Robots Equip Your Shop in Taking Quality and Efficiency to the Next Level
Enhance your shop’s profitability with the latest in robotics and automation systems that connect your manufacturing processes, resulting in greater production optimization. Transform a Standalone… The post Robots Equip Your Shop in Taking Quality and Efficiency to the Next Level appeared first on Fabricating & Metalworking.
Enhance your shop’s profitability with the latest in robotics and automation systems that connect your manufacturing processes, resulting in greater production optimization.
Transform a Standalone Press Brake into a 24/7 Automated Bending System
Built at the AMADA AMERICA Carolina Manufacturing Center in High Point, N.C., the HRB Series press brakes are engineered for maximum versatility and ease of use. When paired with AMADA’s Collaborative Robot (COBOT) system, the 88-ton HRB 8025 press brake transforms into a high-precision automated bending system, allowing seamless transitions between automated and manual operation.
AMADA’s Cobot System is the ultimate solution to transform your standalone press brake into a 24/7 automated bending system. This system is equipped with an easy drag and drop programming interface that allows operators to quickly set up programs at the machine and streamline the bending process. Blanks can be delivered on a standard pallet and picked up directly with the cobot without having to hand load blanks onto a gauging table.
New Laser Measuring System Adds AI to Plate Rolling
Davi Inc.’s (Addison, TX) new iVision laser radius measuring system for its e-POWER fully electric machines brings artificial intelligence (AI) to the plate rolling process, making it significantly simpler and giving shops the ability to run machines unmanned. With the combination of AI and a specific algorithm, iVision encompasses reading/measuring and self-correction through the e-POWER fully electric machine’s CNC to automatically adjust in real time. This streamlines the rolling process and ensures the most accurate results in the shortest amount of time possible.
In a typical rolling process, operators will load a plate and start rolling. As the plate is rolled, they manually check its radius with a template, then return to the control, make the adjustment, advance the plate further and repeat the procedure until the desired radius size is achieved. This back-and-forth procedure can happen several times during a single plate rolling sequence. Because iVision eliminates the need for templates, the system not only speeds the process, but it also significantly reduces the need for highly experienced operators to make those manual adjustments.
Unlike other similar systems, iVision uses a “laser blade” as opposed to just a single laser beam point. The laser blade scans a wider rounded area, taking thousands of points along the curved surface of the radius at one time. When systems use only one laser beam point, there is a risk that material surface mill scale and other shop environmental conditions such as light reflections could negatively affect the measurements. What’s more, iVision’s laser head moves up and down in the vertical axis as well as tilts. Such capability ensures that the laser blade is always in the ideal position for measuring the radius regardless of its size.
Once a measurement is taken, the system sends the reading point data to the e-POWER machine’s CNC that then quickly makes the required side roll adjustments in real time. Davi also offers the iVision system in another version called iRadius that simply provides the measurement in a digital readout for operators themselves to make the necessary adjustments when running machines without CNC controls.
Fully Automated Punch-Laser Combination Machine for Connected Manufacturing
TRUMPF (Farmington, CT) has launched its TruMatic 5000 manufacturing cell with the new SheetMaster in the North American market. Users of the new system will benefit from fully automated laser cutting, punching and forming capabilities. “This solution is designed for seamless integration in a self-contained smart factory and will give users efficiency gains along the entire process chain,” said TRUMPF Inc. Product Manager for TruPunch and TruMatic Roger Michaud.
The SheetMaster enables a fully automated flow of materials within the manufacturing cell — from loading and unloading the machine to removing finished parts. The combination machine is equipped with a 6 kW fiber laser to maximize productivity. As well as saving energy, this laser does an impressively fast job of cutting sheet metal parts. The system comes with a descending die that prevents parts from being scratched during the punching process. The TruMatic 5000 punching head also comes with a patented TRUMPF electric drive known as the Delta Drive, which uses around 30% less energy.
TRUMPF has fully automated the material flow in the TruMatic 5000, which is made possible by the new SheetMaster technology, which uses grippers to handle parts in the manufacturing cell. The suction cups on the SheetMaster’s grippers are monitored by sensors and can be activated individually. This makes gripper operation even more flexible, speeding up workpiece handling and saving valuable time, especially for smaller batches. In addition, the SheetMaster can be connected to an automated STOPA storage system which automatically supplies the manufacturing cell with raw material. The system also palletizes and sorts the parts without human intervention. Further benefits of the new SheetMaster include its ability to eject cut and punched parts from the manufacturing cell. Parts can then be transported directly to the next stage of the process.
The TruMatic 5000 also includes the ToolMaster, a tool changer with up to 90 different tool cartridges that can automatically switch between multiple punching and forming tools. The ToolMaster enables users to produce small, high-mix batches of parts without having to manually retool the machine.
Typical areas of application for the TruMatic 5000 include production for industrial kitchens, control-cabinet manufacturing, and the furniture industry.
Design, Build and Simulate Re-imagined, More Efficient Production Lines
Visual Components (Carmel, IN) showcased its full suite of simulation and offline programming robotic software at FABTECH 2024, which featured the company’s flexible and customizable solutions. “For a company that needs to improve output, it can be daunting to change because variables seem endless,” said Graham Wloch, director of business development at Visual Components. “We eliminate guesswork for our customers with our simulation software by running scenarios and identifying new processes compatible for all departments.” Visual Components’ simulation software includes an extensive library of 3D models with more than 1,600 robots, more than 70 brands, and a wide range of conveyors, machines, resources, robot tools, factory facilities and more. The ready-made components allow manufacturers to design, build and simulate re-imagined, more efficient production lines. A feasibility analysis feature identifies and resolves production issues in the virtual environment and provides vital data for all members of a production team. “Our simulation goes far beyond adding robotics to meet production goals,” Wloch added. “We examine labor allocation, space optimization, shipping functions, and any function that influences final output.” Finally, virtual systems can be connected to physical programmable logic and robotic controllers to debug and streamline processes.
Also, at FABTECH, Visual Components showcased its offline programming (OLP) robotic software.
Compatible with any industrial robot brand, process or complexity, Visual Components leverages the flexibility of its software to integrate with the customer and not the other way around. The OLP improves robot utilization rate with fast, accurate and error-free programing. Manufacturers decrease downtime because robots can continue working on the production floor while programmers update or re-program them from anywhere. In addition, the OLP software stores process knowledge making it simple to reuse programs and preserve institutional information.
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