Method and system for switching workpieces

Abstract

In a method for switching a workpiece (W) fixed to a pallet (P1), after one surface (14) of the workpiece has been machined in a horizontal machine tool (M), the machined surface (14) of the workpiece (W) is brought to a transfer position (AP) facing the direction with respect to the pallet support (T) by the pallet (P1), an additional pallet (P2) is provided to the pallet support (T), and the workpiece is first transferred with the machined surface (14) onto the clamping devices (9, 10) of the additional pallet (P2) and is again induced into the tool (M) together with the additional pallet. In a system (S) for switching, the pallet support (T) has a positioning device (11), by which the semi-machined workpiece (W) can be transferred with the machined surface (14) first to the clamping device (9) of the additional pallet (P2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and a system according to the preamble of claim 12.

Background Art

[0002] In the method known from International Publication No. 2021 / 047838, a semi-machined workpiece is removed from a support provided at the bottom by a conveying device, for example, to a setup station, together with a pallet that supports the workpiece during machining, with the machining surface facing upward, from a horizontal (horizontal) machining center. At the setup station, the workpiece is manually transferred on the pallet from the front side to the rear side with the assistance of auxiliary devices such as personnel and a lifting device. Thereafter, the workpiece is returned to the horizontal machining center, for example, for finishing. This is time-consuming and laborious.

[0003] When this relates to workpieces made of light metals or light metal alloys and used, for example, as aircraft parts, they can have B:L dimensions of about 4 to 6 meters and a weight of several tons as blanks. After the first machining step, the workpiece may still have a weight exceeding 1 ton, and accordingly, it may be difficult to operate. And this finished workpiece still has a weight of several hundred kilograms. The blanks may not be machined at this point, or they may already show partial machining.

[0004] Machining is performed, for example, in two steps on a pallet in a horizontal machining center (stand-alone operation), and the second step is performed after switching and re-clamping the workpiece, or is performed in a cell composed of a plurality of horizontal machining centers. The re-clamped workpiece is finish-machined in different horizontal machining centers in the second step.

[0005] In a horizontal machining center, in order to quickly move a workpiece to be machined to a machining position in the horizontal machining center and, during that time, remove and move the workpiece that has just been machined together with its pallet, for example, two pallets can be temporarily held with the workpieces back-to-back on a pivot arm and a pallet support. Alternatively, in a horizontal machining center, only one pallet can be operated regardless of the presence or absence of a workpiece.

[0006] Further prior art can be found in International Publication No. WO 2021 / 047837 and International Publication No. WO 2021 / 047836. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] The basic problem of the present invention is to provide a method and a system of the type described at the beginning, whereby at least the necessary switching or reclamping of semi-machined workpieces is simplified. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0008] This problem is solved by the method according to claim 1 and the system according to claim 13.

[0009] In this method, first, when a pallet having a semi-machined workpiece is repositioned in the direction towards the pallet support in a horizontal machining center, it moves to a rotated transfer position. In particular, the machined surface of the semi-machined workpiece pivots and rotates so as to face outwards from the machine and moves to an additional empty pallet having a workpiece clamping device for the workpiece. At the transfer position of the pallet, the semi-machined workpiece is transferred to the clamping device of the other pallet and is either later returned to the machining position or first removed together with the other pallet. Thereafter, since the transferred workpiece is already placed in a clamped state on the other pallet, this time-consuming and laborious step, which was previously manual, is no longer necessary.

[0010] Therefore, the essential advantage of this method is that workpiece switching can be carried out quickly, especially automatically and unmanned.

[0011] In this system, multiple movement options of the pivot arm and the pallet support that can be rotated thereon are also used to prepare for and execute automatic transfer without manual intervention.

[0012] In this method and system, the transfer can be performed on workpieces and pallets in a horizontal or at least essentially vertical position, with the horizontal position being preferred.

[0013] With the assistance of the positioning device of the pallet support, an additional pallet, preferably arranged horizontally there, can be aligned with the clamping abutments of the semi-machined workpiece together with its clamping device. The semi-machined workpiece together with the pallet is in a horizontal transfer position such that the machined surface of the workpiece faces the additional pallet on the pallet transfer device. Thereafter, the workpiece is transferred onto the clamping device of the additional pallet by a relative upward and / or downward movement between the additional pallet and the pallet and is released from the pallet. Thus, after transfer, the semi-machined workpiece lies here in the re-clamping position on the additional pallet without the need for external intervention. By raising the additional pallet, the relative upward and / or downward movement can be linearly generated by the positioning device of the pallet support to linearly engage the clamping abutment with the clamping device of the additional pallet and return the additional pallet with the transferred workpiece onto the support. Alternatively, the pallet with the semi-machined workpiece can be lowered from the machining position to the transfer position by the pivot arm and the pallet support, whereby the clamping device of the other pallet and the clamping abutment of the workpiece can be brought together in an arc movement about the pivot axis of the pivot arm.

