In recent years, the growth of CNC automation and automated machine tending solutions has been driven by labor shortages and rising costs. With an estimated 20 million CNC machines installed worldwide, fewer than 10% manufacturers use robotic automation according to MIT.
The common barriers to adoption include:
- High costs
- Long payback periods
- Limited expertise
- Inflexible solutions for high-mix environments
Traditionally, two approaches have been offered to overcome these challenges: fully custom CNC automation solutions or pre-engineered turnkey CNC automation systems. Read on to explore both approaches—and discover a new way to automate CNC operations.
Custom Robotic Tending: Greater Flexibility & Costs for CNC Automation
One of the most common approaches is engineering a custom CNC automation solution from scratch. This traditional method involves working with a third-party who sources the right components from a vast array of OEM providers. The performance optimization and flexibility make it well-suited for high-precision industries like automotive, aerospace, and food and beverage.
However, this flexibility comes at a cost—higher CapEX, longer lead times, and increased technology risks.
Pros & Cons of Custom Robotic Tending
Pre-engineered Tending Solutions: Lower Costs, Limited Flexibility
As automation adoption grows across industries, “pre-engineered” or turnkey CNC automation solutions have emerged to standardize design and functionality. Standardizing common features offers several benefits, including faster deployment and lower costs. For example, out-of-the-box palletizing applications can be implemented in a few weeks, delivering immediate results.
However, the most significant limitation of turnkey CNC automation solutions is their lack of granular control compared to custom systems.
Pros & Cons of Pre-engineered Tending Solution
The New Way: Customizable Pre-Engineered Solutions
Vention now offers a hybrid approach to CNC automation, combining the flexibility of customization with the speed of pre-engineered solutions. This innovative method provides a custom, ready-to-work solution in less than two weeks. Manufacturers get access to a tailor solution quickly, leveraging Vention’s One Factory Ecosystem with over 2,200 plug-and-play parts.
Four Easy Steps to Configure Your Machine Tending Solution
1. Choose a base design
- Drawer system
- Angled parts presenter
2. Choose your collaborative robot
- Universal Robots: UR10e or UR30
- FANUC: CRX-10iA/L or CRX-20iA/L
- ABB: GoFa10 or GoFa12
3. Choose your gripper
- Electric two and three-finger grippers
- Pneumatic two-finger grippers
- Single or dual gripper configurations
- Vacuum grippers
4. Add optional features
- Tower lights
- Area scanners
- Tool changers
- CNC door actuators
- Force torque sensors
Start Automating Your CNC Operations with Confidence
Choosing the right CNC automation partner is key to achieving ROI, whether opting for a custom or pre-engineered solution. Vention’s dedicated team of experts handles everything from scoping to deployment, making it both fast and easy to automate CNC machining.
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Reach out to scope your application and get a design proposal within a few days.
