Patent ID: 8203097

Claim:
A processing machine comprising: a sheet metal processing machine for processing metal sheets, the sheet metal processing machine comprising: a workpiece support that is formed by a plurality of support strips and forms a support plane for supporting the metal sheets; and a support transporter that is coupled to the workpiece support and that is driven along a transport axis X thus conveying the workpiece support along the transport axis X into and out of an operating region of the sheet metal processing machine; a workpiece support strip servicing apparatus for servicing the support strips of the workpiece support of the sheet metal processing machine, the workpiece support strip servicing apparatus being located along the transport axis X outside the operating region of the sheet metal processing machine and comprising: a service tool transporter that is located along the transport axis X outside the operating region of the sheet metal processing machine, the service tool transporter comprising a service tool to service the support strips; and a tool movement unit that is located along the transport axis X outside the operating region of the sheet metal processing machine and that is coupled to and configured to move the service tool transporter along one or more of a movement axis Y arranged at an angle relative to the transport axis X and a movement axis Z arranged at an angle relative to the transport axis X and different from the movement axis Y; and a movement controller coupled to both the support transporter of the sheet metal processing machine and to the tool movement unit of the workpiece support strip servicing apparatus, and configured to control both the support transporter of the sheet metal processing machine and the tool movement unit of the workpiece support strip servicing apparatus so as to coordinate the relative movement of the support strips of the workpiece support of the sheet metal processing machine along the transport axis X with respect to the movement of the service tool of the service tool transporter of the workpiece support strip servicing apparatus along one or more of the movement axis Y and the movement axis Z.