[0014] However, it is preferred to initially maintain the pallet at a certain distance above the other pallet in the horizontal transfer position. To transfer the workpiece, the other pallet is aligned with the workpiece and is raised only at that time, or while doing so, in the direction of the transfer position of the pallet. Thereafter, the workpiece clamping device of the other pallet engages with the clamping abutment of the workpiece and the fixing of the workpiece to the pallet is released. The workpiece is transferred and the pallet becomes empty. The upward movement is linear to achieve a reliable engagement of the clamping device with the clamping abutment. This variant is preferred.

[0015] Alternatively, a rotated pallet having a semi-machined workpiece with a machined surface facing downward with respect to the other pallet can be lowered to this lower transfer position by a pivot arm and a pallet support until the workpiece is transferred to the clamping device of the other pallet. In this case, the clamping device of the other pallet is joined to the clamping joint on the workpiece by an arc motion about the pivot axis of the pivot arm, provided that the clamping device and the clamping joint can engage with each other properly in this way.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable to pivot the empty pallet in the horizontal machining center upward so as to deviate from the movement path of the other pallet having the workpiece to avoid collision before the other pallet is removed.

[0017] After an additional pallet having a workpiece is removed, for example, by a bottom-side transfer device combined with a support, the empty pallet is rotated and stacked (deposited) until its setup surface faces upward. Thereafter, the empty pallet can be transported, for example, by a pallet transfer device, preferably away to a setup station that can be equipped with a new blank, or to a pallet stock.

[0018] The removed additional pallet may be returned to the horizontal machining center together with the workpiece to machine the opposite surface of the workpiece, or may be returned to another horizontal machining center, or may be returned to a pallet stock, for example, a pallet rack. In principle, blanks, finished parts, and, if necessary, semi-machined parts always move with the pallet in this variant of the method.

[0019] According to this method, it is preferable to perform the switching of workpieces and, if necessary, the supply and removal of blanks and finished parts as well, in an automatically controlled manner within the system, so that each step is executed quickly without human intervention and no auxiliary devices are required.

[0020] In another variant of the method, the blanks and finished parts are supplied and removed separately, i.e., without a pallet, from above and all the way up.

[0021] In this case, it is only necessary to use two pallets alternately.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the system, at the horizontal transfer position, a certain distance between the pallet and the additional pallet is adjustable, and this distance is traversed by the additional pallet aligned for the transfer of the workpiece during the linear upward movement of the support part. In this way, the clamping device is surely joined to the clamping joint. However, it is also possible to adapt the system such that at a further lowered transfer position, the workpiece comes into contact with the additional pallet and is transferred.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the clamping device of the additional pallet has a hydraulically actuated bore clamp. The clamping joints of the workpieces are bores or blind bores in the workpieces, which are manufactured, for example, during machining and used for engaging with the bore clamp. Such a bore clamp has, for example, an expandable mandrel and a stop for the workpiece. However, other types of clamping devices can also be used if they can handle a large mass and ensure high precision.

[0024] It is preferable that the system has at least one control system, preferably a programmable control system, connected to the pivot arm, the pallet support, and the positioning device of the pallet support, or further to the drive of the support device (drive), so that the workpiece can be automatically switched.

[0025] In one embodiment, the pallet support can be combined with a conveying device for operating only the pallet, for example, a roller conveyor equipped with driving rollers, or a rail-carriage unit on the bottom side.

[0026] Particularly important is the configuration of the system with a conveying device for separate supply and removal of blanks and finished parts from the upper and external parts of the machine, as well as from the upper and external parts to the machine. This conveying device may be, for example, a lifting device, a robot, or a movable conveying frame.

