Progressive Press Automation

Background

Previously, the customer relied on manual labor to load and unload metal parts at each press station. Operators moved between machines, placing raw blanks into the press, waiting for the cycle to complete, and retrieving finished parts. This introduced safety risks, fatigue, and inconsistent cycle times.

Customer Pain Points

• Manual press loading created high risk of injury, especially near pinch points.
• Repetitive strain caused operator fatigue and long-term health risks.
• Cycle-time variation created inconsistent throughput due to operator pace.
• Labor constraints made it difficult to maintain staffing for these tasks.

Automation Application Overview

The production line forms stamped metal components through three progressive press operations. A cobot is assigned to each press, and a single operator handles the loading of raw parts onto the conveyor. The cobots handle tending the presses and passing parts along the line.

Key Features

• Cycle-based sequence synchronized with the press.
• Custom end-effector adapted for part shapes.
• Compact footprint for deployment in existing lines.
• Safe robot-press handoff zone to prevent collisions.

Operation Flow

• Operator places raw blanks on in-feed conveyor tray.
• Sensor 1 detects part and triggers Robot 1.
• Robot 1 loads blank into Hanoul Press, waits, then unloads finished part back to conveyor.
• Part travels; Sensor 2 triggers Robot 2.
• Robot 2 loads part into Simpac Press, waits, and unloads back to conveyor.
• Part travels; Sensor 3 triggers Robot 3.
• Robot 3 loads part into Kukil Press, waits, and unloads finished component.
• Operator performs final QC or packing as needed.

System Components

• Robots: 3 x Indy7 cobots, one per press.
• Conveyor: powered belt linking all presses with inductive sensors at each pick-up zone.
• End-effectors: custom parallel grippers with rubberized fingers for stable handling of oily blanks.