An ATC (Automatic Tool Changer) swaps tools in and out of the spindle from a magazine under program control, so a machining center can run a multi-tool part — face mill, drill, tap, bore — without operator intervention. Tool capacity (the number of pockets) is a key spec.
Changers range from simple carousel (umbrella) types to fast swing-arm designs; more pockets mean fewer setups and longer unattended runs.
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