A positioning apparatus including a base structure; a first workpiece support; a second workpiece support; a support member supporting the first workpiece support and the second workpiece support; and a drive arrangement arranged to drive the support member relative to the base structure from a first position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on a processing side of the base structure and the second workpiece support is positioned on an opposite loading side of the base structure, to a second position, where the first workpiece support is positioned on the loading side and the second workpiece support is positioned on the processing side; wherein the drive arrangement is arranged to drive the first workpiece support along a first path and the second workpiece support along a second path when driving the support member from the first position to the second position, the first and second paths being non-circular.

A contaminant control system for reducing or substantially preventing the ingress of contaminants into a positioning system to prevent degradation in precision and accuracy of the positioning system. The contaminant control system directs a gas flow through the interior of the positioning system and creates an internal pressure within the positioning system that is greater than the ambient air pressure. The contaminant control system may include a temperature conditioner to heat and/or cool the gas flowing through the positioning system. Temperature conditioning may provide additional positioning system precision and accuracy by mitigating thermal effects. The contaminant control system includes a controller to control both the gas flow and gas temperature.

The invention provides a nested numerical control rotary table, which comprises a large numerical control rotary table, a small rotary table, a large rotary table board and a small rotary table board nested in the large rotary table board, wherein the small rotary table board may be driven by the large numerical control rotary table as a part of the large rotary table board to run together with the large rotary table board, or be driven by the small rotary table to run independently. When the small rotary table board runs independently, the small rotary table is driven to ascend by a lifting oil cylinder, and a pull pin under the small rotary table board and a positioning pin on the small rotary table fixedly connect the small rotary table board with the small rotary table, which are locked by a clamp. The nested numerical control rotary table may complete the tasks of numerical control rotary tables with both large and small dimensions, which saves the production cost and improves the working efficiency. Moreover, switch between the large rotary table and the small rotary table is convenient, so time is saved.

The invention relates to a machine tool (M) comprising a kinematic structure (100) that moves an electric spindle (300) in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the electric spindle (300), notable in that said kinematic structure (100) is an articulated structure comprising two articulated arms (110, 120) articulated about axes of rotation parallel to the axis of the electric spindle (300), the second end (122) of the second arm (120) accepting the electric spindle (300), the translational movement of the workpiece (P) with respect to the tool (O) of the electric spindle (300) in a linear movement parallel to the axis of the electric spindle (300) being brought about by a workpiece (P) support module (200) or by a plate support module (130).

A confinement cabin has a load-bearing structure, confinement walls connected to the load-bearing structure to delimit an inner space of the cabin, an access opening to the inner space, and a door connected to the load-bearing structure to close the access opening. The door is movable in opening and closing with a pivoting-tilting movement and has a movable arm which at a first end is rotationally connected to the load-bearing structure to rotate around a hinging axis, and a closing panel rotationally connected to a second end of the movable arm to rotate around a tilting axis. Rotation of the panel around the tilting axis is synchronized with rotation of the movable arm around the hinging axis by an elastic transmission system between a first pulley coaxial to the hinging axis and a second pulley coaxial to the tilting axis. Rotation of the panel around the tilting axis is in the opposite direction to rotation of the movable arm around the hinging axis.

The invention provides a nested numerical control rotary table, which comprises a large numerical control rotary table, a small rotary table, a large rotary table board and a small rotary table board nested in the large rotary table board, wherein the small rotary table board may be driven by the large numerical control rotary table as a part of the large rotary table board to run together with the large rotary table board, or be driven by the small rotary table to run independently. When the small rotary table board runs independently, the small rotary table is driven to ascend by a lifting oil cylinder, and a pull pin under the small rotary table board and a positioning pin on the small rotary table fixedly connect the small rotary table board with the small rotary table, which are locked by a clamp. The nested numerical control rotary table may complete the tasks of numerical control rotary tables with both large and small dimensions, which saves the production cost and improves the working efficiency. Moreover, switch between the large rotary table and the small rotary table is convenient, so time is saved.

A work-piece transfer apparatus, comprising at least one work-piece engagement structure; at least one first robot arm pivotally connected to the work-piece engagement structure; a first motor coupled to the first robot arm and being adapted for translating the first robot arm fore and aft in a generally horizontal direction; a second motor, at least one second robot arm being in operating driving relationship with the second motor and operatively coupled with the work-piece engagement structure for raising and lowering the work-piece engagement structure; and a support structure for supporting the apparatus or portions thereof; wherein the first motor and second motor are operated synchronously to raise, lower, and/or translate the work-piece engagement structure in a fore and aft direction by way of one or both of the first robot arm and second robot arm.

A work-piece transfer apparatus, comprising at least one work-piece engagement structure; at least one first robot arm pivotally connected to the work-piece engagement structure; a first motor coupled to the first robot arm and being adapted for translating the first robot arm fore and aft in a generally horizontal direction; a second motor; at least one second robot arm being in operating driving relationship with the second motor and operatively coupled with the work-piece engagement structure for raising and lowering the work-piece engagement structure; and a support structure for supporting the apparatus or portions thereof; wherein the first motor and second motor are operated synchronously to raise, lower, and/or translate the work-piece engagement structure in a fore and aft direction by way of one or both of the first robot arm and second robot arm.

A confinement cabin has a load-bearing structure, confinement walls connected to the load-bearing structure to delimit an inner space of the cabin, an access opening to the inner space, and a door connected to the load-bearing structure to close the access opening. The door is movable in opening and closing with a pivoting-tilting movement and has a movable arm which at a first end is rotationally connected to the load-bearing structure to rotate around a hinging axis, and a closing panel rotationally connected to a second end of the movable arm to rotate around a tilting axis. Rotation of the panel around the tilting axis is synchronized with rotation of the movable arm around the hinging axis by an elastic transmission system between a first pulley coaxial to the hinging axis and a second pulley coaxial to the tilting axis. Rotation of the panel around the tilting axis is in the opposite direction to rotation of the movable arm around the hinging axis.

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.