Machine tool system and method of replacing pallet of the device

A machine tool for machining a workpiece mounted on a workpiece mounting table by moving a spindle having a tool mounted thereon in directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis with respect to the workpiece, said machining tool comprising:

• a spindle support structure including a spindle head rotatably supporting said spindle and arranged to be movable in the directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis on a base adapted to be located on a floor surface;
• a workpiece support structure disposed in opposed relation to said spindle support structure and including a workpiece mounting table having two opposed pallet mounting surfaces and pallet securing means arranged thereon, said workpiece mounting table supported to allow for rotational indexing about a horizontal axis extending in the direction along the X-axis;
• rotationally indexing means for turning said workpiece mounting table of said workpiece support structure by 90 degrees or 180 degrees to allow said two opposed pallet mounting surfaces individually to be positioned in an upwardly directed horizontal position and a transversely directed vertical position;
• and
• chip discharge means interposed between said spindle support structure and said workpiece support structure for discharging chips produced in the machining area to the outside of the machining area.

A machine tool for machining a workpiece mounted on a workpiece mounting table by moving a spindle having a tool mounted thereon in directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis with respect to the workpiece, said machining tool comprising:

• a spindle support structure including a spindle head rotatably supporting said spindle and arranged to be movable in the directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis on a base adapted to be located on a floor surface;
• a workpiece support structure disposed in opposed relation to said spindle support structure and including a workpiece mounting table having two opposed pallet mounting surfaces and pallet securing means arranged thereon, said workpiece mounting table supported to allow for rotational indexing about a horizontal axis extending in the direction along the X-axis;
• a pallet stocker spaced apart from said workpiece support structure for a pallet having said workpiece mounted thereon to be placed;
• and
• pallet changing means for transferring and carrying said pallet between said pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting table of said workpiece support structure in an upwardly directed horizontal position and the top surface of said pallet stocker, by holding said pallet in a suspended manner and by moving along guiding means in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.

A machine tool for machining a workpiece mounted on a workpiece mounting table by moving a spindle having a tool mounted thereon in directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis with respect to the workpiece, said machining tool comprising:

• a spindle support structure including a spindle head rotatably supporting said spindle and arranged to be movable in the directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis on a base adapted to be located on a floor surface;
• a workpiece support structure disposed in opposed relation to said spindle support structure and including a workpiece mounting table having two opposed pallet mounting surfaces and pallet securing means arranged thereon, said workpiece mounting table supported to allow for rotational indexing about a horizontal axis extending in the direction along the X-axis;
• a pallet stocker spaced apart from said workpiece support structure for a pallet having said workpiece mounted thereon to be placed;
• pallet changing means for transferring and carrying said pallet between said pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting table of said workpiece support structure in an upwardly directed horizontal position and the top surface of said pallet stocker, by holding said pallet in a suspended manner and by moving along guiding means in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction;
• a three-dimensional pallet magazine spaced apart from said pallet stocker and configured to be able to store a plurality of pallets in a three-dimensional manner;
• and
• pallet transferring means interposed between said pallet stocker and said three-dimensional pallet magazine and arranged to be movable in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction for transferring said pallets between said pallet stocker and said three-dimensional pallet magazine.

A machine tool for machining a workpiece mounted on a workpiece mounting table by moving a spindle having a tool mounted thereon in directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis with respect to the workpiece, said machining tool comprising:

• a plurality of spindle support structures including a spindle head rotatably supporting said spindle and arranged to be movable in the directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis on a base adapted to be located on a floor surface;
• a plurality of workpiece support structures disposed individually in opposed relation to said plurality of spindle support structures, each of said workpiece support structures including a workpiece mounting table having two opposed pallet mounting surfaces and pallet securing means arranged thereon, said workpiece mounting table supported to allow for rotational indexing about a horizontal axis extending in the direction along the X-axis;
• a plurality of pallet stockers individually spaced apart from said plurality of workpiece support structures for a pallet having said workpiece mounted thereon to be placed;
• a plurality of pallet changing means for transferring and carrying said pallet between said pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting tables of said workpiece support structures in an upwardly directed horizontal position and the top surface of said pallet stockers individually spaced apart from said plurality of workpiece support structures, by holding said pallet in a suspended manner and by moving along guiding means in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction;
• a three-dimensional pallet magazine spaced apart from said plurality of pallet stockers and configured to be able to store a plurality of pallets in a three-dimensional manner;
• and
• pallet transferring means interposed between said plurality of pallet stockers and said three-dimensional pallet magazine and arranged to be movable in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction for transferring said pallets between said plurality of pallet stockers and said three-dimensional pallet magazine.

