Within the manufacturing trade, robotic machine tending has lengthy been seen as troublesome and complicated. It takes numerous talent and expertise to automate the duty of loading and unloading a CNC machine.
This perceived complexity of machine tending has been a deterrent for a lot of companies. Robotics additionally looks like an costly funding, because it requires you to buy new and specialised gear.
Over the previous few years, machine tending automation has develop into loads less complicated to make use of. Due to the arrival of collaborative robots — and, extra not too long ago, robotic utility kits — you now not have to fret about coping with the complexities of robotic expertise.
All you want is an understanding of the fundamentals and also you’re good to go!
Listed here are 10 the reason why machine tending automation is now simpler to make use of than ever…
1. Robotic expertise is less complicated to make use of
Due to the persevering with development of robotic expertise, machine tending automation simply retains getting simpler and simpler to make use of.
For nearly all of business historical past, machine operators have needed to have a tendency CNC machines manually. Robotic machine tending has been an answer for a few years, however the expertise has been restrictively advanced, particularly for machinists who do not typically have robotics expertise.
Lately, robots have develop into really easy to make use of that even machinists with no robotics data can use them.
2. Programs can combine with any CNC machine
One downside with typical machine tending options is that they require numerous customization and complicated programming.
Conventional robotic integration strategies contain interfacing with the CNC machine’s communication protocols. This may be troublesome to implement, significantly for older machines that weren’t designed with automation in thoughts.
New automation options, just like the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer, can interface with nearly any CNC machine because it makes use of non-invasive integration.
3. Robotic programming is now not an elite exercise
Many individuals consider that robotic programming is troublesome and requires numerous expertise. Up to now, this was true… however not anymore.
Nowadays, programming robots for machine tending duties is now simpler than ever earlier than. With the programming wizard supplied in a robotic utility equipment, customers simply want to pick a number of properties of their process and this system will do all of the advanced programming work routinely.
4. Plug-and-play utility kits simplify every little thing
A latest growth in robotics is plug-and-play utility kits. These comprise every little thing that you must deploy a robotic to a selected utility.
An utility equipment will embody elements such because the robotic arm itself, the controller, extra {hardware} (corresponding to that required to interface with the CNC machine), and all crucial software program.
An instance of such an utility equipment is the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer.
5. Robots are extra reasonably priced than they was
Robots are more and more turning into extra reasonably priced, which is opening robotic automation as much as extra new customers. Firms that would not have been in a position to afford machine tending automation prior to now can now entry it simply.
With extra folks utilizing robots, that is making them much more reasonably priced as economies of scale come into play. This virtuous cycle is prone to end in ever-increasing numbers of robots being deployed throughout industries.
6. You may have higher entry to assist and coaching
One factor that makes any new expertise simpler to make use of is plentiful entry to high-quality assist and coaching. Whereas some folks nonetheless suppose that robots are troublesome to make use of, with the fitting assist and coaching, they are often extraordinarily user-friendly.
Assets like our free Robotiq eLearning platform cut back numerous the friction historically related to robotic integration.
7. There are a lot of success tales to be taught from
When you find yourself contemplating investing in any new expertise, it may be extraordinarily useful to listen to the success tales of others who’ve used the identical expertise.
With collaborative robotic machine tending, there at the moment are loads of useful success tales you’ll be able to view. These may help you see how others have utilized robots to their CNC machines.
You will discover some tales in our Case Research library and much more within the DoF robotics discussion board.
8. The payback time is impressively quick
One essential issue for any new expertise funding is the payback time — the time it takes for the expertise to “pay for itself.”
A shorter payback time typically signifies {that a} specific expertise can have the next return on funding (ROI) over the course of its lifetime.
Collaborative robots typically have an impressively quick payback time in comparison with typical automation. A machine tending cobot pays for itself in just some months.
9. You possibly can implement automation step by step
Standard automation was typically an “all or nothing” state of affairs — you both automated your total workflow otherwise you automated nothing.
With collaborative robots and fashionable utility kits, you can begin small by simply making use of machine tending to 1 CNC machine.
After getting validated the automation strategy with one machine, it is easy to copy-and-paste the robotic cell to different machines in your facility. This lets you step by step develop your automation over time.
10. Robotic expertise is continually enhancing
During the last decade, we have seen robotic expertise turning into simpler and simpler to make use of.
With these developments, we have seen increasingly folks beginning to use robots for his or her machine tending. Producers in varied industries have discovered robots to be an ideal resolution to assist them enhance productiveness, cut back downtime, and make the most effective use of their human employees.
Robotic expertise is constantly evolving. With the arrival of utility kits, just like the Robotiq Machine Tending Answer, it is now simpler than ever for brand new customers to maintain up-to-date with the newest developments.
So… which machine tending process may you automate?
What has been holding you again from automating machine tending? Inform us within the feedback under or be part of the dialogue on LinkedIn, Twitter, Fb, or the DoF skilled robotics group.
