A flexible assembling system incorporating at least one manufacturing cell including at least one universal fixture, at least one position monitoring device (e,g., monitoring system, 3D vision system, 3D vision system/scanner, artificial intelligence position determination and monitoring, artificial intelligence vision system to locate part or a feature(s) of the part, and combinations thereof), and at least one programmable robot or machine (e.g., punch, weld, etc.). The at least one universal fixture is a non-dedicated fixture such that the fixture is usable with various products and not dedicated to only one specific part being manufactured.

A loading device adapted to be provided in a machine tool includes a rail portion and a loader configured to travel along the rail portion, wherein the loader includes a pivoting portion and an arm portion extending and contracting with respect to the pivoting portion, and the arm portion includes a hand portion that holds a workpiece.

A gripper truck assembly for moving a workpiece with respect to a machining station includes a gripper truck; a gripper arm extending from a proximal end connected to the gripper truck to an opposite distal end; a gripper including at least one jaw moveable between a closed position for gripping the workpiece and an open position for releasing the workpiece, wherein the gripper is connected to the distal end of the gripper arm by a joint configured to permit a rotation of the gripper; a hydraulic gripper actuator accommodated in the gripper arm and operatively connected to the gripper for actuating the at least one jaw of the gripper between the open position and the closed position; a gripper rotation actuator for actuating the rotation of the gripper with respect to the gripper arm about the gripper rotation axis.

A manufacturing cell comprises a machine tool that has a tool carrier carrying a tool unit and has two adjacent workpiece paths oriented in a longitudinal direction. The tool unit can be displaced relative to a machine bed of the machine tool in a transverse direction and in a vertical direction. At least one workpiece carriage per workpiece path can be displaced in the longitudinal direction along the machine tool. The tool unit can be displaced in the longitudinal direction relative to the machine bed and/or relative to the workpiece carriages. The tool carrier overhangs or projects beyond the workpiece paths. The individual workpiece carriage can also be displaced in the longitudinal direction along the workpiece supply. Furthermore, the workpiece supply has at least one lowerable or tiltable stop device per workpiece path.

A combined transfer and storage device for machining comprises a storage level, a transfer device, at least one machining interface, and a feeding interface. The storage level comprises two or more storages that are spaced apart from one another in a longitudinal direction and having storage spaces for workpiece carriers, which are arranged one above the other for holding blanks or machined workpieces. The transfer device extends in the longitudinal direction. The machining interface is used for directly or mediately coupling with a machine tool. The feeding interface is accessible for a driverless transport vehicle. The transfer device accomplishes a workpiece transfer between the feeding interface, the storage level and the at least one machining interface. A manufacturing line is provided with a combined transfer and storage device and with at least one manufacturing system having at least one machine tool and a handling cell that is arranged between a machining interface of the combined transfer and storage device and the machine tool.

A manufacturing system for machining comprises a machine tool and a handling cell. The machine tool is arranged for multi-axis machining and includes a tool holder and a workpiece holder, which are movable relative to each other in at least three axes. The handling cell comprises a first interface to the machine tool, which is laterally coupled to the working space, a second interface for transfer purposes, a handling unit, and at least one buffer storage, wherein the handling unit is arranged for an automated workpiece change. A manufacturing line for machining comprises at least one manufacturing system and a combined transfer and storage device.

A wood-processing system having a buffer, which receives and buffers planar workpieces of wood materials or wood substitute materials, and a deposit device, onto which workpieces removed from the buffer can be deposited. At least one robot is included to remove the workpieces from the buffer and to deposit said workpieces on a deposit element of the deposit device and/or at another deposit location in the buffer. The system can be operated continuously, with workpieces being loaded sequentially into the buffer, removed from the buffer by the robot, and sorted onto the deposit device.

Provided a full-automatic wheel hub feeding-blanking system for intelligent production line of automotive wheel hubs, comprising: an intelligent material rack and a robot; the intelligent material rack comprises a bracket assembly, a turntable assembly and a bearing seat assembly; the turntable assembly being rotatable is mounted on the bearing seat assembly; the bracket assembly mounted on the turntable assembly comprises a base provided with at least one group of lifting devices, and each the group comprises three the lifting devices, and each of which an automotive wheel hub supporting plate assembly is provided on, central axis of the three automotive wheel hub supporting plate assemblies forming the angle of 120 degrees; the robot being mounted on one side of the intelligent material rack and comprises a robotic arm, and a manipulator is mounted on the robotic arm, and the manipulator is used for clamping the automotive wheel hub.

A fastening device is equipped with a stocker. The stocker has a circular arcuate shape which is curved in a horizontal plane, and accommodates fastening tools in a state of being aligned in a row. The fastening tool that is positioned at a most downstream side of the stocker is supplied to the receiving site by an unloading and supplying device. Furthermore, the fastening tool supplied to the receiving site is screw-rotated by a screw-rotating device that is displaced toward the fastening tool.

A stacking device for handling loading aids for the automated feeding of a machine tool has a base, a stud frame that is held by the base and that supports a first vertical guide and a second vertical guide, and a first side and a second side. The first side has a vertically movable support segment for receiving a conveyor that carries two or more loading aids that are arranged one above the other. The support segment is moveable along the first vertical guide. The second side has a vertically movable lifting console for receiving at least one loading aid. The lifting console is configured to receive two or more loading aids arranged one above the other. The lifting console is moveable along the second vertical guide. The support segment and the lifting console are arranged facing away from each other at the stud frame. The support segment and the lifting console are coupled to each other in a forced coupling via a common coupling member and vertically movable in opposite directions via a common vertical drive. An automation module includes a stacking device and a handling unit. A method for feeding a machine tool uses such a stacking device.