Machine tool having a tool spindle and a loading portal

A method for machining workpieces, the method comprising:

• a) gripping an unmachined workpiece with a first workpiece gripper, introducing the workpiece into a first jig, and clamping the workpiece in the first jig,
• b) machining the workpiece with at least one tool this is clamped in a tool spindle, wherein the workpiece clamped in the first jig is transferred, after partial machining by the at least one tool, to a second jig within the machine tool, where the workpiece is clamped and finished, wherein the workpiece clamped in the first jig is transferred directly from the first jig to the second jig, and includes pivoting both jigs about a respective first horizontal axis and bringing both jigs towards one another along a second horizontal axis,
• c) removing the finished workpiece with the workpiece gripper using either the first or second workpiece gripper, and
• introducing an unmachined workpiece into the first jig with the workpiece gripper not used in step c).

A method for machining workpieces, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a machine tool including:
• at least one vertically aligned tool spindle,
• two jigs arranged on respective carriers on a machine frame and configured to support workpieces to be machined,
• a machine frame that supports the tool spindle and the jigs, and
• a workpiece transport device,
• wherein the at least one tool spindle is configured to accommodate tools,
• wherein the at least one tool spindle is movable in a vertical direction and in a first horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction,
• wherein the jigs are movable in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction and are configured to bring the workpieces into contact with the tools,
• wherein the workpiece transport device is arranged on the machine frame, and
• wherein the workpiece transport device is adapted to perform at least one of introducing unmachined workpieces into at least one of the jigs and removing machined workpieces from at least one of the jigs,
• wherein the workpiece transport device comprises an overhead beam that extends in the second horizontal direction, wherein a first gripper unit and a second gripper unit are mounted below the beam, wherein the first gripper unit and the second gripper unit each are movable in the second horizontal direction and each provided with a workpiece gripper, and wherein the respective workpiece grippers are movable in the vertical direction,
• gripping an unmachined workpiece with one of the workpiece grippers of the workpiece transport device, introducing the workpiece into a first jig, and clamping the workpiece in the first jig,
• machining the workpiece with one or more tools that are clamped in the tool spindle, and
• removing the finished workpiece with one of the workpiece grippers.