A tool unit includes a tool head, a motor and a switching drive for the head. The head has a first section with first blades and a second section with second blades. The second section is movable to and fro between a passive and an active position relative to the first section, the second blades being retracted in the passive position, and the second blades projecting axially beyond the first blades in the active position. The drive includes an electromagnet and an actuating armature made from magnetically attractable material and is arranged in the region of action of the electromagnet. The electromagnet is positioned between the head and the motor and is fastened to a housing part of the motor such that it cannot be rotated. The armature is connected fixedly to the second section. A gap remains between the electromagnet and the armature in the passive and active position.

A separable robotic interface includes a carrier portion, configured to attach to a free end of a robotic arm, and a probe portion, configured to be attached to a toolhead. The carrier portion includes a spring-loaded plug, coaxial with and arranged to slide lengthwise within the carrier portion, one or more ball bearings, arranged within holes of the carrier portion, and an axial lock feature. The probe portion may include a probe, which includes one or more recesses on lateral exterior surfaces of the probe and configured to receive ball bearings in order to axially lock the carrier portion to the probe portion in response to the probe portion inserted a predetermined distance into the carrier portion and the axial lock feature is activated. The probe portion is further configured to radially align with the carrier portion in response to an alignment feature engages the carrier portion.

In order to configure a multi-spindle machine tool comprising a machine frame, a spindle drum arranged on the machine frame to be rotatable about a spindle drum axis and having a plurality of workpiece spindles, each of which is provided with a workpiece receptacle for a workpiece that is to be machined in a working area, a plurality of tool carriers arranged in the working area, in particular associated with individual spindle stations, and each having a tool holder receptacle into which a tool holder is insertable, as well as a machine control system for controlling the machine tool to be more efficient, it is proposed that a handling apparatus is arranged on the machine frame, that with the handling device, also controlled by the machine control system, at least one tool holder is insertable into at least one of the tool holder receptacles and/or removable therefrom.

A tool unit includes a tool head, a motor and a switching drive for the head. The head has a first section with first blades and a second section with second blades. The second section is movable to and fro between a passive and an active position relative to the first section, the second blades being retracted in the passive position, and the second blades projecting axially beyond the first blades in the active position. The drive includes an electromagnet and an actuating armature made from magnetically attractable material and is arranged in the region of action of the electromagnet. The electromagnet is positioned between the head and the motor and is fastened to a housing part of the motor such that it cannot be rotated. The armature is connected fixedly to the second section. A gap remains between the electromagnet and the armature in the passive and active position.

This tool conveying device is provided with an indexing device comprising an input shaft, a first output shaft, and a second output shaft which is positioned adjacent and parallel to the first output shaft, wherein the input shaft is linked to a servo motor, the first output shaft rotates during rotation of the input shaft and the second output shaft stops at a prescribed angular position in a certain period during rotation of the input shaft and rotates in the remaining period during said rotation of the input shaft; a gripper; a turning part which is driven by the second output shaft of the indexing device and which supports the gripper; and a gripper opening/closing member which is driven by the first output shaft of the indexing device.

A method for machining a workpiece includes using a multi-axis robot to lift a tool head from a magazine. The robot attaches the tool head to an end of a drill tube. The drill tube is then rotated and longitudinally translated to machine the workpiece. The tool head is withdrawn from the machined workpiece longitudinally by moving the drill tube. The robot is used to disconnect the tool head, replace the disconnected tool head into a magazine and withdraw a different tool head from the magazine for attachment to the drill tube.

The present disclosure relates to an automatic tool changer for a machine tool which can change a tool mounted on a tool post by moving both of a magazine and a tool post to be concentric in order to change a tool in a horizontal type machine tool such as a lathe or a horizontal type turning center; a method of controlling the automatic tool changer and a machine tool including the automatic tool changer.

A system for inserting and removing cutting inserts of a cutting tool includes a first processing device, a second processing device, and a controller coupled to the first processing device and the second processing device, wherein the first processing device includes a gripping element for holding or securing a cutting insert, wherein the second processing device includes a fastening tool for fastening or releasing a fastening mechanism holding the cutting insert, and wherein the control is adapted to control the first processing device to hold the cutting insert, to control the second processing device to fasten or release the fastening mechanism when the cutting insert is held.

The present invention reveals a tool changing method for machine tool and the apparatus thereof. The machine tool has a tool releasement detector disposed beside the spindle or the tool releasement apparatus. When the tool releasement apparatus hits the spindle to loose the clamp for tool releasement, the tool releasement detector generates a releasement signal. When the tool releasement apparatus resets and leaves the spindle, the tool releasement detector produces no signal. The tool changing apparatus is activated according the appearance of the releasement signal for changing the tool, activated according the disappearing of the releasement signal for declining from the spindle. Therefore, the tool changing apparatus can be operated timely and speedily, improving tool changing efficiency.

In a machine tool having a tool carrier (1) that comprises at least one receptacle (4) for a tool holder (3) for driven or stationary tools a tool change device is provided that comprises gripping means (370) for gripping the tool holder (3) at the housing (7) or at part (71) connected with the housing (7). In addition to the gripping means the tool change device comprises a device for actuating the fastening means that are configured for attachment of the tool holder at the tool carrier.