A method of determining an energy-efficient operating point of a machine tool of a machine tool system with which identical workpieces for processing can be supplied to the machine tool sequentially in time. The machine tool has an operating point dependent machine cycle time and an operating point dependent power demand. The machine tool system has at least two machine tools and has a system cycle time, and the machine cycle time is shorter than the system cycle time. The method includes determining the energy-efficient operating point in accordance with a machine cycle time dependent characteristic energy demand function of the machine tool. The characteristic energy demand function represents a machine cycle time dependent energy demand of the machine tool over the system cycle time. A corresponding device and a machine tool system are also described.

A method of determining an energy-efficient operating point of a machine tool of a machine tool system with which identical workpieces for processing can be supplied to the machine tool sequentially in time. The machine tool has an operating point dependent machine cycle time and an operating point dependent power demand. The machine tool system has at least two machine tools and has a system cycle time, and the machine cycle time is shorter than the system cycle time. The method includes determining the energy-efficient operating point in accordance with a machine cycle time dependent characteristic energy demand function of the machine tool. The characteristic energy demand function represents a machine cycle time dependent energy demand of the machine tool over the system cycle time. A corresponding device and a machine tool system are also described.

A blast gate for a vacuum system includes a chassis connectable to a duct and defining a flow passage therethrough, and a gate connected to the chassis and rotatable about a central axis. The gate includes a first portion, an intermediate portion and a second portion spaced apart circumferentially about the central axis. The first portion defines a flow aperture, the intermediate portion defines an auxiliary flow aperture, and the second portion includes a partition. Each of the first portion, second portion and third portion is selectively rotatable into fluid alignment with the flow passage. The blast gate further includes a motor connected to the gate and selectively operable to rotate the gate about the central axis.

The method includes providing a computer model for producing the desired metal workpiece from the flat metal product in a processing procedure, the processing procedure including processing step on the flat metal product by a processing device, receiving technical data record characterizing the flat metal product, at least part of the data of the technical data record having been recorded during the production of the flat metal product, passing the technical data record to the input of the computer model, based on the passing of the technical data record, receiving a model value for an operating parameter of the processing device from the output of the computer model, producing the desired metal workpiece by controlling the processing procedure, the control of the processing procedure including a controlling of the processing device to perform the processing step on the flat metal product using the operating parameter set to the model value.

The method includes providing a computer model for producing the desired metal workpiece from the flat metal product in a processing procedure, the processing procedure including processing step on the flat metal product by a processing device, receiving technical data record characterizing the flat metal product, at least part of the data of the technical data record having been recorded during the production of the flat metal product, passing the technical data record to the input of the computer model, based on the passing of the technical data record, receiving a model value for an operating parameter of the processing device from the output of the computer model, producing the desired metal workpiece by controlling the processing procedure, the control of the processing procedure including a controlling of the processing device to perform the processing step on the flat metal product using the operating parameter set to the model value.

A machine tool system includes a schedule storage unit that stores machining schedule information containing a machining sequence of a plurality of workpieces, and a priority-level setting unit that allows a user to designate any of the workpieces in the machining schedule information stored in the schedule storage unit and to set a priority level for the designated workpiece. The workpiece for which the priority level is set by the priority-level setting unit is machined in accordance with the priority level, and the workpiece for which the priority level is not set is machined in accordance with the machining sequence after the workpiece for which the priority level is set is machined.