Cutting apparatus

A cutting apparatus for cutting plate-shaped workpieces, the cutting apparatus comprising:

• a workpiece supplying member including a plurality of slots for receiving a plurality of plate-shaped workpieces therein, and the slots being structured and arranged in a manner such that the workpieces are vertically oriented;
• a positioning mechanism having a horizontally oriented central axis, the positioning mechanism comprising a plurality of side faces surrounding the central axis, and a plurality of recesses defined in the respective side faces for receiving workpieces therein;
• a transportation robot configured for unloading a workpiece from the workpiece supplying member, transporting the workpiece from the workpiece supplying member to the positioning mechanism, and loading the workpiece on the positioning mechanism, the transportation robot comprising an extendable and retractable arm and a suction member attached to the arm, the arm being rotatable about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, the sucking member being configured for holding a workpiece thereto, the positioning mechanism being rotatable about the central axis such that one of the side faces can be selectively oriented to face the transportation robot so as to load the workpiece transported by the transportation robot in the corresponding recess;
• and
• an annular cutting blade configured for cutting a workpiece loaded on the positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism being rotatable about the central axis such that one workpiece loaded thereon can be selectively oriented to face the cutting blade.