Machine tool holder, method and computer program for operating a machine tool having such a machine tool holder

A method for automatically operating a machine tool, the machine tool having a tool changing system and a machining unit having a tool spindle, wherein one or more tools for placing in the tool spindle and one or more workpieces to be machined are disposed in a tool store of the tool changing system, wherein each workpiece of the one or more workpieces is disposed in a respective machine tool cocoon of a plurality of machine tool cocoons, each machine tool cocoon comprising:

• a base element on which a corresponding workpiece of the one or more workpieces can be disposed, wherein the base element comprises at least one receptacle for receiving and fixing the corresponding workpiece;
• and,
• a support device separably connected to the base element, wherein the machine tool cocoon can be positioned on a tool position of the tool changing system by means of the support device;
• wherein the support device is reversibly separable from the base element by a predefined relative motion between the support device and the base element,
• wherein the support device comprises a cover element connected to the base element,
• wherein the support device comprises a shell element disposed between the cover element and the base element, and
• wherein the shell element encloses the corresponding workpiece;
• the method comprising:
• with the tool spindle, grasping a first machine tool cocoon of the plurality of machine tool cocoons having a first workpiece disposed therein;
• transporting the first machine tool cocoon to a workpiece clamping system of the machining unit;
• clamping the base element of the first machine tool cocoon in the workpiece clamping system;
• performing the predefined relative motion between the support device of the first machine tool cocoon and the base element of the first machine tool cocoon by displacing the support device of the first machine tool cocoon relative to the base element of the first machine tool cocoon for opening the first machine tool cocoon;
• and
• machining the first workpiece,
• wherein the displacing of the support device of the first machine tool relative to the base element of the first machine tool for opening the first machine tool cocoon is performed by a motion of the tool spindle in which the tool spindle is rotated in a range from greater than 0° to less than 360°.