Configuration synthesis of machining centres with tool change mechanisms

The purpose of this paper is to generate all possible design configurations of machining centres with tool change mechanisms. A methodology is proposed for synthesizing the mechanisms of machining centres with required topology and motion characteristics. Machining centres with tool change mechanisms up to eight links are synthesized. For machining centres with a two degrees of freedom table, the mechanisms with seven and eight links have three and 17 different design configurations, respectively. The results of this work provide a systematic approach for synthesizing spatial open-type mechanisms with motion requirements.