Machining center for grinding workpieces with complex shaped surfaces

A machining centre for grinding workpieces with complex shaped surfaces, comprising:

• a machine bed having a cross slide mounted thereon;
• a workpiece chucking device being movably disposed on said cross slide, said cross slide including means for moving said workpiece chucking device in both a first horizontal axial direction (X) and a second horizontal axial direction (Y), said first and second axial directions (X and Y) being at right angles to each other;
• said workpiece chucking device including two spaced apart support means being displaceable relative to each other in said first horizontal axial direction (X) for pivotably clamping at least one workpiece therebetween;
• a support device disposed above said cross slide, means for displacing said support device in a vertical axial direction (Z) at a right angle to said first and second horizontal axial directions (X and Y);
• said support device including engagement means for controllably holding and releasing at least one exchangeable grinding attachment, said grinding attachment being moved with said support device along said vertical axial direction (Z);
• first means for inclining said one exchangeable grinding attachment with respect to said vertical axial direction (Z);
• second means for rotating said one exchangeable grinding attachment around a longitudinal axis of said one exchangeable grinding attachment;
• said one exchangeable grinding attachment including grinding means disposed therein for grinding a surface of the workpiece;
• said support device including drive means for driving said grinding means;
• numerically controllable means for regulating said grinding means to grind the surface of the workpiece to a predetermined required measurement;
• a tool store housing additional exchangeable grinding attachments;
• means for pivoting said support device into an exchange position adjacent to said tool store;
• and
• means for automatically exchanging said one exchangeable grinding attachment for a selected one of said additional exchangeable grinding attachments when said support device is in said exchange position.