Any individual that has been in the business of manufacturing will tell you how labor intensive and even tedious it can be to tend a machine. By replacing this tedious and often dangerous task with a robot, you’re not only decreasing labor costs, you are increasing the productivity of your manufacturing process while making your workplace a safer place for your employees. Robots are able to work at a constant and truly repeatable rate which will increase productivity by up to 25%. Now, think about the possibility of adding lights-out manufacturing to increase productivity even more. You can be at home sleeping while your work force continues to operate through the night making your company more profitable while decreasing the risk of work place accidents.
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What is Machine Tending Automation?
Traditionally, machine tending has been performed by humans. Machine tending is the act of loading and unloading machines and restarting the machining process once the finished parts are removed from the machine. This is a laborious task and with qualified workers becoming more difficult to find, many companies have begun to rely on machine tending automation as a way to get ahead of the competition and run as lean and efficient as possible.
The most popular form of machine tending automation occurs in machine shops where the robot will load the raw material using a robotic arm with attached end effector, execute the program, and then removing and placing the finished part on a tray to be further processed or readied for quality control (yet another process that can be automated). This entire process is only limited by the amount of raw material available to be loaded by the robot and can be run in a continuous loop or run in a lights-out application after all employees have gone home for the day.
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Our Machine Tending Capabilities
- Pre-Engineered Machine Tending Automation Cells offer overall system cost savings with proven system designs.
- Optional Secondary Operations on your parts such as deburring, washing, inspection, marking/labeling, and final packaging.
- For certain applications, multiple machines can be tended using (1) robot system due to the 6-axis capability.
- Custom Machine Tending Solutions is what we do, so if one of our Pre-Engineered Machine Tending Automation Cells does not fit your need, we can work with you to create a system concept design to your liking.
- Custom part input and output solutions designed to suit the product being handled.
- Customization of end-of-arm tools to meet the application.
- Based on the size and weight of your part to be handled, JH Robotics can recommend the appropriate robot model to suite your needs.
Machine Tending Applications
There are many applications in a variety of industries where machine tending automation can greatly benefit the manufacturing process.
- CNC Lathe, Mill and Grinder Tending
- Press Tending
- Plastic Injection Mold Tending
- Powdered Metal Tending
- Furnace Tending
- Loading and unloading parts for robotic welding applications
Benefits of Automating Your Machine Tending Process
JH Robotics has the experience and expertise to handle every aspect of your machine tending needs. We’ve helped small business start-ups all the way up to Fortune 500 manufacturing companies increase productivity, enhance plant safety, and increase production times by integrating machine tending robotics into their manufacturing process. Other benefits of integrating machine tending automation include:
Machine Tending Robots Are Compact
Our machine tending robots can be integrated alongside, or on top of, a CNC machine for an ultra-compact solution where factory floor space is a valuable asset. Our new line of Collaborative Robots allows our machine tending robots to operate side-by-side with your human employees without the need for fences or other safety precautions.
Machine Tending Robots Save Money
Machine tending robots will save your company money over the long term by operating 24-7 and continue production after all your employees have gone home. They also require no sick-leave, vacations, benefits, and insurance that a normal employee requires. Installing machine tending robots also eliminates human error which can become costly to a business over time.
Machine Tending Robots Increase Throughput
By operating in a continuous loop, machine tending robots help increase the volume coming off the manufacturing floor. This also frees up other machines to fulfill additional contractual obligations, increasing the working capital of your business. In fact, manufacturers that add machine tending robots to their manufacturing process realize a minimum of 25% increase in net production.
Machine Tending Robots Make for a Safer and Stronger Workforce
By eliminating human error and increasing the level of safety by eliminating the interaction of employee hands in dangerous conditions, your manufacturing floor will become less prone to accidents. By showing your employees you care about their safety, you’re creating a more positive work environment and freeing up employees to perform more critical tasks in the manufacturing process.
Get a Complimentary Robotics Machine Tending Integration Quote from JH Robotics
Our experienced team of engineers, designers and integrators have the experience to successfully integrate machine tending robots into your manufacturing process. With over 30 years of experience in the robotics industry we’ve become the experts that manufactures rely on when it comes to automation. Call us today at 607-729-3758 or visit our online estimate form to get started on making your company more productive, more profitable, and running lean.