Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for use in welding, in particular in Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding. The invention provides a touch retract welding torch (10) comprising: an electrode (27); a nozzle (28) surrounding the electrode (27); a mechanical retraction mechanism (21) comprising a gripper (13) for clamping the electrode and arranged in operation to engage the gripper and retract the electrode (27) away from a weld site by a predetermined distance; activating means (24) arranged in operation to trigger said retraction mechanism while providing the basis by which an arc maybe drawn from an initial contact point and maintained consistently over a significant number of operational cycles.

Abstract: A hard tip band-saw blade includes alternating sawtooth groups. Each of the sawtooth groups includes two sawtooth subgroups. The first sawtooth subgroup includes, as a plurality of sawteeth, a first leading tooth and a first following tooth and the second sawtooth subgroup includes, as a plurality of sawteeth, a second leading tooth, a second following tooth, and a third following tooth. Each tooth top corner part of a hard tip of the first following tooth, a tooth top corner part on a left side of a hard tip of the second following tooth, and a tooth top corner part on a right side of a hard tip of the third following tooth most outwardly protrude in a left-right direction.

Abstract: According to a laser cutting method, a processed part is laser-cut so that the processed part doesn't drop off from a sheet-shaped workpiece. In the laser cutting method, a cut slit of a pressing protrusion, which is curved due to a laser cutting process along an outline of the processed part and then presses a peripheral surface of the processed part, is preliminarily formed around the processed part to be cut out from the workpiece. Then, the laser cutting process is carried out along the outline of the processed part. The pressing protrusion curves toward the processed part due to the laser cutting process of the processed part, and then the processed part is retained by the pressing protrusion.

Abstract: In a press machine vertically moving a ram by turning a threaded member, the ram has a bearing holder that holds a bearing whose outer ring is solidly engaged with the bearing holder and whose inner ring is solidly fitted to a lower end part of the threaded member. A fine clearance is formed between a lower face of the threaded member and a bottom face of the bearing holder so that the threaded member and bearing holder are allowed to rotate relative to each other. The fine clearance is set so that, when load is applied to the ram to cause a relative slight movement in a vertical direction between the inner and outer rings of the bearing, the lower face of the threaded member and the bottom face of the bearing holder come into contact with each other.

Abstract: A punch press includes plural dies and plural punches, and punches a work by a punch and a die that are set at a work position. The punch press includes a lifter for lifting the die to be set at the work position up to a path line of the work, a die-support member movably provided on a die-side of the lifter, and a die supporter provided on the die-support member for supporting the die set at the work position in a state where the die has been selectively lifted up to the path line by the lifter. According to the punch press, contacts between a work and dies while conveying the work can be prevented.

Abstract: A modular system for material storage and conveying having a layered storage section with two or more storage layers having conveyors, the layered storage section being associated with a load section and a delivery section having their own conveyors at each end of the layered storage section, and elevators that can selectively position the load and delivery section at operational heights of the conveyors of the layered storage section.

Abstract: Through the present invention, the load of a torch (16) applied to a welding workpiece (W) in a touch start method is reduced, and stability is significantly enhanced. A welding head (10) has a rigid straight-advancing movable part (12), an elevator drive tower (14) for moving the straight-advancing movable part (12) straight forward in the vertical direction, and a torch (16) mounted on the straight-advancing movable part (12) so as to be able to move in the vertical direction. One end part of a balance arm (28) rotatably attached to a multi-purpose support part (22) of the straight-advancing movable part (12) is connected to a torch body (30), and a balance weight (98) is attached to the other end part of the balance arm (28).

Abstract: A sheet material bending system includes a tool changing apparatus that changes tools between a press brake and a tool stocker. The tool stocker is arranged behind the press brake. To change tools from the front and rear of the tool stocker, the front and rear of the tool stocker are opened. The tool changing apparatus has a pivot that is movable in front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions and is rotatable around an axis extending in the up-down direction. A front end of the pivot is provided with tool holding units to hold tools.

Abstract: A laser machining device includes a laser oscillator for oscillating a laser beam to have a variable output according to a machining condition, an optical fiber for propagating the laser beam, a sensor for detecting an intensity of a light leaking from a cladding side face of the optical fiber and outputting a detection signal indicating that intensity, and an oscillation control unit for controlling an operation of that laser machining device based on the detection signal. The oscillation control unit compares a first threshold that is set in correspondence to that output with an intensity or an amount of light obtained from the detection signal, compares a second threshold that is set in correspondence to that output with an intensity or an amount of light obtained from the detection signal, and controls the operation of that laser machining device based on a result of comparing.

Abstract: A die-pressing die used for die-pressing a workpiece includes a die body on whose upper face a die hole is formed and on whose bottom face a discharge hole for discharging dusts of the workpiece is formed, and a roller unit disposed within the die hole and having a roller protruding upward from the upper face of the die body. A collection passage for collecting the dusts is formed at a peripheral edge portion of the die hole. One end of the collection passage is opened at the upper face of the die body, and another end thereof is opened to the discharge hole. The collection passage is configured to suction air due to a negative pressure state in the discharge hole.

Abstract: A direct diode laser processing apparatus includes a laser oscillator that emits a multiple-wavelength laser beam, a transmission fiber that transmits the multiple-wavelength laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator, and a laser processing machine that condenses the multiple-wavelength laser beam transmitted through the transmission fiber and processes a workpiece. According to chromatic aberrations of the multiple-wavelength laser beam and the wavelength dependence of emissivity of the workpiece, a light intensity distribution of the multiple-wavelength laser beam in a thickness direction of the workpiece is provided with a plurality of peaks.

