Tombstone (manufacturing)

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A tombstone is a fixture of two up to six or more sides, onto which are mounted parts to be manufactured. Tombstones are typically used in automated systems: parts are loaded onto the tombstone so that robots may operate on one part, flip the tombstone, and operate on the next part until all processes are completed, then transport the entire tombstone to the next station.

Some common names for tombstones include pedestal-type fixtures, tooling towers, tooling columns, and fixture blocks.

[edit] References

• Plugging into tombstone productivity: customized software helps this machine tool builder maximize the output of its horizontal machining centers (December 2003) Albert, M. Modern Machine Shop (Publication), accessed from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3101/is_7_76/ai_112169120

Pallet changers and tombstone technology was at least 20 years old by 2003 when this article was written and were pioneered by at least one American machine tool manufacturer, Cincinnati Milacron(no longer in the industry). Tombstones are cumbersome and are limited by their inflexibility and restriction of size of part to be machined. More flexible means have been developed in the last 20 years although some machining operations still run tombstone as they are well suited for automotive quantities.