktables and bed feed mechanisms are selected according to different slanting column feed beds. Four types of slanting column feed beds are designed, which can be selected, optimized and applied for different processing objects. The present invention enhances the processing stiffness of the spindle and solves the problem of poor processing quality of the large propeller caused by machine tool vibration.

The present invention relates to a slanting-bed feed processing machine tool of a large propeller. The machine tool comprises a slanting column feed bed, a machine tool spindle, a workpiece rotary worktable, a large propeller and a bed feed mechanism. The present invention coordinates the geometrical relationship between the machine tool and the large propeller to ensure that the slanting column feed bed moves between two blades, thereby reducing the overhang length of the spindle. Different forms of workpiece rotary worktables and bed feed mechanisms are selected according to different slanting column feed beds. Four types of slanting column feed beds are designed, which can be selected, optimized and applied for different processing objects. The present invention enhances the processing stiffness of the spindle and solves the problem of poor processing quality of the large propeller caused by machine tool vibration.

The low profile of the flexible tooling system disclosed allows for flexible tooling to be added to nearly all CNC machines with an accommodating z-axis height and allows easier relocation of the system from one CNC machine to another. The system includes one or more pods, each of the pods of the system replacing the function of four independent actuators of earlier systems but operating with a shared mechanical frame. Arranging the mechanism into groups of four allows for greater density of part support spacing, minimizes cable requirements, and allows for air, vacuum, and vacuum sensor requirements be localized on each pod. The pods allow for part supports to be spaced as close as 6″ in the x and y axis. An increased variable position assembly density allows for greater flexibility to hold complicated parts.

A reconfigurable machining center includes a base structure extending in a first direction, a movable crossmember movable in the first direction and provided with a machining head, supporting elements on the base structure to enable movement of the movable crossmember along the first direction, a first leadscrew rack, integral with the base structure and having a first helical circular toothed sector, and extending along the entire base structure parallel to the first direction, and a first screw rotatably coupled to the movable crossmember and engaging a corresponding first leadscrew rack, and having a rotation axis parallel to the first direction. The longitudinal extension of the base structure in the first direction is an integer multiple of the pitch of tooth of the leadscrew racks, and the base structure includes coupling elements adapted to couple the base structure to a following and/or preceding adjacent base structure along the first direction.

A reconfigurable machining center includes a base structure extending in a first direction, a movable crossmember movable in the first direction and provided with a machining head, supporting elements on the base structure to enable movement of the movable crossmember along the first direction, a first leadscrew rack, integral with the base structure and having a first helical circular toothed sector, and extending along the entire base structure parallel to the first direction, and a first screw rotatably coupled to the movable crossmember and engaging a corresponding first leadscrew rack, and having a rotation axis parallel to the first direction. The longitudinal extension of the base structure in the first direction is an integer multiple of the pitch of tooth of the leadscrew racks, and the base structure includes coupling elements adapted to couple the base structure to a following and/or preceding adjacent base structure along the first direction.

Provided is a machine tool capable of facilitating switching moving ranges of the moving unit. A moving-side cover provided on the moving unit covers part of a position of the driving apparatus in the moving direction. A supporting-side cover is provided in a position on a side of the first moving range of an end of the moving-side cover on a side of the second moving range in the moving direction to continuously cover the part of the position of the driving apparatus in the moving direction in cooperation with the moving-side cover in the first use state. The supporting-side cover forms a clearance in the moving direction with respect to the moving-side cover in the second use state. A slide cover is mounted on one of supporting-side cover and the moving-side cover slidably in the moving direction to close the clearance when slidably drawn out in the moving direction.

The low profile of the flexible tooling system disclosed allows for flexible tooling to be added to nearly all CNC machines with an accommodating z-axis height and allows easier relocation of the system from one CNC machine to another. The system includes one or more pods, each of the pods of the system replacing the function of four independent actuators of earlier systems but operating with a shared mechanical frame. Arranging the mechanism into groups of four allows for greater density of part support spacing, minimizes cable requirements, and allows for air, vacuum, and vacuum sensor requirements be localized on each pod. The pods allow for part supports to be spaced as close as 6 in the x and y axis. An increased variable position assembly density allows for greater flexibility to hold complicated parts.