[0027] Whether there is a pallet on the bottom-side conveying device or not, when the workpiece is supplied and removed in a vertical or substantially vertical (slightly inclined) position with the surface of the workpiece parallel to the machining area in the machine, it is preferable to provide a horizontal positioning device on the conveying device or the support to facilitate the loading of the workpiece into the machine and the unloading of the workpiece from the machine.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] The subject matter of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0029]

Figure 1

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Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] In FIG. 1, the workpiece fixed on the pallet P1, which is not shown in this FIG. 1, is machined in the machining area 1 of the horizontal machining center M, for example, by metal cutting. The pallet P1 is fixed to the machining area 1 at the shown substantially vertical working position. Since the workpiece is machined on both sides, after machining one side, it must be switched or reclamped so that the other side can also be machined.

[0031] The horizontal machining center M is provided with a system S for operating a pallet, for example P1. The system S comprises two parallel and synchronized pivotable pivot arms 4 having a drive 5, at the free ends of which a pallet support 2 is rotatably mounted and driven by a drive 3. The pallet support 2 holds the respective pallet P1 at both front ends by means of engagement elements (not shown) and serves to rotate the pallet P1 on the pivot arm 4, while the pivot arm 4 is provided for rotating the pallet by approximately 90°. The pivot arms are interconnected in a torque-proof manner, for example via a transverse shaft 6.

[0032] The system S also comprises a pallet support T arranged in front of the horizontal machining center M. In the non-limiting case shown, this is a rail carriage unit having a rail part 7 on which, for example, a carriage 8 can be moved. In the pallet support T, a positioning device 11 is provided, for example on or in the vicinity of the carriage 8, which horizontally aligns an additional pallet P2 lying horizontally on the carriage 8, i.e., aligns it in the direction corresponding to the travel distance 7 and in the direction perpendicular thereto, and also serves to vertically linearly raise and lower it (arrow 11'). On the additional pallet P2, a clamping device 9 is provided, which has, for example, a plurality of bore clamps 10 that can be hydraulically actuated for fixing and holding a workpiece. The drives 3, 5 and the positioning device 11 are connected, as shown in the following figures, for example, by the system S to at least one unmanned automatic workpiece changer, for example, to separate, preferably programmable control systems CU1, CU2, or to a common control system.

[0033] In Figure 1, a fixed pallet P1 is shown in the machining area 1. The pallet support 2 is configured to hold two pallets back-to-back simultaneously, for example, to shorten the changeover time from a machined workpiece to the next workpiece to be machined. The pallet support 2 is operated at the front side of the pallet being manipulated so that each pallet can be individually placed in and removed from the horizontal machining center M. Although not shown in more detail here, it engages with devices (Figure 11, engagement elements 16, 17) shown in two ways here.

[0034] The second pallet P2 shown in Figure 1 is provided on a support T, for example, on a table, to receive at least one semi-machined workpiece W from the pallet P1.

[0035] In Figure 2, the pallet P1 with the workpiece W fixed thereon pivots in the direction of the pallet support T or the other pallet P2 by the pivot arm 4 after machining is completed. The workpiece W remains with its machining surface facing the horizontal machining center M.

[0036] In the next step, according to Figure 3, the pallet P1 reaches the rotated horizontal transfer position AP, that is, it is fixed by pivoting the pivot arm 4 and rotating the pallet support 2 on the pivot arm 4 (arrow 19) according to a non-limiting process variant. At this transfer position AP, the machining surface of the workpiece W facing the other pallet P2 here is at a vertical distance from the clamping device 9 of the other pallet P2.

[0037] According to FIG. 4, the additional pallet P2 is aligned by the positioning device 11 of the carriage 8 such that the clamping device 9 is aligned with the engaging element 10 in the form of a bore clamp that can be actuated, for example, by the hydraulic pressure of the additional pallet P2 on the clamping joint 18 of the workpiece W (shown in FIG. 6 by a dashed line, which is drilled during machining or drilled as a blind hole). Further, the additional pallet P2 is lifted vertically in the direction of arrow 11' until the clamping device 9 of the additional pallet P2 engages with the clamping joint 18 of the workpiece W, whereupon the fixing of the workpiece W to the pallet P1 is released and the workpiece is transferred to the additional pallet P2 such that the machining surface faces the set-up side of the additional pallet P2 without contacting the additional pallet P2.

