Page 21 - MetalForming March 2023 - PMA Chairman Jeff Aznavorian
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  automation solution. For perspective on these top- ics, I spoke with Josh Mayse, vice president and cofounder of Mid Atlantic Machinery, Harrisburg, PA. Mayse has more than
25 years of experience deploying automation for metal formers and fabri- cators, and Mid Atlantic Machinery has developed cobot-powered systems specially designed for press brakes and stamping presses. The discussion produced these five con- siderations when assess- ing cobot-based automation.
1. Integrator
If this is your company’s first automation project, then almost cer- tainly it would be beneficial to have an integrator help with the initial deployment. Not only can the integra- tor take care of any technical signaling issues that may arise, but also provide additional hands-on training to sup- plement that provided by the cobot maker.
If deciding to pursue an integrator, look for companies with experience automating processes for fabricators, advises Mayse.
“You want a reputable integrator that can show some past work in automation for metal formers and fab- ricators,” he says, “not someone doing their first rodeo. An inexperienced inte- grator won’t be able to provide the training required to enable effective takeover by the manufacturer.”
On the technical side, the most important integration issue related to press brake and stamping applications involves obtaining the correct signaling between the automation and the exist- ing machinery.
“Make sure to employ a lot of safety protections in the cell—especially die protection,” Mayse offers. “Most com- panies will have integrators perform that work.”
anxiety among many metal for- mers and fabricators about their ability to successfully deploy and manage robots inhouse. Cobots change the dynamic due to their usability. From the end-user per- spective, a well-designed cobot solution is one in which all of the complexity has been engineered away from sight, replaced by user- friendly interfaces and program- ming methods.
The best way to lessen automation-related anxieties: Obtain some hands-on experi- ence with a cobot-based solution. Invariably, these initial fears fade away when people come face-to-
18 MetalForming/March 2023
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In this stamping cell at Siouxland Fabricating, a cobot mounted on a wheeled platform for rapid and simple movement between sta- tions picks up parts from the left pallet, places them in the stamp- ing machine (center) then palletizes the finished parts on the right. Photo courtesy of Universal Robots.
Mayse advises companies not to be put off by their experiences with the complexity and sunken-time cost of traditional automation.
”We have seen more than a few companies sit on traditional robots for a year or two trying to integrate them until they become fed up,” he says. “These projects can give the culture a bad taste for the robots and for automation in general.”
2. Programming Simplicity
A main attraction of cobots: They often are much easier to program than traditional automation, which enables end users of varying skill levels to pro- gram automation inhouse. However, some solutions prove easier to program than others. For example, some cobots can be programmed simply by guiding them into position manually and then completing some simple steps on a teach pendant or via desktop, laptop or smartphone. Other systems will require some previous robotics expe- rience on the part of the end user.
Be sure that the chosen solution matches your company’s inhouse skill level, as due diligence on this point will reduce the time—and stress level— associated with deployment.
3. Training Resources
The reputation of traditional press- room automation as complex causes
face with cobot-programming process- es. Consider it part of the training process.
When selecting a cobot, look for offerings that provide easy access to hands-on demos with engineering and production teams. This will lessen any fears around cobot complexity and provide an opportunity to answer ques- tions about the details of the process selected for automation.
Hands-on demos represent just part of the spectrum of training resources provided by cobot suppliers. Look for free online courses, simulators and training videos, too. Content is avail- able for end users of all skill levels, from ebooks that introduce key con- cepts to video tutorials that guide potential users through the finer points of an application deployment. Note that due to its overall ease of use, the training required to operate a cobot proves minimal as compared to the training required to operate a tradi- tional industrial robot.
The team at Mid Atlantic Machinery, Harrisburg, PA, for example, can inte- grate and deploy a cobot-powered stamping solution within 1 to 2 weeks, according to Mayse. This includes training that leaves end users as “mas- ters” of the system, he says. In contrast, a traditional stamping-automation sys- tem may take at least 1 to 2 mo. to inte- grate, train users on and deploy. Even











































































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