The present invention provides certain additional improvements for such mechanical-type multi-axis machine tools. These improvements include: (1) permitting the spindles to be rotated about their respective axes relative to the member independently of one another, (2) providing a low-cost, and yet highly-effective, sensor apparatus for determining the angular position of the member relative to the frame without the use of an expensive encoder or the like, (3) mounting the rotatable member more precisely relative to the frame, and (4) providing a zero-backlash tool slide on the frame for imparting an action to a workpiece.

Provided is an indexing processing machine, including: an index table having a rotation center, a workpiece being attachable to the index table at multiple index positions; and one or more processing machines selected from the group of a front processing machine, a top processing machine, and a side processing machine, the one or more processing machines disposed at least two of the multiple index positions.

A cutting apparatus includes a rotatable holding table having a rectangular holding surface, a cutting unit having a cutting blade mounted to a rotatable spindle, and a sensor unit detecting a tip of the cutting blade entering between a light projection section and a light reception section. The sensor unit has an upper end located to be lower than a lower end of the holding table in a Z direction and is located below the axis of the spindle or an extension region of the axis, and when short sides of the rectangular holding surface are set parallel to a Y direction, an upper side of the sensor unit is opened to allow the cutting blade to enter between the light projection section and the light reception section.

Provided is a machine tool including: a bed; a work-table which is provided to the bed; a moving device provided to the bed; a spindle head provided to the moving device; at least a vertical main spindle provided to the spindle head, the vertical main spindle extending in the vertical direction; and at least a horizontal main spindle provided to the spindle head, the horizontal main spindle extending in a horizontal direction.

Machine for laser processing of relatively large workpieces, the processing comprising a stationary process and a scanning process comprises: a mechanical stage configured to hold the workpiece; a stage controller configured to operate the mechanical stage; a scanner configured to scan a laser beam over the workpiece; and a scanner controller configured to operate the scanner. The stage controller operates the stationary process by moving either one of the workpiece or the processing device. The scanner controller operates the scanning process by scanning a beam over the workpiece, and also moving the mechanical stage, which is done via the stage controller. The stage controller is thus enslaved to the scanner controller during the scanning process but remains independent of the scanner controller during the stationary process.

Provided is a machine tool including: a bed; a work-table which is provided to the bed; a moving device provided to the bed; a spindle head provided to the moving device; at least a vertical main spindle provided to the spindle head, the vertical main spindle extending in the vertical direction; and at least a horizontal main spindle provided to the spindle head, the horizontal main spindle extending in a horizontal direction.

The device and the corresponding method according to the invention relate in particular to a CNC machine tool and a machining method preferably for large machining patterns. The CNC machine tool may comprise a machining head 2 which may be connected to a Z-axis 1 such that it can be manually and/or automatically changed, and which may have at least two tool spindles 3 for receiving tools 4. The Z-axis 1 can be moved in a linear manner at least along two linear axial directions. The Z-axis 1 and/or the machining head 2 may have at least one axis of rotation.

A numerically controlled machining center for performing work on a workpiece including a plurality of magazines holding a plurality of tools, each magazine positioned a first distance from an adjacent magazine, a plurality of spindles equal to the number of magazines and movable relative to one another independent of the positions of the magazines, the spindles movable apart from one another in a tool loading position to accommodate large magazine sizes and movable toward one another in a working position to allow the tools to work close together to minimize waste, and a table for supporting a workpiece.

A workpiece machining jig includes: a base member of an H cross-sectional shape integrally having two vertical flanges and a web having an interior hollow portion and extending horizontally to connect between the vertical flanges; first and second pallets fixed to the opposite surfaces of the web for placing thereon four workpieces, two workpieces on each of the pallets, in a horizontal posture. Each of the pallets has a pallet-side communication hole communicating to the hollow portion, and each of the flanges has a flange-side communication hole communicating to the hollow portion. The pallet-side communication hole of each of the pallets and the flange-side communication hole of a corresponding one of the flanges are interconnected by a tube extending in the hollow portion. Thus, four workpieces are machined concurrently using the single workpiece machining jig.

A CNC dual-spindle transmission device is installable on a CNC dual-spindle machining center to receive first and second spindles of the CNC dual-spindle machining center to mount thereto. The CNC dual-spindle machining center includes a base, a machining table movably mounted on the base, and a vertical column erected upright at a rear portion of the base. The CNC dual-spindle transmission device includes a linear rail assembly mounted to the vertical column, a first slide seat slidably mounted to the linear rail assembly and receiving the first spindle to mount thereto, a second slide seat extending across the first slide seat and slidably mounted to the linear rail assembly in a manner of being spaced from the first slide seat to receive the second spindle to mount thereto, and first and second power units mounted to the vertical column to respectively driven the first and second slide seats to move.