Components of a Machine Tool for Automated Collet Chuck Maintenance and Cleaning

A processing station of a machine tool, the processing station comprising:

• a spindle comprising a shank, a shank element, a compressed air inlet and a lubricant inlet and defining a longitudinal direction (L), wherein the shank element comprises a through-hole in the longitudinal direction (L), wherein the through-hole is in fluid communication with the compressed air inlet and the lubricant inlet;
• a collet chuck connected to the spindle, the collet chuck including a channel in fluid communication with the through-hole;
• a compressed air unit connected to a compressed air inlet of the spindle;
• a lubricant supply connected to the lubricant inlet of the spindle;
• a drive unit configured to rotate the spindle;
• and
• a control unit configured to actuate the processing station in at least two operating modes, the at least two operating modes including:
• a first operating mode in which the compressed air unit supplies compressed air in a first pressure stage to the compressed air inlet so as to blow foreign bodies out of the spindle, and
• a second operating mode in which the compressed air unit supplies compressed air in a second pressure stage to the compressed air inlet and the lubricant supply supplies lubricant to the lubricant inlet.

A processing station of a machine tool, the processing station comprising:

• a compressed air unit;
• a lubricant supply;
• a spindle comprising a compressed air inlet configured to receive a compressed air from the compressed air unit, and a lubricant inlet configured to receive a lubricant from the lubricant supply;
• a collet chuck connected to the spindle, the collet chuck including a clamping element having a first through-hole, and a connecting element having a second through-hole, wherein the first through-hole and the second through-hole collectively define a channel, wherein the channel is fluidically downstream of the compressed air inlet and the lubricant inlet;
• an elongate insert configured to be at least partially received within the first through-hole;
• a drive unit configured to rotate the spindle;
• and
• a control unit configured to actuate the processing station in at least two operating modes, the at least two operating modes including:
• a first operating mode in which the compressed air unit supplies compressed air in a first pressure stage to the compressed air inlet so as to blow foreign bodies out of the spindle, and
• a second operating mode in which the elongate insert is at least partially received within the first through-hole of the collet chuck, the compressed air unit supplies compressed air in a second pressure stage to the compressed air inlet and the lubricant supply supplies lubricant to the lubricant inlet.