Provided is a gripping method including: a phase matching step of matching tool relief grooves of a contact metal member and track grooves of a constant velocity universal joint component with each other in phase; a measuring step of measuring phase differences between the track grooves of the constant velocity universal joint component and a female spline of the constant velocity universal joint component; a matching step of matching, based on a result of the measuring step, a stopper with a recessed portion of the female spline having the smallest phase difference and gripping the constant velocity universal joint component by a collet chuck. Under a state in which the constant velocity universal joint component is gripped by the collet chuck, the contact metal member holds the constant velocity universal joint component.

A machine tool for machine processing workpieces by using a tool having a pull stud at a proximal end portion thereof. The machine tool includes a tool magazine having a number of tool holders each of which is capable of attaching and detaching the tool, a spindle which holds the tool at the time of machine processing the workpieces, and a controller which determines whether or not the pull stud is appropriate on the basis of detected data of a visual sensor which is provided inside or outside the machine tool, and which captures images of the pull stud of a tool holder of the tool, or detected data of a sensor which is provided inside the tool magazine, and which measures length, electric resistance, or electric capacity of the pull stud.

In a device for recording deformation of a rotor head of a work spindle, at least one magnet is arranged on a stator or a rotor of the spindle, the magnetic field of which penetrates a measurement section of the rotor head, which is traversed by an axial flow of force during clamping of a tool or tool carrier on the rotor head by a tool clamping device arranged in the rotor. The rotor head has a magnetizability or magnetization that varies in the axial direction in its measurement section, and at least one direction-sensitive magnetic field sensor is arranged on the stator radially opposite the measurement section, which is connected to an evaluation device to determine axial deformation of the rotor head as a function of rotation angle from the strength of the magnetic field as a function of rotation angle recorded by the sensor during one revolution of the rotor.

A control system for controlling a tool of a machine includes at least one controller and detecting means. The detecting means includes at least one range finder device for at least partly detecting and positioning an object with regards to the tool in 3D space. An operation mode of the at least one controller depends at least in part on the object. A machine and a method for controlling a tool of the machine are also disclosed.

There is proposed a method for examining the clamping state of a tool holder or tool which is clamped in a tool clamping device of a rotor unit of a motor-driven machine tool unit, with the spacing of the sensor head from a component of the rotor unit being measured, with a recording of at least one time and/or position-related sequence of the spacing values measured with the sensor head, wherein for improved integration of the method the recording of a first and a second time and/or position-related sequence is carried out during an acceleration of the rotation of the rotor unit with respect to the stator unit, in particular when the rotor unit is started up, wherein the time and/or position-related information of the sequence vectors of the first and/or second sequence is scaled using the respective associated current speed (v.sub.0).

In a clamping device, a detection mechanism detects a state of clamping/unclamping and includes: a detected body that moves together with a piston and a piston rod; a circuit board disposed to face the detected body and capable of detecting the position of the detected body; and an indicator lamp that is connected to the circuit board and is lit/extinguished depending on the state of clamping/unclamping. By pressing a setting button provided on the detection mechanism when the rotation angle of the arm is changed, the second detection position of the circuit board for detecting the unclamped state is changed, making it possible to detect the detected body at a newly set detection position.

In a workpiece holding system, a communication unit performs short-range wireless communication between a control device and a workpiece holding device. That is, at least one of supply of power from the control device to the workpiece holding device and transmission of a command signal for a holding operation or a non-holding operation of a workpiece from the control device to the workpiece holding device is performed between a first communication unit and a second communication unit that make up the communication unit.

In a measurement method, a terminal is brought into contact with an electrode in an electrostatic chuck in contact with a substrate that is grounded. Further, the terminal, the electrostatic chuck and the substrate are fixed, and a current value and a voltage value are measured using an ammeter and a voltmeter, respectively, that are connected to the terminal. In addition, whether or not the terminal and the electrode are electrically connected is determined from a slope of the current value and/or a peak current value based on the measured current value and the voltage value.

A device for simultaneously measuring and adjusting the tool holding portion of a spindle. The device has a body defining a datum surface providing a magnetic portion and an indicator portion. A socket extends from the magnetic portion, the socket dimensioned and adapted to receive and seat a first component of the tool holding portion on the magnetic portion. A compressible indicator tip extends in an outward-biased manner from the indicator portion, wherein a distance from the distal end of the indicator tip and the indicator portion of the datum surface is displayed along the body.

A machine tool (1) includes: a front spindle (10) having a front chuck (12); a rear spindle (20) having a rear chuck (22); a controller (50) configured to cause the rear chuck (22) to perform a fastening operation for fastening a work (W) fastened to the front chuck (12) to the rear chuck (22); and a detector (60) configured to detect an abnormality caused by the fastening operation by the rear chuck (22), based on measurement data associated with a vibration of at least one of the front chuck (12) and the rear chuck (22).