Work setting system for manufacturing process

A work setting system for setting workpieces with a high degree of precision on pallets that can be mounted on machine tools of a line of machine tools, the system comprising:

• a setting table means for providing a location for setting a workpiece on a pallet, the setting table means being disposed near a conveyor means for transferring pallets to said machine tools;
• work centering and clamping means placed around said setting table means for driving positioning jigs and clamping members to be attached on the pallet;
• a measuring means provided on said setting table means for measuring dimensions of the workpiece on the pallet in three dimensions by contacting the workpiece and for supplying signals representing the measurements of the workpiece as positioning signals to said work centering and clamping means;
• a handling means for handling the pallets, the workpieces and the jigs;
• and
• a control means for controlling said work setting table means, said work centering and clamping means, said measuring means and said handling means in a conversational mode between a machine and an operator and also for supplying and receiving information exchanged between a control means for the line of machine tools and a central processing means superposing both of said control means, said control means for controlling said work setting table means being capable of obtaining an amount of difference between the position of the workpiece determined by the information from said measuring means and a predetermined standard position of the workpiece, and supplying control signals to said work centering and clamping means for centering and positioning the workpiece.