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.

Machining system for machining workpieces, having a transport module which includes a transporter for transporting workpiece carriers along a transport path and a plurality of coupling areas, and having at least one process module, which includes a processing system for processing workpieces, a transport system for transporting workpiece carriers between the transport path and a processing position assigned to the processing system, and a coupling system for coupling to the transport module, the transport module including at least one manipulator from the group: stop device for temporarily stopping a workpiece carrier, deflection device for deflecting the direction of a workpiece carrier, and wherein the process module provides a control signal to the at least one manipulator of the transport module.

A gripping device having a holder and two gripper units. Each of the gripper units has a base body and two base jaws. The base jaws can be moved synchronously in opposite directions relative to the respective base body. The gripper units are arranged side by side on the holder so that the base jaws of both gripper units can be moved parallel to a common gripper plane. The gripping device is designed as a single gripper in that only a first gripper finger is attached to each of the two outer base jaws. It can very easily be converted to a double gripper by attaching two further gripper fingers to the inner base jaws, or by removing the first gripper fingers and attaching a second gripper finger to each of the four base jaws.

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 handling device for transferring workpieces includes a workpiece carrier arranged to receive workpieces and a rotatable workpiece-conveying apparatus arranged to receive the workpieces from the workpiece carrier in a first angular position and to transfer the workpieces to a storage station in a second angular position. The workpiece-conveying apparatus includes an axis of rotation, a first linearly displaceable feed element and a second linearly displaceable feed element, intersecting the first feed element at the axis of rotation and simultaneously actuatable with the first feed element. The apparatus also includes first and second non-rotatable linear actuators. The first and second feed elements have end pieces, each arranged for direct interaction with the workpiece and a respective linear actuator. The feed elements may intersect at an angle of 90°. The first feed element may have a straight shape and the second feed element may have an offset shape.

The invention relates to a loading or unloading device (500) for use with a machine tool (100), comprising: a transport vehicle (510) that can move freely in an area; a handover unit (540) arranged on the transport vehicle (510) and having a receiving section (530) which in turn has a plurality of retaining sections arranged in a row for receiving tools (WZ) or tool interfaces (WZS) holding tools and/or workpieces; and one or more docking sections arranged on the transport vehicle (510) for docking and/or workpieces on the machine tool, in particular of a supply unit (400) of a tool and/or workpiece magazine (200) of the machine tool.

A method and a system for handling slender bodies in a semi-finished production plant includes a cutting station separating slender bodies from a continuous wire, a finishing station of the head ends of the slender bodies, a dimensional verification station downstream of the finishing station, and transporting equipment transporting the slender bodies between stations. At or upstream of the cutting station a marking unit applies a reference marking on the slender bodies, which working identifies an original attitude including angular position. The transporting equipment includes gripping and locking assembly, locking at least the angular position of the reference mark to a relative reference system of the transport equipment. Upstream of the finishing station is a detecting and storing unit for data of the angular position to the relative reference system. A unit determines the original attitude of the slender bodies using the data in the dimensional verification station.

A machine tool capable of reducing the time required to transfer a workpiece includes a spindle chuck provided to a spindle that rotates about an axis, and capable of holding a workpiece to be worked on, a temporary placement chuck capable of holding a workpiece, a tool post driver to move the temporary placement chuck relatively to a facing position in which the spindle-side workpiece holder and the workpiece holder for temporary placement are able to transfer or receive a workpiece to or from each other, and to a separated position in which the spindle-side workpiece holder and the workpiece holder for temporary placement are able to transfer or receive a workpiece individually, and a loader including a spindle-corresponding workpiece holder and a temporary placement-corresponding workpiece holder disposed to face the spindle chuck and the temporary placement chuck in the separated position, respectively.

This gantry type conveying device is provided with: a beam which is horizontally installed; a runner traveling along the beam; an elevator supported to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the runner; and a loading part which is supported by the lower portion of the elevator and on which a workpiece is loaded. This processing line has the gantry type conveying device and a machine tool. The machine tool is provided with: a base; and a workpiece supporting device provided movable with respect to the base in a forward and backward direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the beam when viewed in a plane.

A machine tool is provided which can execute various works while suppressing increase in cost or size. The machine tool includes a tool spindle device which is a movable member which can move with respect to a mounting surface of the machine tool, and one or more serial-manipulator-type robots attached on the tool spindle device, which can move with the tool spindle device, and which have two or more degrees of freedom, and the robot includes two or more end effectors provided at positions different from each other with one or more joints therebetween.