(1) In a "disc with a changer arm"-type magazine, the tools are changed by means of an
arm which takes the tool from the magazine and exchanges it with the one in the
spindle. Therefore, the disc has the functions of indexing and storing the tools only
[1-5]. Some examples of this type are shown in Fig. l(a) [1], Fig. l(b) [1] and Fig.
l(c) [5].
(2) A "disc without a changer arm"-type magazine acts like a tool changer arm. The tools
are changed by the disc itself [2, 6--8]. An example of this type is shown in Fig. 2
[1 ]. As shown in the figure, two disc magazines and two spindles mounted on a turret
exist in this application.
In an ATC with chain-type magazines [9-16], the tool is changed by a changer arm.
Chain-type magazines may be categorized according to the orientation of the tools in the
magazine with respect to the spindle axis as follows.
(1) The axes of the tools on the magazine are perpendicular to the spindle axis and the
magazine is on either the right- or left-hand side of the column. Therefore, in order to change the direction of the tools, an arm takes the tool and makes a rotation about
a vertical axis to bring the new tool to the position parallel to the spindle axis as
shown in Fig. 3(a) [13]. In another version of this type, the tool pots, where the tools
are located, are rotated about their own axis to become parallel to the spindle axis,
as shown in Fig. 3(b) [12]. The changer arm exchanges the tools between the tool
pot and the spindle axis. ATC是“自动换刀装置” CNC是“数控机床”