The present disclosure relates to a machine tool, such as a moving column-type machining center, and a method of operating the same, which are capable of shortening tool change time, improving productivity, minimizing a collision or mechanical interference, and increasing stability and reliability in a medium-sized or large-sized machine tool having a long length in a width direction by means of a magazine installed on a saddle, a tool changing unit movably installed on the saddle, and a tool changing unit transfer part configured to move the tool changing unit independently of a column.

The present invention relates to a machine tool 100 for machining a workpiece 12 by means of a tool 22, which comprises a clamping means 11 for clamping the workpiece 12 and a support means 21 for receiving the tool 22, wherein the clamping means 11 is mounted on a spindle head of a clamping means-carrying work spindle 10 and the support means 21 is mounted on a spindle head of a support means-carrying work spindle 20, and the machine tool 100 is designed to position the two work spindles 10, 20 by means of numerically controllable axes in relation to one another in such a way that the workpiece 12, which is clamped in the clamping means 11, can be processed by the tool 22, which is received in the support means 21.

A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and tool changing system for changing tools on a machine. The tool changing system includes a tool magazine, a tool transporter, and an automatic tool changer (ATC). The ATC includes a tool holder and a tool changer. The tool magazine is configured to store at least one tool received at the tool loading station. The tool transporter is configured to transport a tool from the tool loading station or the tool magazine to a tool transfer position of the ATC, and to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during an automatic tool change process. The tool holder is configured to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during the automatic tool change process when the tool transporter is not positioned at the tool transfer position. The tool changer is configured to provide the tool at the tool transfer position to a tool change position of a machine during the automatic tool change process.

A machine tool includes a bed, a column, a rotary main spindle, a tool magazine, a tool changer, and a controller. The tool changer includes a body provided on the bed so as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to a movement direction of the column, a changing arm rotatably provided on the body, and a door provided on the body to open or close an opening formed in the body, and configured to partition an area on the column side from an area on the tool magazine side by closing the opening. The controller is configured to move the body in parallel with at least one of an operation of opening the door and an operation of closing the door.

An automatic tool changer (ATC) serves as an ATC for automatically changing a tool attached to a lower tool rest of a machine tool. The ATC includes a robot arm and a movement mechanism unit moving the robot arm between inside and outside of a machining area. The robot arm has a base unit coupled to the movement mechanism unit, an arm unit pivotably coupled to the base unit, and a gripping unit provided in the arm unit and detachably gripping the tool. The arm unit is formed to extend in an arm shape from the base unit toward the gripping unit, and swings on a pivot axis as a fulcrum relative to the base unit. By such a configuration, an ATC implementing an automatic change of a tool by a simple and compact mechanism and a machine tool including such an ATC are provided.

The present invention relates to a tool transport system for exchanging tools between a central tool magazine and one or more machine tools. A guided transport module P can be moved between different stops by means of a supporting guide. The transport module P has a transport platform PT with at least one tool transport strip E2 for holding a plurality of tools W. The transport platform PT is downwardly spaced apart, in the vertical direction, from the transport module P and from the supporting guide F.

A processing machine includes a splash guard, a tool spindle that is provided inside a processing area and holds a tool, and an automatic tool changer that is movable between an internal-side tool changing position inside the processing area and a standby position outside the processing area and changes the tool held by the tool spindle at the internal-side tool changing position. The splash guard includes a cover body that is coupled to the automatic tool changer, defines and forms the processing area when the automatic tool changer is positioned at the standby position, and enters the processing area when the automatic tool changer moves from the standby position to the internal-side tool changing position.