Abstract: A die-pressing punch used for die-pressing a workpiece includes a punch guide, a punch body that is provided vertically movably and non-rotatable about its axial center with respect to the punch guide, a punch head screw-fitted with the punch head. The die-pressing punch further includes a roller unit that is provided inside the punch guide beneath the punch body vertically movably and has a rotatable roller protruding downward from a bottom face of the punch guide, and an urging member that is provided between the punch body and the roller unit and urges the roller unit downward. The die-pressing punch further includes a joint member that is jointed with the punch head non-rotatably about the axial center, and an operable member. The operable member switches the joint member between a rotatable state and a non-rotatable state about the axial center with respect to the punch guide.

Abstract: A feed/clamp apparatus includes a feed vise mechanism provided upstream from a cutting position, and a downstream vise mechanism provided just downstream from the cutting position. The feed vise mechanism includes first/second feed vise jaws, a downstream moving cylinder for moving the first feed vise jaw, and a downstream shifting cylinder for shifting the second feed vise jaw. The downstream vise mechanism includes first/second downstream vise jaws, a downstream moving cylinder for moving the first downstream vise jaw, and a downstream shifting cylinder for shifting a second downstream vise jaw. A vise surface of the second downstream vise jaw is located on one side of the vise reference position when the downstream shifting cylinder is located its stroke end on the one side. A thrust force of the downstream shifting cylinder toward the one side is made equal to a thrust force of the downstream moving cylinder toward another side.

Abstract: A laser processing machine includes a convex lens having a positive focal length, a concave lens having a negative focal length, and a focusing lens having a positive focal length. The convex lens is movable in an optical axis direction and converts divergent light of a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emission end into convergent light. The concave lens is movable in the optical axis direction and is disposed at a position that is shifted from a position where the convergent light is focused toward the convex lens side by the same distance as the focal length of the concave lens according to a position of the convex lens in the optical axis direction. The concave lens converts the convergent light into parallel light. The focusing lens focuses the laser beam emitted from the concave lens and irradiates a plate material with the focused laser beam.

Abstract: A method of supplying cooling water to a laser processing head includes arranging a cooling water supply path connected to the laser processing head, connecting, to the cooling water supply path, a water supply path for supplying water and an antirust supply path for supplying antirust, keeping constant a ratio between a water quantity fed by a water feed means connected to the water supply path and an antirust quantity fed by an antirust feed means connected to the antirust supply path, mixing the water and antirust in the cooling water supply path, and supplying cooling water to the laser processing head.

Abstract: A projector emits laser light, and an optical receiver includes a photodetector. When an upper table is lowered, a safety controller controls lowering of the upper table to stop, when it is determined that the optical receiver is in a light obstructing state in a period in which a condition is satisfied that a first distance between a tip of a punch and an upper end of a material is equal to or greater than a second distance between the tip of the punch and the photodetector, and controls the lowering to continue without stopping the lowering of the upper table even when it is determined that the optical receiver is in the light obstructing state in a period in which a condition is satisfied that the first distance is less than the second distance.

Abstract: In a tool storing device handling a tool mounting stocker in which a punch and a die of a press brake are mounted in one stocker with rear surfaces facing each other, each of the stockers is supported on both sides by endless belts having one driving shaft, and the endless belts are circulated so that each of the supported stockers does not protrude to a worker side, whereby a position of a path line of the appropriate one of the stockers can be freely positioned at a position of the path line PL of a tool holder on the press brake side. This enables rapid and easy tool replacement by a bending robot by storing not only the tool made of the punch and the die but also the hand for the robot together.

Abstract: An anti-vibration arrangement for a band saw blade in a band saw machine, which is constructed to cut a workpiece by shifting the endless band saw blade running in a circulating manner to a cutting direction, wherein nozzles are provided for injecting high-pressure cutting liquid toward each side face of the body of the band saw blade on the entering-side where the band saw blade enters into a cut groove of the workpiece formed by the band saw blade in the cutting process of the band saw machine.

Abstract: An axial threshing/separating system having at least one spring tined accelerator cylinder, in where the accelerator cylinder includes a plurality of double torsional spring tine cylinder elements extending from the spring tined accelerator cylinder; and one or more spring tined axial rotors, in where each of the spring tined axial rotors includes a plurality of double torsional spring tine rotor elements extending from each of the spring tined axial rotors, in where each of the spring tined axial rotors is aligned such that a respective longitudinal axis of each spring tined axial rotor is substantially coplanar and substantially parallel to a respective longitudinal axis of each other spring tined axial rotor, and wherein a longitudinal axis of at least one spring tined accelerator cylinder is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each spring tined axial rotor.

Abstract: A piercing processing method and a laser processing machine capable of carrying out a piercing processing on a thick plate in short time are provided. It is a processing method for carrying out a piercing processing on a metallic material by laser beams with wavelengths in 1 ?m band, where the piercing processing is carried out by maintaining a range of 8?Zr/d?12 when a condensed beam diameter of the laser beams is set to be d and a Rayleigh length of the laser beams is set to be Zr. At that time, a focal position of the laser beams is set to be on a surface of a workpiece or an external of the workpiece. Then, a beam profile of the laser beams is such that the laser beams of a single mode are converted into a bowler hat shape by a beam quality tunable device.