Questions About Robots, Cobots, Machine Tending or Automation? Ask Us — No Calls, No Hassle, No Sales Pressure.
Have a question about industrial robots, collaborative robots, CNC machine tending, palletizing, robotic material handling or manufacturing automation?
Ask Hillary Machinery's automation team. We'll give you a practical answer based on your application without requiring a sales call or turning your question into a high-pressure sales process.
Whether you're just beginning to investigate robotics or already have a specific automation project in mind, we're happy to help you understand what is practical, what it might require and what questions you should be asking before making an investment.
What Can You Ask Us?
Almost anything related to industrial robotics and manufacturing automation. Common questions include:
- Can a robot or cobot tend my CNC machine?
- Should I use a collaborative robot or traditional industrial robot?
- How much payload and reach does my application require?
- Can one robot tend multiple CNC machines?
- How are parts presented to a machine-tending robot?
- How does a robot communicate with a CNC machine?
- What type of gripper or end-of-arm tooling will I need?
- Can an existing CNC machine be automated?
- Can an existing robot be repurposed for another application?
- What safety equipment or guarding will my application require?
- Can vision be used to locate or inspect parts?
- Can robots perform deburring, grinding, sanding or material removal?
- Can a robot palletize finished products?
- How difficult is robot programming?
- How do I determine whether automation will make financial sense?
CNC Machine Tending Questions
Automating CNC Lathes, Turning Centers & Machining Centers
CNC machine tending is one of the most common manufacturing automation applications. Robots and cobots can be used to load raw parts, unload completed parts and interact with CNC machine tools as part of an automated production process.
If you're considering automating a CNC machine, tell us about the machine, part size and weight, current cycle time, production volume and how the operator currently loads and unloads the part.
Learn More About Robotic Machine Tending →
Robot or Cobot?
We'll Help You Understand Which Approach Fits the Application
One of the most common automation questions is whether an application should use a collaborative robot (cobot) or a traditional industrial robot.
There isn't one answer that fits every application. The right approach depends on factors including payload, reach, required cycle time, robot speed, part presentation, floor space, operator interaction and the process being automated.
Tell us what you're trying to accomplish and we'll help you understand which approach deserves further consideration.
Learn About FANUC CRX Collaborative Robots →
Robotic Palletizing & Material Handling Questions
Industrial robots can automate repetitive palletizing, depalletizing, pick-and-place and material-handling operations.
If you're evaluating one of these applications, useful information includes the product dimensions and weight, production rate, pallet configuration, required reach and how material currently moves through the process.
Robotic Material Removal Questions
Robots can also be applied to repetitive manufacturing processes including deburring, sanding, grinding, trimming and other material-removal operations.
These applications require consideration of the part geometry, material, tooling, required finish, process forces and how parts will be presented to the robot.
Explore Robotic Material Removal →
Custom Robotic Automation Questions
Not every manufacturing problem fits into a standard automation package. A custom robotic system may combine the robot with vision, end-of-arm tooling, workholding, part presentation, conveyors, controls, safety systems and other production equipment.
If you have a process that you think should be automated but aren't sure how to approach it, describe what your operators currently do and what you would like to accomplish.
Explore Custom Robotic Systems →
Ask Hillary Machinery's Automation Team
No Calls. No Hassle. No Sales Pressure.
You don't need to have a complete automation specification. Just tell us what you're making, what process you're considering automating and what you want to know.
If you have machine models, part dimensions, part weights, cycle times or production quantities, include them. If you don't have that information yet, that's okay too.
Submit your robotics or automation question below and we'll give you a straightforward answer.