PALLET EXCHANGE METHOD AND PALLET EXCHANGE DEVICE OF MACHINE TOOL

To provide a pallet exchange device which can be realized achieving space saving with a simple structure at low costs and enables improvement of operability of workpiece replacement work, and to provide a pallet exchange method.SOLUTION: A pallet exchange device 200 includes: a vertical pivot axis 210a; a pallet support member 220 having a pair of forks 230; and a lifting mechanism (a servo motor 213 and a ball screw 214) which moves up or down the pallet support member 220 along the pivot axis 210a. The lifting mechanism moves down the pallet support member to a home position where the pallet support member does not interfere with a machine internal table 300 when the machine internal table advances to a process position in front of a spindle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A 【課題】構造簡単、低コストかつ省スペースで実現可能であり、ワーク入れ替え作業の操作性も向上するパレット交換装置およびパレット交換方法を提供する。【解決手段】パレット交換装置２００は、垂直な旋回軸２１０ａと、一対のフォーク２３０を有するパレット支持部材２２０と、パレット支持部材２２０を旋回軸２１０ａに沿って昇降させる昇降機構（サーボモータ２１３、ボールねじ２１４）を有する。昇降機構はパレット支持部材を、機内テーブル３００が主軸の前の加工位置に前進しているとき機内テーブルと干渉しない定位置に下降させる。【選択図】図２Ａ