Patent ID: 8002686

Claim:
A tool change method, comprising: providing a first tool being fixed in a first collet of a spindle; providing a plurality of second tools seated in tool-seats of a tool-pan; relocating an auxiliary arm over the tool-pan; relocating a second collet of the auxiliary arm toward the tool-pan to retrieve one of the plurality of second tools; elevating the second collet of the auxiliary arm; relocating the spindle and the auxiliary arm over a first tool-carrier and a second tool-carrier of an auxiliary tool-magazine, respectively; lowering the first collet of the spindle to deposit the first tool into the first tool-carrier, and lowering the second collet of the auxiliary arm to deposit the second tool into the second tool-carrier; elevating the first collet of the spindle and the second collet of the auxiliary arm, and rotating a turnplate of the auxiliary tool-magazine to exchange the positions of the first tool-carrier and the second tool-carrier; lowering the first collet of the spindle to retrieve the tool carried in the second tool-carrier, and lowering the second collet of the auxiliary arm to retrieve the first tool carried in the first tool-carrier; elevating the first collet of the spindle and the second collet of the auxiliary arm; relocating the auxiliary arm over the vacated tool-seat of the tool-pan; and lowering the second collet of the auxiliary arm to deposit the first tool into the vacant tool-seat.