Gripper truck assembly, machining system, and method of moving a workpiece with respect to a machining station

A gripper truck assembly for moving a workpiece with respect to a machining station, comprising:

• a gripper truck including a drive unit for driving the gripper truck with respect to the machining station along a main transport direction;
• a gripper arm extending along a gripper arm length of at least 2000 mm in the main transport direction from a proximal end of the gripper arm to an opposite distal end of the gripper arm, the gripper arm being fixedly connected to the gripper truck at the proximal end of the gripper arm, the gripper arm having a width and a height when viewed in the main transport direction, the width being less than 150 mm;
• a gripper comprising at least one jaw configured to be moveable between a closed position for gripping the workpiece and an open position for releasing the workpiece, the gripper being arranged at the distal end of the gripper arm to be spaced apart from the gripper truck by the gripper arm length of at least 2000 mm, wherein the gripper is connected to the distal end of the gripper arm by a joint configured to permit a rotation of the gripper with respect to the distal end of the gripper arm about a gripper rotation axis substantially parallel to the main transport direction while the gripper arm remains fixedly connected to the gripper truck;
• a hydraulic gripper actuator accommodated within the gripper arm and operatively connected to the gripper for actuating the at least one jaw of the gripper between the open position and the closed position for selectively gripping or releasing the workpiece;
• and
• a gripper rotation actuator operatively connected to the joint for actuating the rotation of the gripper with respect to the distal end of the gripper arm about the gripper rotation axis.