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Flexible manufacturing system

  • US 5,310,396 A
  • Filed: 09/03/1991
  • Issued: 05/10/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A flexible manufacturing system comprising:

  • machining tools and chuck jaws, said machining tools and chuck jaws each having a read/write memory device;

    pallets, said pallets each having a read/write memory device for memorizing data concerning the pallet with which the read/write memory device is associated and for memorizing data concerning one or more members stored by said pallet which members include work pieces, said machining tools and said chuck jaws;

    a numerical control machine tool which includes means for reading the memory of each pallet, and said numerical control machine tool further comprising means for receiving the work pieces, machining tools and chuck jaws supported by said pallets, means for transferring the work pieces, machining tools and chuck jaws from said pallets to said means for receiving, and means for working the work pieces received by said receiving means;

    a loading station with a reading/writing device for reading/writing the memory of said pallets, and a display for facilitating a setting up of said pallets with said members in accordance with data provided in the memory of said pallets;

    a stacker crane for transferring pallets among the numerical control machine and loading station; and

    a controller which includes means for storing the data for each tool or chuck jaw and means for revising said storing means with present status data of each tool or chuck jaw in the flexible manufacturing system.

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