Automation-ebook-2026

FORMING AND FABRICATING AUTOMATION

The Power of Tightly Knit Laser Cutting Automation A

The Automation Spectrum— Where to Jump In A full manufacturing process.

utomation makes today’s laser cutting machines even more capable. And, backed by integrated controls and sophisticated job and process software, automation can tie various fabrication processes together to ensure seamless workflow.

n integrated approach to fabrication— through automation and Industry 4.0— enables efficient movement of sheets, work in process and parts through the

load/unload automation to the speed and table size/processing area of a laser cutting machine, and matching all of that to any related denesting, picking and stacking au- tomation, according to Plass. And, teaming advanced automation with software that not only controls the robotics and automation

“Most fabricators perform high-mix, low-volume produc- tion—a wide variety of parts that must be picked, stacked and sorted,” Kyle Plass, Prima Power regional sales manager, says, drilling down on how au- tomation supports such pro- duction. “When laser cutting, a fabricator can dynamically nest or static nest. Static nest- ing involves repeating a cer- tain mix of parts on a sheet or

Adding automation is a known solution for challenges on a fabrication shop floor. Sheet load and unload systems, automated storage and retrieval, automated transfer of work in process (WIP) and finished parts through multiple processes all lead to big time and labor savings, as well as quickened return on investment. Pairing such automation solutions with Industry 4.0 technology offers the promise of even bigger rewards, according to Andrea Scarpari, CEO of Salvagnini America, a provider of fabrication equipment and related automation. “An efficient machine does not require manual movement of the workpiece during processing, save for loading the blank and unloading the finished product,” Scarpari says. “Integrating the machine with material handling technology for automatic loading

A full automated setup enables lights-out laser cutting, including material loading

and part/sheet unloading and transport for further processing. Success in such efforts demands fast, reliable communication and buffering between line components, made possible through advanced controls and able integration. Shown here: the Night Train FMS (Flexible Manufacturing System) from Prima Power.

for each job, but ties all of it seamlessly into a man- ufacturing execution system (MES) and overarching enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, adds greatly to process efficiency and productivity, accord - ing to Plass.

just a single part nested on the sheet. Dynamic nesting may mean a new nest of parts each shift or each day. Fabricators require that kind of flexibility, and automation should be able to optimize for static and dynamic nesting.” Buffering, of great importance, essentially means ensuring that each piece of automation equipment can handle the speed, physical capacity and production capability of each other piece as well as the laser cutting machine. This means matching the capacity and loading capability of a material-storage tower and

and unloading takes it to another level. The next level integrates material han- dling with all shop-floor operations—this is where Industry 4.0 comes in.”

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