[0038] In the next step, as shown in FIG. 5, the additional pallet P2 with the transferred workpiece W is lowered onto the support T, whereby the emptied free pallet P1 (whose set-up side is indicated by 12) is enabled to remove the additional pallet P2. However, the pivot arm 4 still obstructs the movement path of the other pallet 2, so that according to FIG. 6, the pivot arm 4 together with the pallet P1 is first moved upward from the movement path of the other pallet P2 in the pallet conveying device P. Only then, according to FIG. 7, the additional pallet P2 with the workpiece W fixed thereon (whose non-machined surface is identified by 13) is removed to, for example, the set-up station R or the pallet stock, or again to the same or another horizontal machining center M in order to machine also the surface 13 of the workpiece W. The machining surface of the workpiece W facing the additional pallet P2 is indicated by 14 and is at a certain distance 15 from the additional pallet, i.e., above the clamping device 9 of the additional pallet, for example, the engaging bore clamp 10, which clamping device 9 can also have a stop for the workpiece W that hydraulically expands into a bore or a blind hole in the clamping joint 18, for example, in the workpiece W, to support the clamped workpiece.

[0039] The process during the transfer of the workpiece W to the additional pallet P2 and the temporary removal of the additional pallet P2, described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, is, as described above, a non-limiting variation of the method. One advantage of this variation of the method is that the clamping device 9 can be engaged with the clamping joint 18 of the workpiece W in a linear vertical movement.

[0040] However, if the clamping devices 9, 10 of the additional pallet and the clamping joint 18 of the workpiece also do not allow exactly linearly converging movements, the pallet P1 does not need to be stopped at the transfer position AP shown in FIGS. 3 - 5, but the pallet P1 can be further lowered by the pivot arm 4 until the workpiece W contacts the clamping devices 9, 10 of the other pallet P2 at this lower transfer position (not shown) and is thereby held horizontally by the pallet support 2. Then the convergence of the clamping devices 9, 10 and the clamping joint 18 is effected by an arcuate movement about a pivot axis defined by the pivot arm 4 in the system S.

[0041] After the stage of FIG. 7, a new additional pallet P2 having either an unmachined workpiece or a semi-finished workpiece can be supplied, transferred, fixed (not shown) in a back-to-back rotated manner with the empty pallet P1 still present in the machining area 1 of the horizontal machining center M, and / or can be subsequently removed while switching the previously empty pallet P1, as shown in FIGS. 8 - 10, or stacked on the support T, as shown in FIG. 12.

[0042] That is, the emptied pallet P1 can be removed from the horizontal machining center M via the carriage 8 as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. The removed and emptied pallet P1 can be conveyed to a setup station (not shown) for clamping a blank as a workpiece again, or to a pallet stock. According to FIG. 10, the pivot arm 4 pivots upward to a so-called ready position, and the pallet support 2 can also be aligned to take over the pallet to be delivered later. Thereafter, a new machining cycle can be started.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 11, the additional pallet P2 on the carriage 8 is, for example, the previously removed additional pallet P2, on which the workpiece W is fixed with the unmachined surface 13 facing upward. However, it can also be another additional pallet P2', on which another workpiece W' that has not yet been machined on the surface 13 is fixed, or it can be a blank.

[0044] In the method shown in FIGS. 1 to 11, the blanks, semi-finished parts and finished parts are conveyed on the pallets P1, P2, P1'.

[0045] The additional pallet P2 conveyed away together with the semi-machined workpiece W according to FIG. 7 can alternatively be transferred to another horizontal machining center (not shown) for further machining.

[0046] The bore clamp 10 and the clamp joint 18 on the workpiece W, described as the clamp device 9, are only one non-limiting option for constituting the clamp device of the additional pallet P2. Any other clamp device can be provided on the pallet P2, and this clamp device can carry the relatively heavy weight of the workpiece W and can stably support the workpiece W during machining in the horizontal machining center M as required.

[0047] In the present technology, the system S described for operating pallets P1 and P2 is referred to as "automation" of the horizontal machining center M.

[0048] In a further embodiment of the system shown in FIG. 12, the blank and the finished part are each functionally assigned to the horizontal machining center M and are separately supplied and removed, for example by vertical movement (arrow 21'), by a transport device 21 (e.g., a hoisting device or a robot or a transport frame) having gripping elements 22 for holding the blank and also the finished part. In this process, only two pallets P1 and P2 are used alternately, on which the blank is supplied from above and from which the finished part is removed upward. The transport device 21 is only shown schematically and may actually be configured differently from what is shown and may be provided with a clamping device similar to that of pallets P1 and P2, for example.

[0049] The support T may be a table provided with a positioning device 11, and a transport device 7 can be assigned to this table to facilitate the handling of pallets P1 and P2. The pivot arm 4 can be supported by the bracket 20 on the bottom side of FIG. 12.

