Automation of a turning/milling combination? We’ll build a Smart robot in not time!

Complex questions are no stranger to us. This client was struggling with a problem within its production process. Our professionals tackled this problem head on and came up with a creative customised solution. A case where our qualities really came to the fore. Read about the process below:

The client’s request: How do I best automate my productions?

The company behind this high-tech case was looking for a solution to automate its production process. It had to contribute to a better organised production process around their turning & milling combination. This new production process obviously had to meet several requirements, which were as follows:

• Working more efficiently
• Significant cost savings
• More reliable in terms of stability

The cleaning of the products also had to be part of the solution. In addition, they also wanted the possibility to provide all products with a unique coding. A solid set of requirements where only a customised solution could be the answer.

The technical challenge

The challenge lies precisely in the different aspects our client was looking for. The solution we would develop had to be able to process a range of products in various different shapes and sizes as quickly and efficiently as possible. It was also important that the production process would be robust and reliable. The solution had to have consistent performance and the need to produce 24/7.

As it was a completely new solution, it also had to be simpler to operate and more user-friendly for the operator.
This was a very tough set of requirements, but in the end we came up with a solution that could tick off all these points.

The solution: A robot arm that automatically processes the various products

To arrive at the actual solution, we automated the process by stationing a Fanuc robotic arm at the 5-axis turning & milling machine (Okuma Multus B400). This robot arm is able to take the products from the turning & milling machine and move them to the various stations where the product can be further processed.
Naturally, the operator has also been considered; by means of a user-friendly user interface that is easy to operate, the ease of use is greatly increased. In addition to these features, this system is also extremely flexible because the various products can easily be added to the recipe structure in the software.

In the end, we surprisingly quickly realised an extremely reliable solution that contributes to automating the production process, partly due to the integration of high-quality purchasing parts. We also took care of the CE certification, of course.

Are you curious about the other challenging issues for which we were able to come up with a suitable solution? Then take a look at all our cases here.

Or perhaps you yourself are facing a technical challenge for which you are unable to come up with a solution? Get in touch with us, we’d love to take a look!