Using Cobots for Sheet Metal Fabrication: Lessons We Learned Along the Way
Automation and robotics are at the forefront of innovation within manufacturing. These technologies evoke imagery of fully automated factories in the not-too-distant future manufacturing parts and products without the need for humans. But that’s still a long way off, if it ever fully comes to pass. In today’s advanced manufacturing facilities, cobots — collaborative robots — work side by side with people to perform specific functions and enable lights-out manufacturing.
Throughout our Michigan custom metal fabrication facilities, we’re leveraging advancements in robotics and automation to create integrated workflows, expand our capabilities, and make time-consuming tasks more efficient. And while robotics and automation can propel manufacturing efficiency to the next level, using cobots for sheet metal fabrication also poses many challenges. However, by working through and overcoming these challenges, we’ve grown our knowledge of robotics and automation at PMMCO, and want to share some of what we’ve learned about implementing and leveraging cobots in sheet metal manufacturing.
Challenges in Preparing to Use Cobots for Sheet Metal Fabrication
When you imagine implementing robotics within a manufacturing environment, you might think that it can solve all of your production issues and manufacture any type of part with ease. However, that’s certainly not the case. Working with cobots, like most things, has a learning curve, and it takes a lot of careful planning — as well as trial and error — to figure out what a cobot can do well and how to optimize your operations for automation.
Here are some things to consider:
You May Have to Modify Your Existing Equipment
When we were looking into acquiring a cobot to use with one of our press brakes, we tested it on a Trumpf machine at the cobot vendor’s facility; as expected, everything worked flawlessly together. However, when we brought the cobot into our shop and set it up with our Cincinnati press brake, we discovered that the cobot’s gripper would hit the bed of our machine due to some interference in front of it. To fix this, we needed to make some minor modifications to our press brake to allow the cobot to work with it smoothly.
From this experience, we learned that while cobots are very adaptable and versatile, machines like press brakes can be just different enough to require some degree of modification in order to optimize them for automation.
Not All Parts Are Well-Suited for Automation
In high-mix, low-volume custom metal fabrication, we leverage our forming, stamping, and laser cutting capabilities to manufacture parts in all shapes and sizes. Though many of these parts are well-suited for automation, others — specifically long, thin parts that require forming — are best left to human operators.
So when using cobots for sheet metal fabrication, it’s incredibly important to determine:
Which types of parts can be automated effectively
If you manufacture enough of these types of parts to justify automation
Which parts are less efficient or not feasible to manufacture using a cobot
Hands-On Training Is a Must
Cobots may seem simple and intuitive since they’re designed to collaborate with people, but using them effectively does require some degree of familiarity with robotics. That’s why, before we could begin actually using cobots for sheet metal fabrication, we trained our team extensively on how to program and optimize cobots for different operations, use them from day to day, and perform troubleshooting.
While training might seem like a given, whenever you’re implementing new forms of technology, especially within a potentially dangerous manufacturing environment, it’s absolutely critical that the operators understand how to use the equipment properly and what to do if things go wrong.
Expanding Capacity With a Focus on Quality
At Progressive Metal Manufacturing Company (PMMCO), we’re big believers in using robotics and automation to scale capacity and drive efficiency throughout our operations. While we’re continuously iterating on our processes and learning from our experiences, our cobots are already having a huge impact, expanding our ability to manufacture greater volumes of quality parts for our customers.
But as a Michigan metal fabrication company with over 60 years of experience, it’s not cobots that set us apart; rather, it’s our team’s expertise that spans every facet of precision sheet metal fabrication that allows us to truly exceed our customers’ expectations. So if you’re looking for a manufacturing partner that can provide you with comprehensive sheet metal solutions and has the capacity to scale with your needs, contact us or request a quote today.