[0050] In Fig. 12, a pallet P1 with a blank pivots into the machining area 1 and is fixed. An additional pallet P2 is ready for transfer as described on the support T. After transfer, until both pallets are hung on the pallet support 2 and rotated together, the empty pallet P1 remains fixed in the machining area 1, the additional pallet P2 is picked up, rotated, and brought with its back to the back of pallet P1, so that here the additional pallet P2 can be brought into and fixed in the machining area 1, after which the empty pallet P1 is rotated alone, stacked on the support T, and receives a new blank from the transport device 21. Similarly, the second pallet P2 is operated for the transfer of semi-finished parts and the pick-up of finished parts and is then removed from the transport device 21. This is a non-limiting example of the cycle process when using the transport device 21. The transport device 21 can alternatively handle the blank and the finished part, each in a vertical or substantially vertical position, i.e., with the face of the workpiece essentially parallel to the machining area 1 of the machine M, in the case of a cubic or plate-shaped workpiece W.

[0051] FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of the system S, by which the method can supply and remove a semi-machined workpiece and, if necessary, transfer it to an additional pallet P2 at least essentially perpendicular to the workpiece W. The workpiece W shown is arranged vertically on the carriage 8 during supply and removal by the conveying device 7, for example, and is supported by pallets P1, P2 arranged in an L-shaped frame 26 or in an L-shape, and is separately transferred to a pallet arranged vertically on the pivot arm 4 during supply, or is held on the pallet support 2, or is transferred from the support T to the pallet support 2 together with the pallet. For removal, the semi-finished or finished part is handed over in a vertical position to either the frame 26 or the L-shaped pallets P1, P2. The transfer of the workpiece to the machine M or from the machine M to the support T can in each case be supported by a horizontal positioning device 24, for example the carriage 8 of the support T of the conveying device 7 which causes a horizontal movement (double arrow 25).

[0052] The pallet P1 can in particular have a holding and clamping device 24 (for example a lever gripper) for blanks and, if necessary, a vacuum support, while the additional pallet P2 can have the aforementioned clamping device 9, which clamping device 9 is adapted to the semi-finished and finished parts at their clamping joints 18.

Claims

1. A method for switching at least one workpiece (W) to be machined on both sides, which is fixed on a pallet (P1) after one workpiece surface (14) has been machined in a horizontal machining center (M), comprising a system (S) with two pivot arms (4) pivotable vertically, a pallet support (2) rotatable on the pivot arms (4) for rotating the pallet (P1), and a pallet support (T) in front of the horizontal machining center (M). To switch the workpiece to a semi-machined workpiece (W), the pallet (P1) is moved from a substantially vertical machining position in the direction of the pallet support (T). During the movement to the transfer position (AP), the machining surface (14) of the workpiece (W) faces the direction of the pallet support (T) until the pallet (P1) moves. An additional pallet (P2) with a workpiece clamping device (9) is provided on the pallet support (T). The workpiece (W) is transferred to the clamping device (9) and then returned to the machining position or removed together with the additional pallet (P2).

2. The pallet (P1) for switching the workpiece (W) is brought relative to an additional horizontally lying pallet (P2) provided on the support (T) to a horizontally lying transfer position (AP) where the machining surface (14) of the workpiece (W) faces downwards, or is brought relative to the additional pallet (P2) provided to stand at least substantially vertically to a transfer position where the machining surface (14) of the workpiece (W) faces outwards and stands at least substantially vertically, for switching to a position where the machining surface (14) of the workpiece (W) faces outwards and stands at least substantially vertically. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is brought relative to the additional pallet (P2).

3. Each of the workpieces (W) configured as blanks and / or semi-finished parts and / or finished parts is supplied and / or removed at the bottom of the machine (M) or supplied and / or removed from above and relative to above, in a position substantially perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece substantially parallel to the machining area (1) of the machine (M). The method according to claim 2, characterized in that it is supplied and / or removed in this way.

4. The pallet (P1) at the horizontal transfer position (AP) is initially held at a certain distance above the additional pallet (P2), and the additional pallet (P2) for transferring the workpiece (W) is aligned with the workpiece (W), and in the direction of the transfer position (AP) of the pallet (P1), preferably with the workpiece clamping device (9) of the additional pallet (P2) engaged with the clamping joint (18) of the workpiece (W), it is lifted. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that.

