FORMING AND FABRICATING AUTOMATION
8.3: Part Sorting
A bout half of new laser cutter and CNC punch press purchases include automation. Newer to the automation mix: part denesting and stacking, automated guided vehicles and warehousing systems. Here's how they can provide a return. Next-Level Automation— Benefits and ROI
manager for automation. “Robotic part picking of some sort automat- ically removes parts from the sheet skeleton, removing manual labor and simplifying the process of transferring parts to the next pro- cess,” Hillenbrand says. “Again, that doesn’t directly impact machine greenlight time and direct machine ROI, but it directly impacts part cost.”
Automated loading/unloading, along with the incorporation of material-storage tow- ers, represent the most common laser and CNC punching machine automation found in fabricating operations, and time-tested ROI investigations have proven their worth. Next- level automation, on the other hand, remains less familiar, with ROI determination a trickier prospect. A next-level example, automated systems provide for part removal from sheet nests and subsequent stacking—a significant im - provement over manual operations, accord- ing to Jason Hillenbrand, general manager of blanking and automation for Amada America, and Phil Picardat, the company’s product
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