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.

The invention concerns a sheet metal press system and a method used in connection therewith. The sheet metal press system comprises at least one sheet metal press having an opening through which a tool, which comprises an upper die, a lower die and a tool changer interface, can pass during a tool change performed by means of a tool changer device. The tool changer device comprises at least one automated guided vehicle, running on a shop floor and capable of lifting and lowering a tool by interaction with the tool changer interface of said tool, wherein a guide path for said at least one automated guided vehicle runs from outside and into said at least one sheet metal press through said opening. The method comprises alternating use of a first and a second automated guided vehicle during a tool changing operation.

The present invention relates to a handling apparatus 1 for use at a machine tool, comprising: a base body 2 which can be set up on a floor space, a storage body 3 which can be set up on the top side of the base body 2 and serves to store a plurality of workpieces or tools, and a handling robot 5, which is arranged on the base body 2 and has a gripper device 6 for receiving a workpiece and/or tool from the storage body 3 and for inserting the workpiece and/or tool taken from the storage body 3 by the gripper device 6 into a corresponding workpiece and/or tool support of the machine tool. A plurality of first set-up elements 18 are arranged on the bottom side of the storage body 3 and a plurality of first centering elements 19 are arranged on the top side of the base body 2, wherein, when the storage body 3 is set up on the top side of the base body 2, the first set-up elements 18 interact in each case in pairs and in self-centering manner with the first centering elements 19 in such a way that the storage body 3 adopts a predetermined reference position in relation to the base body 2.

An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a housing which provides a manufacturing space for additive manufacturing, a linear drive arranged in the manufacturing space and having a base body, which is movable along a movement axis of the linear drive in the manufacturing space, and a tool holder for taking up a tool unit. The tool holder is attached to the base body so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis and is moved with the base body along the movement axis of the linear drive. The tool holder further comprises a clamping device having an unclamped operating state for taking up and taking out the tool unit and a clamped operating state for fixing the received tool unit. Furthermore, the additive manufacturing apparatus has a tool store, which is arranged in the manufacturing space and provides a plurality of tool places for tool units.

An adjustment device of a punching device punches a workpiece on a die so that the workpiece is punched into a predetermined shape. The adjustment device includes a first drive mechanism that moves the punch or the die in a direction orthogonal to a punching direction, and a controller connected to the first drive mechanism. The controller brings the punch and the die into contact with each other by moving the punch or the die in four orthogonal directions in a plane perpendicular to the punching direction from an initial position where the punch is inserted into the punching die. The controller causes the first drive mechanism to move the punch or the die to a center position where a central axis of the punch and a central axis of the die are aligned with other.

A robotic tool changer system and a method for performing a tool change with the robotic tool changer system are disclosed. Providing a plurality of second coupling units each connected with a tool, wherein the second coupling units are detachably connected to a respective tool changer grippers; driving a first coupling unit along a second direction with a robot arm end shaft to be coupled with a selected second coupling unit; driving the first coupling unit coupled with the selected second coupling unit away from the corresponding tool changer gripper in a first direction, defining an angle between the first direction and the second direction; wherein when the selected second coupling unit is moved to the corresponding tool changer gripper and before the first coupling unit to separate from the selected second coupling unit, a third acting force is applied to the selected second coupling unit for restricting movement.

The present invention is an apparatus and method for replacing used electrode tips of a TIG welder. The apparatus has a main housing structure with a socket adapter assembly that is operatively supported by the main housing structure. The socket adapter assembly is used to both remove and re-attach the gas shield and the electrode nut of the TIG welder. A vacuum tip suction device that is operatively supported by the main housing structure is used to both remove and install electrode tips for the TIG welder.

A tool storage device is disposed on a side of a press brake. In the tool storage device, a lower tool holder is lifted up from lower tool holder support members, is moved forward or backward, and both end sides in a left-and-right direction of the lower tool holder are lowered after being passed through recessed portions formed on the lower tool holder support members (step (a)). The lowered lower tool holder is conveyed forward, and is positioned to a same height as a height of a lower tool mounting portion in a lower table (step (b)). The lower tool held in the lower tool holder is transferred to the lower tool mounting portion by a tool replacement device, and is mounted on the lower table (step (c)). The lower tool mounted on the lower table is returned into the tool storage device (step (d)).

An apparatus for interchanging welding tips of a spot welding gun. The apparatus replaces a welding tip installed in a robot arm and includes welding tip removal componentry combined with the robot arm, welding tip mounting structure combined with one side of the welding tip removal componentry, and a welding tip supply spaced apart from the welding gun at a specific distance and configured to supply a welding tip to the welding tip mounting componentry.

The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer (1) with a cap puller (2) and two cap magazines (3, 3A), the cap puller (2) having a gripper (20) with spring-loaded, pivotable jaws (21, 22), which in response to a turning and axial pulling-off movement detaches a spot welding cap (K) of a pincer spot welding head introduced into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such a way that it is clamped to prevent it twisting, and the cap magazines (3, 3A) holding spot welding caps respectively in a round cap carrier (31) such that they are circularly arranged in a directed and oriented manner and are respectively transported individually one after the other into an access position against a stop (32) by an advancing force (P).