Robotic machine tending can provide more complex manipulation and handling capabilities than basic material handling operations. Industrial robots are the perfect automation solution for this application. Using robots in machine tending reduces cycle time and saves our customers money while increasing productivity. Robots can feed all types of machines, from press and shearing to injection molding machines. Manual machine tending can be a tedious and dangerous job that requires a high level of consistency. Robotic machine tending increases the safety levels in the facilities by protecting the employees from this boring, injurious job.
Machine Tending
Fields of Application:
- Loading and unloading on CNC milling and turning machines
- Loading and unloading products on injection machines
- Loading and unloading materials to the presses
- Loading and unloading for the grinding process
- Stamping, punching, cutting, forging press loading and unloading
- Holding a product for the welding process
Benefits of Robotic Machine Tending
Thanks to its in-house design and manufacturing flexibility, Eurobotik can undertake highly customized machine tending projects.
- Repeatable precision and improved production quality
- Minimizes human error and improves ergonomic conditions
- Short return on investment and low overhead cost compared to manual machine tending
- Robots can be mounted between 2 machines or on top to save valuable floor space
- 24/7 production with increased machine and system usage
One of the main benefits of robotic machine tending is significantly improved uptime compared to manual loading and unloading. The only time the robot needs to stop is for regular maintenance, so the efficiency of producing the machine is not limited to manual labor. This increase in working time increases productivity, leading to greater productivity gains.
Besides increasing working time, robotic machine tending systems are more accurate and repeatable than manual loading and unloading operations. This not only improves the quality of the parts produced, it can reduce the amount of errors in the machining process, maximize throughput and minimize wasted materials and time.
Robotic machine tending systems provide many benefits for manufacturers. It provides efficiency for everything from grinding to milling and turning.
Shorten Cycle Time
Even if production is automatic, a worker is often needed to feed the machines. In this case, the production speed is still controlled by the speed of a person. Using a robot for machine tending saves some time per cycle. Saving a few seconds per cycle can result in a significant increase in production over weeks and months. What’s more, a robotic machine tending system can work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Save Cost
Cycle time is directly related to your production costs. Also, labor costs can drop significantly, because a worker can deal with multiple robots. A machine tending robot is also cheaper than a specially designed manual tending system and is more flexible as it can be adapted to multiple parts.
Save Space
Manufacturers often think that robots that feed machinery should be placed in front of the machine. On the contrary, robots can be installed on top of the machines and serve two machines at the same time. Robots tend to be more compact and flexible, so they can be installed inside the machine (of course, for large CNC machines!). This will save a lot of space in the workshop.
How Do You Know When It Is Time to Automate Machine Tending Processes?
Almost any machine tending process can be profitably automated, but it can be difficult when it will make sense to automate machine processing processes, especially when the potential for efficiency and return on investment is unknown.
4 Signs of the Time to Automate Machine Tending Operations
Switching to a Top Model CNC:
Old CNC machines offer additional barriers that make automation profitable. However, newer CNC machines can easily integrate with automated systems, sometimes with a simple software package. When new CNC machines are installed, it is a good time to consider robotic machine tending solutions.
Production Bottlenecks:
If production parts begin to accumulate during loading or unloading of machines, the machine is either too slow or too fast for other operations. Robotic machine tending automation will create a smoother product flow and increase efficiency.
Processes Before and After Production:
Often cleaning parts before or after machining or should be audited. This can also create production bottlenecks. If other processes create inefficiency, robotic automation can be the solution.
Investment Return Issues:
The ability to earn Return on Investment is not static. Finding workforce can be difficult, automation implementation costs can be reduced and the need for productivity can increase. When ROI targets can be achieved, it’s time to take robotic automation seriously in machine tending.
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