Patent ID: 7823273

Claim:
An apparatus for machining workpieces ( 35 ) containing plastic material by a process selected from the group consisting of welding, stamping, cutting, adhesive bonding, and a combination thereof, comprising: a basic frame ( 1 ) having a machining station with a free space ( 2 ) for machining the workpieces ( 35 ) and at least one interchangeable module ( 15 ) insertable into the free space and fixable therein and adapted to a selected machining task, provided for this purpose with at least one workpiece mount ( 34 ) and at least one machining tool ( 37 ), wherein the basic frame ( 1 ) is provided with a loading and unloading station for loading and unloading the workpieces ( 35 ) and the interchangeable module ( 15 ) is formed such that the mount ( 34 ), after its introduction into the free space ( 2 ), is movable to and fro between the machining station and the loading and unloading station, with the interchangeable module ( 15 ) comprising a frame ( 16 ) supported on running wheels ( 17 ) and receiving the mount ( 34 ) and the machining tool ( 37 ) together and moveable with the mount ( 34 ) and the machining tool ( 37 ) into and out of the free space ( 2 ), with a relative position of the mount ( 34 ) and of the machining tool ( 37 ) being determined in the machining station by their fastening in a frame ( 16 ) of the interchangeable module ( 15 ), with the loading and unloading station and the interchangeable module ( 15 ) comprising guides ( 28 a , 28 b ) which are aligned with one another in a latched state of the interchangeable module ( 15 ), and with the mount ( 34 ) being provided on a slide table ( 30 ) having guide elements cooperating with the guides ( 28 a , 28 b ), by which the slide table ( 30 ) is moveable to and fro between the interchangeable module ( 15 ) and the loading and unloading station in an inserted state of the interchangeable module ( 15 ).