A mechanism retains an asymmetric work piece in a fixed orientation during a machining process on diversely positioned surfaces falling on multiple work piece axes. The mechanism includes a body having an upper surface forming an elongated V-shaped groove, a planar lower surface spaced from the upper surface, and a through passage extending between the upper and lower surfaces. A fastener includes an elongated shaft which extends within said passage, and has an upper end emerging within the V-shaped groove for engaging the work piece, and a lower end extending below and configured to abut the lower surface to maintain the shaft under tensile loading. A plurality of discrete mechanisms can be commonly mounted on a machining table in a spaced-apart relationship with the V-shaped grooves in axial alignment to support a single super elongated work piece. The fastener can be axially advanced or retarded to vary tensile loading.

A manufacturing system includes a base and multiple work machine modules that are attachable and detachable to and from the base arranged in the arrangement direction on the base or on the side of the base, in which the plurality of work machine modules include one or more processing work modules that perform machine processing work on a workpiece using a tool, and one or more supplementary work modules that perform supplementary work that is work supplementarily performed to the machine processing work. Since it is possible to easily increase and decrease the number of processing work modules and supplementary work modules or sort the modules, it is possible to easily recombine the modules with respect to modification of the manufacturing process.

A spindle phase indexing device for a machine tool is equipped with a guide rail detachably or fixedly attached to a table, a phase indexing jig configured to travel on the guide rail and which includes a first fitting part, a cutting tool including a second fitting part configured to be fitted with the first fitting part, and a controller configured to store therein a phase of a spindle at a point in time when the first fitting part and the second fitting part are fitted together. The first fitting part and the second fitting part are formed such that rotation of the cutting tool is constrained when the first fitting part and the second fitting part are fitted together.

A manufacturing system including a base and multiple work machine modules that are arranged in an arrangement direction on base to be attachable to and detachable from base, in which one wheel of a pair provided on work machine module is engaged with one rail of a pair provided on base in a state in which positional deviation in the arrangement direction is prohibited, and the other wheel of the pair is engaged with the other rail of the pair in a state in which positional deviation is permitted in the arrangement direction, thereby the position of work machine modules on the base in the arrangement direction is specified, and work machine modules are fixed at a setting position on the base to be restricted so as to be drawn toward the base by a module fixing mechanism that is provided on the base.

A machining system including a base; multiple work modules arranged in an arrangement direction on the base, at least one of the multiple work modules being a processing module, which processes a work with a tool, provided with a main shaft head including a main shaft on which a tool is attached and a main shaft rotating device that rotates the main shaft; a head raising and lowering device that moves the main shaft head in a vertical direction; a head moving device that moves the main shaft head in a horizontal plane by moving it in two perpendicular directions; and a work table that holds a work; the processing module being configured so as to be pulled from the base along a path extending in an intersecting direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction.

A device for localizing a position on a part includes a support to receive the part, a bushing movably mounted with respect to the support, a removable localization member to be inserted into the bushing, and a blocking device to fix the bushing with respect to the support and to maintain it in position.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing an aircraft structure. A drivable support may be driven from a first location to a second location to bring the drivable support together with at least one other drivable support to form a drivable support system. A structure may be held in a desired position using the drivable support system.

The invention relates to tooling for holding parts in position to enable them to be friction welded together in order to construct a hollow structure, the tooling comprises: a framework made up of two frames for receiving the parts for welding together in their positions for forming the hollow structure, the parts comprising preformed parts and an intermediate section; shape-holder members for holding the hollow structure, associating backing thrust members and lateral grip members for gripping the outsides of the preformed parts; anvils suitable for being placed inside the set of preformed parts beside the section; and clamping means operable to take up a clamping position in which they cause opposing thrust to be applied against the anvil and the inside face of a preformed part, its part itself bears against the shape-holder members.

The invention relates to tooling for holding parts in position to enable them to be friction welded together in order to construct a hollow structure, the tooling comprises: a framework made up of two frames for receiving the parts for welding together in their positions for forming the hollow structure, the parts comprising preformed parts and an intermediate section; shape-holder members for holding the hollow structure, associating backing thrust members and lateral grip members for gripping the outsides of the preformed parts; anvils suitable for being placed inside the set of preformed parts beside the section; and clamping means operable to take up a clamping position in which they cause opposing thrust to be applied against the anvil and the inside face of a preformed part, its part itself bears against the shape-holder members.

An attachment for converting a CNC milling machine to a CNC wire saw machine. The attachment may include a gantry that may be coupled with a respective gantry of the CNC milling machine, a carriage that may be attached to and moveable with a respective carriage of the CNC milling machine. A drive pulley of the system may be coupled with and driven by a spindle of the CNC milling machine. The drive pully may drive a wire saw through an assembly of idler pulleys. A wire tension mechanism may keep the wire fully stretched. The wire tension mechanism may include a curved guide rail mounted on the gantry and a vertical guide rail mounted on the carriage. A slider that slides vertically on the vertical guide rail and follows the curved guide rail may house a tension wheel that may keep the wire at a fully stretched state.