A machine tool for machining a workpiece mounted on a workpiece mounting table by moving a spindle having a tool mounted thereon in directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis with respect to the workpiece, said machining tool comprising:

• a spindle support structure including a spindle head rotatably supporting said spindle and arranged to be movable in the directions along the Xaxis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis on a base adapted to be located on a floor surface;
• a workpiece support structure spaced apart from said spindle support structure and including a workpiece mounting table having one pallet mounting surface and pallet securing means arranged thereon, said workpiece mounting table supported to allow for rotational indexing about a horizontal axis extending in the direction along the X-axis;
• rotationally indexing means by turning said workpiece mounting table of said workpiece support structure by 90 degrees or 180 degrees to allow said one pallet mounting surface to be positioned in an upwardly directed horizontal position or a transversely directed vertical position;
• and
• chip discharge means interposed between said spindle support structure and said workpiece support structure for discharging chips produced in the machining area to the outside of the machining area.

A machine tool for machining a workpiece mounted on a workpiece mounting table by moving a spindle having a tool mounted thereon in directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis with respect to the workpiece, said machining tool comprising:

• a spindle support structure including a spindle head rotatably supporting said spindle and arranged to be movable in the directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis on a base adapted to be located on a floor surface;
• a workpiece support structure spaced apart from said spindle support structure and including a workpiece mounting table having one pallet mounting surface and pallet securing means arranged thereon, said workpiece mounting table supported to allow for rotational indexing about a horizontal axis extending in the direction along the X-axis;
• a pallet stocker spaced apart from said workpiece support structure for a pallet having said workpiece mounted thereon to be placed;
• and
• pallet changing means for transferring and carrying said pallet between said pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting table of said workpiece support structure in an upwardly directed horizontal position and the top surface of said pallet stocker, by holding said pallet in a suspended manner and by moving along guiding means in a horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.

A pallet carrying system of a machine tool for transferring and carrying a pallet having a workpiece mounted thereon between a workpiece mounting table and a pallet stocker in the machine tool, said pallet carrying system comprising:

• said workpiece mounting table of said machine tool having two pallet mounting surfaces and supported to allow for rotational indexing;
• a pallet stocker spaced apart from said workpiece mounting table for a pallet to be placed;
• and
• pallet changing means for transferring and carrying said pallet between said pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting table in an upwardly directed horizontal position and the top surface of said pallet stocker, by holding said pallet in a suspended manner and by moving along guiding means in a horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.

A pallet carrying system of a machine tool for transferring and carrying a pallet having a workpiece mounted thereon between a workpiece mounting table and a pallet stocker in the machine tool, said pallet carrying system comprising:

• said workpiece mounting table of said machine tool having two pallet mounting surfaces and supported to allow for rotational indexing;
• a pallet stocker spaced apart from said workpiece mounting table for a pallet to be placed;
• pallet changing means for transferring and carrying said pallet between said pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting table in an upwardly directed horizontal position and the top surface of said pallet stocker, by holding said pallet in a suspended manner and by moving along guiding means in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction;
• a three-dimensional pallet magazine spaced apart from said pallet stocker and configured to able to store a plurality of pallets in a three-dimensional manner;
• and
• pallet transfer means interposed between said pallet stocker and said three-dimensional pallet magazine and arranged to be movable in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction for transferring said pallets between said pallet stocker and said three-dimensional pallet magazine.

A method for exchanging pallets in a machine tool including a spindle support structure having a spindle movable in directions along the X-axis, the Y-axis and the Z-axis with respect to the workpiece, a workpiece mounting table disposed in opposed relation to said spindle support structure and said workpiece mounting table having two pallet mounting surfaces and supported to allow said pallet mounting surface to be rotationally indexed in a desired position, said method comprising steps of:

• (a) mounting a pallet having a workpiece mounted thereon on one pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting table being in a horizontal state;
• (b) machining said workpiece with said pallet being positioned in a vertical state;
• (c) mounting another pallet having another workpiece mounted thereon on the other pallet mounting surface of said workpiece mounting table being in the horizontal state, after said workpiece is machined;
• (d) demounting said pallet having the machined workpiece mounted thereon from said workpiece mounting table with said pallet being in the horizontal state;
• and
• (e) machining said another workpiece with said another pallet having said another workpiece mounted thereon being positioned in the vertical state.