A method and a machine for automatically changing a disc tool to a tool holder of an automated machine working with the disc tools is disclosed. The method includes in the disc tool replacement machine: determining that the tool holder is in a replacement area in the disc tool replacement machine; unfastening a fixing member of the tool holder by applying an unfastening force to the fixing member, wherein the fixing member fixes a disc tool to a backing plate of the tool holder through a through hole at a centre of the disc tool; removing the disc tool from the tool holder after said unfastening; inserting a new disc tool to the tool holder; and fastening the fixing member of the tool holder by applying a fastening force to the fixing member, thus fixing the disc tool to the backing plate of the tool holder through the through hole.

A gear manufacturing machine for which a machining tool detachably attached to a tool spindle is exchanged by means of an automatic tool changer, wherein the automatic tool changer is provided with: tool holding means for detachably holding a machining tool to be exchanged; moving means for moving the tool holding means in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the tool spindle; and rotating means for rotating the tool holding means.

A transfer jig for use in transferring a new cutting blade as a replacement component to the processing unit, in a cutting apparatus including a chuck table holding a workpiece, a processing unit having a spindle and a cutting blade detachably mounted on the spindle, a cutting blade changing unit changing the cutting blade, and a transfer mechanism supplying the workpiece to the processing unit. The transfer jig has a plurality of receiving portions each adapted to receive the new cutting blade and the cutting blade changed by the cutting blade changing unit. The transfer jig is adapted to be transferred by the transfer mechanism transferring the workpiece.

A gear machining apparatus includes a rough working tool having a plurality of replaceable tool blades attached to a tool main body, such that the tool blades are arranged in a circumferential direction of the tool main body and blade tips of the tool blades are oriented outward in a radial direction of the tool main body, a finish working tool having a plurality of tool blades provided to a tool main body in a similar manner to the rough working tool, and machining controllers control to perform rough and finish machinings on the workpiece, such that the working tools are rotated on center lines in axial directions of the working tools, the workpiece is rotated on a center line in axial direction of the workpiece, and the working tools are relatively moved to the workpiece along the center line in the axial direction of the workpiece.

A machine tool includes a workpiece holder, a tool holder holding working tools that includes a hob cutter used in a rough machining and a skiving cutter used in a finish machining, a tool magazine, a tool replacing device replacing one of the working tools mounted on the tool holder with the other of working tools housed in the tool magazine, a rough machining controlling section performing the rough machining on the workpiece, a tool measuring device measuring a position of a blade in a rotation direction of the skiving cutter, an angle correcting section correcting a rotation angle of the skiving cutter based on a result measured by the tool measuring device, and placing a tooth space formed in the workpiece and an edge tip of the blade in a position corresponding to each other, and a finish machining controlling section by which workpiece is finish machined.

The application describes a machine tool adapted and arranged to carry out removal and addition of material on a work piece located in a work station, the machine having a first head arranged to remove material from the work piece and at least a second head arranged to process the work piece, each of the first and second heads being arranged to be moveable in at least two axes and preferably in 3, 4 or 5 axes and wherein the machine is arranged to control an environment of the work station. The work station is at least partially sealable. The machine has a clean side and a dirty side. Novel processing heads particularly adapted for use in the new machine tool are disclosed. These may also be retrofitted to CNC machines. The novel heads include heads adapted to carry out two processes simultaneously. Heads adapted to carry out heat and pressure treatment are also disclosed. Use of the processing heads to carry out analysis in manufacturing steps is disclosed as is the provision and use of heads that can carry out analysis as well as processing.

A gear machining apparatus includes a rough working tool having a plurality of replaceable tool blades attached to a tool main body, such that the tool blades are arranged in a circumferential direction of the tool main body and blade tips of the tool blades are oriented outward in a radial direction of the tool main body, a finish working tool having a plurality of tool blades provided to a tool main body in a similar manner to the rough working tool, and machining controllers control to perform rough and finish machinings on the workpiece, such that the working tools are rotated on center lines in axial directions of the working tools, the workpiece is rotated on a center line in axial direction of the workpiece, and the working tools are relatively moved to the workpiece along the center line in the axial direction of the workpiece.

The invention relates to a method for machining the interior of a brake caliper (1) of a disc brake, on which are formed: a first saddle portion to the one side of the brake disc of the disc brake, a second saddle portion to the other side of the brake disc, and a bridge section connecting the saddle portions and providing a free space for at least a part of the brake disc. At least one of the saddle portions is provided with a hollow space (7) for receiving a brake application device, wherein said hollow space comprises a mounting opening (4) towards the free space and extends in the opposite direction until a saddle rear wall (18). At least one support surface for the forces acting during the brake application is formed on the inner side of the saddle rear wall. The machining of the support surface (20) is carried out from the direction of the free space and, for this purpose, a tool (55) is brought from outside of the brake caliper (1) into the hollow space. In order to provide a method for machining the interior of a brake caliper of a disc brake, which allows a high-precision machining of the support surfaces inside the brake caliper even in the case of the narrow space conditions which are typical for the machining of a single-piece brake caliper, the tool (55) is guided into the cavity through another opening (25) than the mounting opening (4).

A machine tool includes a workpiece holder, a tool holder holding working tools that includes a hob cutter used in a rough machining and a skiving cutter used in a finish machining, a tool magazine, a tool replacing device replacing one of the working tools mounted on the tool holder with the other of working tools housed in the tool magazine, a rough machining controlling section performing the rough machining on the workpiece, a tool measuring device measuring a position of a blade in a rotation direction of the skiving cutter, an angle correcting section correcting a rotation angle of the skiving cutter based on a result measured by the tool measuring device, and placing a tooth space formed in the workpiece and an edge tip of the blade in a position corresponding to each other, and a finish machining controlling section by which workpiece is finish machined.

A method for implementing machining operations for a workpiece. Pre-existing hole locations for temporary fasteners in the workpiece requiring a clamp-up force for performing the machining operations to form holes in the workpiece is identified. A set of the pre-existing hole locations is determined from the pre-existing hole locations that results in an optimal path for performing the machining operations on the workpiece taking into account clamp-up force specifications for the workpiece. The optimal path has a near-minimum distance. An ordered sequence for performing the machining operations to form the holes at hole locations is determined that has the optimal path. Robotic control files that causes robotic devices to perform the machining operations using the optimal path is created. The robotic devices are operated using the robotic control files to form the holes in the ordered sequence using the optimal path that takes into account the clamp-up force specifications.