Systems with robotic arms for handling and milling a workpiece, and for positioning a vacuum pod on a milling platform

A system for processing a workpiece having a front side and a reverse side opposite to the front side, the system comprising:

• a milling platform;
• a workpiece flipping platform;
• a workpiece handling robotic arm (WHRA) comprising a holding tool to releasably hold the workpiece, wherein the workpiece flipping platform is pivotable relative to the WHRA, and wherein the WHRA is positioned to move the workpiece to and from the milling platform, and positioned to move the workpiece to and from the workpiece flipping platform;
• at least one spindle robotic arm (SRA) comprising a milling tool, wherein the at least one SRA is positioned to mill the workpiece when the workpiece is supported on the milling platform;
• and
• a processor operatively connected to the WHRA, and configured by a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by the processor to implement a method comprising, in sequence:
• controlling the WHRA to move the holding tool into engagement with the front side of the workpiece while the workpiece is on the milling platform such that the front side of the workpiece faces away from the milling platform and such that the reverse side of the workpiece faces toward the milling platform;
• controlling the WHRA to move the workpiece from the milling platform to the workpiece flipping platform while the holding tool engages the front side of the workpiece;
• controlling the WHRA to move the holding tool out of engagement from the front side of the workpiece to release the workpiece onto the workpiece flipping platform such that the front side of the workpiece faces away from the workpiece flipping platform and such that the reverse side of the workpiece faces toward the workpiece flipping platform;
• controlling the WHRA to pivot the workpiece flipping platform together with the workpiece supported thereon, relative to the WHRA, so as to expose the reverse side of the workpiece to the holding tool;
• controlling the WHRA to move the holding tool into engagement with the reverse side of the workpiece while the workpiece is supported on the workpiece flipping platform and the reverse side of the workpiece is exposed to the holding tool;
• controlling the WHRA to move the workpiece from the workpiece flipping platform to the milling platform while the holding tool engages the reverse side of the workpiece;
• and
• controlling the WHRA to move the holding tool out of engagement from the reverse side of the workpiece to release the workpiece onto the milling platform such that the reverse side of the workpiece faces away from the milling platform and such that the front side of the workpiece faces toward the milling platform.