Machining center

A machining center including:

• a machine tool;
• a work storage section for storing works and pallets;
• a computerized numerical control (CNC) device that performs numerical control on the machine tool;
• and
• an automatic tool changer,
• wherein
• a processing section of the machine tool is provided adjacent to the work storage section, and the work storage section and the processing section are integrally surrounded by a cover,
• in the processing section, a processing table is provided, to which processing table one of the works which is a work to be processed is fixed via one of the pallets, and in the processing section, a rotary spindle is provided, to which rotary spindle any one of various tools that perform cutting processing on the work fixed to the processing table are selectively attached via the automatic tool changer such that the various tools can be replaced,
• the work storage section includes an automatic pallet changer that loads and unloads the one of the works and the one of the pallets to and from the processing table,
• the work storage section also includes stock shelves that are disposed at a plurality of heights, wherein the stock shelves are disposed such that the automatic pallet changer is interposed between the stock shelves and the processing section, wherein a plurality of the pallets are removably stored on the stock shelves, and
• the work storage section also includes a setup table that is disposed near a respective one longitudinal end of each of the stock shelves and on which setup table the works are fixed to and removed from the pallets, and via which setup table the works are taken in and out of the work storage section from the outside of the work storage section,
• the computerized numerical control device includes a control unit being configured to drive and control drive units of the processing table and of the rotary spindle and of the automatic tool changer, according to a predetermined processing instruction, to execute cutting processing on one of the works, and to execute replacing the tool that is attached to the rotary spindle with a certain tool and attaching the certain tool to the rotary spindle according to each processing process indicated in the processing instruction,
• wherein the control unit is configured to drive and control the automatic pallet changer to exchange the pallet, fixed to the processing table and to which the processed work is fixed, with one of the pallets, to which an unprocessed one of the works is fixed, that is stored on the stock shelves,
• a control panel for the computerized numerical control device is disposed on an outer surface of the cover in the vicinity of the processing section, wherein
• the cover includes
• an opening portion where rear surface regions of the stock shelves are exposed to a region located on the rear side of the stock shelves,
• a stock shelf access door that closes the opening portion such that the rear surface regions of the stock shelves are not exposed to the region that is located on the rear side of the stock shelves, which stock shelf access door is driven to be opened and closed,
• a locking device that stops the opening and closing driving of the stock shelf access door,
• an unlocking mechanism that is operable from the outside of the cover and releases the stopping by the locking device of the opening and closing driving of the stock shelf access door, and
• a door opening/closing detection device that detects an opened or closed state of the stock access door and outputs a detection signal,
• the control unit is configured to further carry out:
• an interlocking function that enables the unlocking mechanism to operate while the automatic pallet changer is stopped, and disables operation of the unlocking mechanism while the automatic pallet changer is driven, and
• a safety control function that determines, based on the detection signal, whether the stock shelf access door is in the opened state or the closed state, and prohibits a drive unit of the automatic pallet changer from being driven when the stock shelf access door is in the opened state.