Automate with CNC.

If we are talking about series production, the size of which would keep an unmanned CNC machine busy for around an hour, CNC automation with loading robots is already worthwhile. Optimised automation is also advantageous for compact production areas or critical production paths where intermediate storage space is limited but must be fully utilised.

One solution here, for example, is the tower with inlays. The workpiece carriers are stored horizontally in these devices. This not only allows the storage space to be utilised efficiently, but also creates more freedom of movement for the movements of the CNC automation.

The industries that benefit from CNC automation cannot be counted on the fingers of one hand. If you manufacture either plastic or metal parts, different machine concepts are required in each case. But with the right concept and decisive gripper finger technology, every production chain is supported. If the focus is on the flexibility of these systems, they can also support producers who switch between different products and small batches in short periods of time.

As already mentioned, the biggest advantage is the increased continuity of your production. This allows you to plan better and achieve maximum capacity utilisation of your systems. The production chain benefits from a higher throughput rate. It should also be mentioned at this point that not only CNC machines, but also lathes can be automated.

However, any form of automation in companies always has disadvantages. The shortage of labour, especially among CNC machine operators, is a problem that led to the increase in automation in the first place. Without automation with robots, many industries have no chance of operating economically. The shortage of skilled labour is being exacerbated by the increasing use of robot technology, meaning that more and more machine operators see no future in their industry.

Certain sub-steps still cannot be fully automated and successful interaction with the machine (see "cobots", i.e. collaborative robots) is crucial for these processes. Furthermore, you will only receive information on the need for optimisation from specialists who are directly involved in production.

Another advantage, which has only been roughly outlined here so far, is the compatibility with CNC machines. Regardless of the machine brand, all production levels can be equipped with CNC automation. The solutions also take existing software into account. The robots query the machining status and possibly also the component data via interfaces. No robot specialist is required to commission the CNC automation system, as the solutions are designed to be user-friendly - but the focus is often on plug and play anyway, so that no human intervention is necessary.

Integrated solutions are used when the entire CNC automation takes place in machining cells, for example. The workpieces are supplied and removed in a confined space. This promises an extremely efficient use of CNC technology in a limited space. However, one disadvantage of very large production systems could be that your skilled labour can no longer reach the machines easily or that the magazine size of tools in the cell is restricted. In order to ensure greater accessibility, separate systems ensure a spatial distribution of production systems and the associated automation.

The answer depends entirely on what you want to achieve with CNC automation. If the focus is purely on compensating for the shortage of skilled labour, you will be faced with an investment shortly after commissioning that should pay for itself relatively quickly. If you are more interested in the continuity of production, you will benefit from a system concept that theoretically keeps your production running 24/7. The only trade-off is between electricity costs, wear and tear and personnel.

As mentioned at the beginning, you can automate every production step from feeding and removing workpieces to workpiece storage. Another question in this context could be which production steps can be saved through CNC automation. In contrast to manual operations, the correct positioning of the workpieces ensures that they no longer have to be fed in the next processing step, but that the entire load is inserted into the machine.

As a production hall is not a virtual space and workpieces are optimally moved by automation, but are not digital files that float around as if in software, transport routes need space. As with the difference between integrated and separate solutions, the automation of transport routes also reaches its limits. And this happens as soon as machines literally get in their own way. For example, a robot may need more freedom of movement or may not be able to reach every neighbouring machine, meaning that another transport unit has to be used due to a lack of reach.

Technical progress will certainly lead to more sophisticated systems in the future. But with an increasing shortage of skilled labour, you should not wait to implement the necessary systems that many industries are already switching to. isel Germany AG relies exclusively on systems that will continue to support your production successfully for years to come. Apart from the shortage of skilled labour, the so-called industrial revolution 4.0 is also causing movement in the industries. By connecting to the internet, previously regionally strong markets are becoming volatile and are developing very strong dynamics. In order to serve these markets, production must be stable and optimised. In certain industries, it is no longer enough to convince with a certain quality; mass delivery is crucial.