Grow in the dark
Even low-volume operations producing many different parts can benefit from lights-out production.
Product Category
Automation & Controls
Automation Made Easy
A multitasking lathe, coupled with robotic loading or bar loading, is a simple but effective form of automation.
Auto Saw
Automation of sawing operations. Just as there are numerous ways to saw bar stock, multiple methods exist to automate the sawing operation.
Flex Time
Targeting only certain processes for automation and maintaining flexibility can pay big dividends.
Collaboration Drives Cost-Effective Automation in Auto Parts
By fostering creativity and teamwork among its equipment suppliers, an auto parts maker creates cost-effective automation technology.
Shop Chop
Redoing your tool storage and shop layout can pay big dividends.
Productivity Pickup
Pick-and-place robots boost productivity and, say experts, may save U.S. shops.
No-Defect Finishes
Abrasive selection and automation are keys to successful finishing of artificial implants.
Unattended Tool Grinding
A CNC tool grinder connected to an automated loading unit can be programmed to grind tools during a shop's off hours. This article discusses the planning and preparation that are necessary to set up an unattended run.
The Real Price of Automation
While CNCs and part-handling equipment offer labor, time and money savings, they also require dramatic changes in the way a shop operates. This article looks at the investment in equipment, personnel and training that shops have to make over and above the cost of the automated machines themselves.
Optimal Automation
The efficiency of a die-sinker EDM operation can be enhanced by automating at least part of the work handling or tool handling. This article describes the automation that is available, from the simplest electrode grippers to fully automated toolchanging systems.