5. The pallet (P1) lies horizontally on the pallet support, and the workpiece (W) is transferred to the clamping device (9) of the additional pallet (P2) aligned with the workpiece (W), and is lowered to the transfer position (AP). The method according to claim 2, characterized in that.

6. The additional pallet (P2) having the semi - machined workpiece (W) is removed from the machine (M), and before the additional pallet (P2) is removed, the emptied pallet (P1) is pivoted upward from the movement path of the additional pallet (P2). The method according to claim 2, characterized in that.

7. After the additional pallet (P2) having the workpiece (W) is removed, the emptied pallet (P1) is rotated until its setup surface (12) faces upward, and then is preferably stacked on the setup station (R) or the pallet rack and transported away. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that.

8. The workpiece (W) in the form of a blank is separately supplied from above by a conveying device (21) functionally assigned to the horizontal machining center (M), and is separately lifted upward and removed as a finished part or a semi - finished part, preferably using the pallet (P1) arranged on the support (T) or the stacked additional pallets (P2). The method according to claim 1, characterized in that.

9. The machining is performed using only two pallets (P1, P2) alternately, the pallet (P1) being provided with a clamping device (24) adapted to the blank, and the pallet (P2) being provided with a clamping device (9) adapted to semi-finished and finished workpieces (W), the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The removed additional pallet (P2) is transferred again to the horizontal machining center (M), or to another horizontal machining center, or to a pallet stock, preferably to a pallet rack, in order to machine the opposite side of the workpiece, the method according to claim 7.

11. The switching of the workpiece, preferably also the supply and removal of the pallets, and / or the separate supply of the blanks and removal of the finished parts are carried out in an automatically controlled manner by the system (S), the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A system (S) for performing at least the method according to claim 1, the system having two pivot arms (4) pivotable vertically, a pallet support (2) rotatable on the pivot arms (4) for rotating the respective pallets (P1, P2), and a pallet support (T) in front of the horizontal machining center (M), the pallet (P1) for switching the workpiece with the semi-machined workpiece (W) being movable in the direction of the pallet support (T) from a substantially vertical machining position, and during the movement to the transfer position (AP), the pallet (P1) moving such that the machining surface (14) of the workpiece (W) faces in the direction of the pallet support (T), an additional pallet (P2) having a workpiece clamping device (9) being provided at the pallet support (T), the workpiece (W) being transferable to the workpiece clamping device (9) and being transferable or transportable back to the machining position together with the additional pallet (P2), a system (S).

13. The system according to claim 12, characterized by a horizontal or at least substantially vertical transfer position (AP) of the pallet (P1) and a horizontal or at least substantially vertical position of the additional pallet (P2) on the support (T).

14. The pallet support (T) has a positioning device (11), by means of which the additional pallet (P2) can be aligned with the clamping device (9) relative to the clamping joint (18) of the workpiece (W), and the workpiece (W) can be transferred to the clamping device (9) by a relative upward and / or downward movement between the additional pallet (P2) and the pallet (P1). The system according to claim 12, characterized by this.

15. A constant distance can be set at the horizontal transfer position (AP) between the pallet (P1) and the additional pallet (P2) on the pallet support (T), and the additional pallet (P2) aligned for the transfer of the workpiece (W) by linear movement of the positioning device (11) passes through this distance. The system according to claim 12, characterized by this.

16. The clamping device (9) of the additional pallet (P2) comprises a bore clamp (10) that can be actuated hydraulically, and a bore or blind bore formed in the workpiece (W) is provided as a clamping joint (18) for the bore clamp (10) to engage during machining. The system according to claim 14, characterized by this.

17. The system (S) has at least one, preferably programmable control system (CU1, CU2) connected to the drive devices (2, 3) of the pivot arm (4) and the pallet support (2) and the positioning device (11) of the pallet support (T) for at least automatically switching the workpiece. The system according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized by this.

18. The support (T) is combined with a conveying device (7), preferably a roller conveyor or a rail carriage unit. The system according to any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized by this.

19. The system (S) has a conveying device (21), for example a lifting device or a robot or a conveying frame, for the separate supply and stacking of blanks from above and for the lifting and removal of finished parts, said conveying device (21) being functionally associated with the horizontal machining center (M) and preferably being in front of and / or above the horizontal machining center (M), system according to any one of claims 12 to 18.

20. The support (T), preferably in combination with a bottom-side conveying device (7), has a horizontal positioning device (24) for substantially horizontally moving the vertically arranged workpiece (W) which is supplied or removed with respect to the machine (M), system according to claim 13.

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