Disclosed is a spacer gripper, a bead-apex storage system and a method for lifting one or more of the spacers from a stack of bead-apexes, wherein each spacer has a central aperture, wherein the central apertures of the spacers in the stack of bead-apexes are aligned in a stacking direction to form a central space, wherein the spacer gripper has a gripper head and a plurality of spacer engagement members protruding from said gripper head for reaching into the central space of the respective stack at least up to a second spacer of the respective stack from the top of the respective stack, wherein the plurality of spacer engagement members are movable into an engagement position for engaging said second spacer to lift said second spacer from the respective stack simultaneously with a first spacer at the top of the respective stack.

Disclosed is a bead-apex storage system and a method for handling carriers, each carrier supporting a stack of bead-apexes stacked in a stacking direction and alternated with spacers separating the bead-apexes, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a plurality of storage stations for storing the carriers and a transfer station for transferring one of the plurality of bead-apexes to a tire building machine, wherein the bead-apex storage system further includes a spacer gripper for lifting one or more of the spacers from one of the carriers in one of the plurality of storage stations and for carrying said one or more lifted spacers to the transfer station, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a spacer gripper base for supporting the spacer gripper, wherein the spacer gripper base is movable from the transfer station to any one of the plurality of storage stations.

A freezing support device and method for a large thin-walled part, which belongs to the technical field of machining support. The present invention realizes freezing support for a large thin-walled part by a freezing system and an auxiliary system, wherein the freezing system comprises a heating source, a freezing source, flexible films, support plates, etc., and the auxiliary system comprises a rotating device, a moving plate and guide rails. The present invention utilizes ice with a certain thickness formed on a support side of a machining area and supports a workpiece through the ice, and the ice is always used as a support along with the progress of machining to have an effect of follow-up support. The present invention simplifies a support structure, and has the advantages of low cost, no contamination to a machine tool, and convenient use; plays a function of clamping the workpiece.

Disclosed is a bead-apex storage system and a method for handling carriers, each carrier supporting a stack of bead-apexes stacked in a stacking direction and alternated with spacers separating the bead-apexes, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a plurality of storage stations for storing the carriers and a transfer station for transferring one of the plurality of bead-apexes to a tire building machine, wherein the bead-apex storage system further includes a spacer gripper for lifting one or more of the spacers from one of the carriers in one of the plurality of storage stations and for carrying said one or more lifted spacers to the transfer station, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a spacer gripper base for supporting the spacer gripper, wherein the spacer gripper base is movable from the transfer station to any one of the plurality of storage stations.

An indexing apparatus includes a fixture tool, movable relative to an operation cell and an indexing feature, fixed relative to the fixture tool. The indexing apparatus also includes a gripper, configured to engage the indexing feature. The indexing apparatus further includes a controller, in communication with the gripper. The controller is configured to locate the fixture tool relative to the operation cell from a gripper location of the gripper, engaged with the indexing feature.

A freezing support device and method for a large thin-walled part, which belongs to the technical field of machining support. The present invention realizes freezing support for a large thin-walled part by a freezing system and an auxiliary system, wherein the freezing system comprises a heating source, a freezing source, flexible films, support plates, etc., and the auxiliary system comprises a rotating device, a moving plate and guide rails. The present invention utilizes ice with a certain thickness formed on a support side of a machining area and supports a workpiece through the ice, and the ice is always used as a support along with the progress of machining to have an effect of follow-up support. The present invention simplifies a support structure, and has the advantages of low cost, no contamination to a machine tool, and convenient use; plays a function of clamping the workpiece.

An article of manufacture is disclosed that is formed by jointly controlling a printhead and a worktable to provide three dimensional printing and insuring every point in a three dimensional print volume can be reached. Similarly, systems and methods are described to extend robot reach by coordinating robot and worktable control.

An apparatus for supporting a workpiece having high versatility that can address a plurality of types of workpieces is achieved. An apparatus for supporting a workpiece according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a resin part configured to support the workpiece, the resin part being softened when it is heated to a predetermined first temperature or higher in an initial shape, cured when it is cooled down to a temperature lower than a predetermined second temperature from the state in which it is softened, and softened while it is restored to the initial shape when it is heated again to the first temperature or higher; a temperature adjustment part configured to adjust the temperature of the resin part; and a controller configured to control the temperature adjustment part.

An apparatus for supporting a workpiece having high versatility that can address a plurality of types of workpieces is achieved. An apparatus for supporting a workpiece according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a resin part configured to support the workpiece, the resin part being softened when it is heated to a predetermined first temperature or higher in an initial shape, cured when it is cooled down to a temperature lower than a predetermined second temperature from the state in which it is softened, and softened while it is restored to the initial shape when it is heated again to the first temperature or higher; a temperature adjustment part configured to adjust the temperature of the resin part; and a controller configured to control the temperature adjustment part.

A gripping apparatus is disclosed for gripping and holding electrically conductive, textile materials. The gripping apparatus includes a gripping device which has a gripping face for gripping and holding the textile material. With the aid of an electrical contact device, electrodes can be brought into contact with the textile material in order to bring about a current flow in the textile material.