A process for operating a virtual sensor for determining the condition of a tool holder on a tool machine, such as a spindle, and the condition of a tool machine which has at least one tool holder and at least one tool, attached or attachable to the tool holder, which allows a workpiece to be processed by running a machine program, and which has at least one control unit comprising at least one sensor.

A device (1) for controlling operation of a chuck (2), the device (1) comprising a chuck (2) for centering a workpiece (3) to be machined; at least one electric motor (6) connected to at least one moveable clamping jaw (4), the at least one movable clamping jaw (4) being configured to be selectively moved by the at least one electric motor (6); a first inductive transmission device; a second inductive transmission device (8) disposed in alignment with the first inductive transmission device (7) such that measurement signals and/or electric power are inductively transmitted between the first transmission device (7) and the second transmission device (8); and an external control device (11) by means of which command and monitoring data required for the operation of the at least one clamping jaw (4), and for the operation and locking of the electric motors (6) can be entered and/or read.

A method for sensing a cutting-edge load in a motor-driven machine-tool unit having a stator unit and a rotor unit that is rotatable at least about an axis of rotation. The rotor unit includes a tool receiving unit that is adjustable along the axis of rotation and to which a clamping force can be applied, for fixing and clamping a releasably fixable tool shank of a tool. A tool head of the tool includes at least one individual cutting edge. A tool sensor is provided for sensing the load on the tool, the tool sensor being realized as an individual-cutting-edge sensor for sensing a cutting-edge load on the individual cutting edge.

A process for operating a virtual sensor for determining the condition of a tool holder on a tool machine, such as a spindle, and the condition of a tool machine which has at least one tool holder and at least one tool, attached or attachable to the tool holder, which allows a workpiece to be processed by running a machine program, and which has at least one control unit comprising at least one sensor.

In a coupling device (1), in particular for a man-machine interface (21) for operating inductively operated chucks (2), the coupling device comprising: an inductively operated chuck (2) for centering a workpiece (3) to be machined in space with at least one movable clamping jaw (4), an electric motor (6) drivingly connected to each of the said jaws (4), the said electric motor (6) being incorporated in the said chuck (2) and each jaw (4) being driven or fixed by the said electric motor (6), a first inductive transmission device (7) assigned to the chuck (2), a carrier or machine frame (10) spatially separated from the chuck (2), a second inductive transmission device (8) assigned to the frame (10), which is arranged in the region of the first inductive transmission device (7) of the chuck and exchanges measuring signals and voltages inductively therewith, and an external control device (11), by means of which command and monitoring data required for the operation and setting of the clamping jaws (4) and for the operation and locking of the electric motors (6) can be entered and/or read,
the intention is to ensure that, independently of the customer-specific electrical devices, complete operation of the chuck (2) and its monitoring during a machining operation is achieved immediately after coupling of the control devices (11) provided by the customer with the chuck.

This is achieved in that at least one programmable interface (21), which is electrically connected to the second inductive transmission device (8) and the control device (11), is provided between the second inductive transmission device (8) and the control device (11), each interface (21) has one or more command and control programs by means of which the chuck (2) can be set or selected by the control device (11), a plurality of measuring sensors (22) are provided which are assigned to the clamping jaws (4), electric motors (6) and/or the chuck (2) and by means of which their operating states are detected and transmitted to the respective interface (21), in that the respective interface (21) compares the actual data stored in the command programs with the measurement data determined by the measuring sensors (22), and in that this comparison of the selected operating state of the chuck (2) with an actual operating state generates data records which are evaluated by the respective interface (21) and forward

A cutting tool holder (1) for holding and driving a cutting tool (2) includes at least one actuator (3) for adjusting at least one operating state of the cutting tool holder (1). A control module (4) is disposed on the cutting tool holder (1) and is connected with the actuator (3). The control module (4) directly and independently actuates the actuator (3); information about the operating state is storable on the control module (4). A TCP- and/or UDP-based server is disposed on the control module (4) so that information transmitted from a web-browser compatible end device (5, 6) about an operating state to be assumed can be received and information about the actual operating state can be transmitted to the web-browser compatible end device (5, 6).

A method for sensing a cutting-edge load in a motor-driven machine-tool unit having a stator unit and a rotor unit that is rotatable at least about an axis of rotation. The rotor unit includes a tool receiving unit that is adjustable along the axis of rotation and to which a clamping force can be applied, for fixing and clamping a releasably fixable tool shank of a tool. A tool head of the tool includes at least one individual cutting edge. A tool sensor is provided for sensing the load on the tool, the tool sensor being realized as an individual-cutting-edge sensor for sensing a cutting-edge load on the individual cutting edge.

A positioning device is adapted for positioning a tool at a setpoint position on a flat substrate in an X-Y plane, the tool exerting a process force in its axial direction perpendicularly onto the substrate. The tool includes a multicomponent force sensor to measure unwanted process-force components in the lateral direction. The setpoint position of the tool is correctable by the positioning device such that the lateral process-force components are minimized.

A positioning device is adapted for positioning a tool at a setpoint position on a flat substrate in an X-Y plane, the tool exerting a process force in its axial direction perpendicularly onto the substrate. The tool includes a multicomponent force sensor to measure unwanted process-force components in the lateral direction. The setpoint position of the tool is correctable by the positioning device such that the lateral process-force components are minimized.