Hillary Machinery designs and integrates custom robotic systems for manufacturing applications that require more than a standard automation package. Our engineered solutions can incorporate industrial robots, 3D vision, machine tending, material handling, inspection, assembly and custom part handling to automate complex production processes and increase manufacturing capacity.
Custom robotic systems provide an automation solution when the manufacturing process cannot be effectively addressed with a standard pre-engineered robot cell. These systems are engineered around the actual parts, machines, material flow, production requirements and processes that need to be automated.
Hillary Machinery can integrate industrial robots, vision systems, end-of-arm tooling, part presentation, machine interfaces, safety equipment and other automation technologies into a complete manufacturing solution.
Custom robotic automation can be applied to individual manufacturing operations or coordinated across multiple machines and processes.
A custom robotic system can allow one industrial robot to service multiple CNC machines or manufacturing processes. This approach can be particularly valuable when cycle times allow the robot to load and unload several machines without becoming the limiting factor in production.
Multi-machine automation can help manufacturers increase spindle utilization, reduce repetitive loading labor and generate more production from an existing group of CNC machines.
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Industrial robots can automate workpieces that exceed the practical payload range of smaller collaborative robots. Heavy-part automation requires careful evaluation of the combined weight of the workpiece and end-of-arm tooling, required robot reach, workholding, machine access and part presentation.
Custom engineering allows the robot and supporting equipment to be selected around the actual component and manufacturing process.
3D vision-guided robotics can allow an automation system to locate and handle parts when their exact position or orientation varies. Cameras, scanners and vision software provide information that allows the robotic system to identify the workpiece and determine an appropriate pickup location.
Vision guidance can be useful for flexible machine tending, randomly oriented parts, variable part presentation and applications where dedicated locating fixtures would otherwise limit automation flexibility.
CNC machine tending is one of the primary applications for custom robotic automation. A robot can load raw workpieces, remove completed parts and transfer components between machines or secondary processes.
Custom machine-tending systems can incorporate multiple CNC machines, automatic doors, chuck or vise interfaces, part flipping, gauging, washing, marking and other operations as required by the production process.
Robots can automate repetitive movement of components between manufacturing processes, fixtures, conveyors, pallets, racks and other equipment.
Material-handling systems can be designed around the workpiece geometry, payload, required cycle time, process sequence and available manufacturing floor space.
Robotic systems can also incorporate inspection, measurement and vision technologies to support automated quality processes. Depending on the application, a robot may present components to inspection equipment or move sensors around a stationary workpiece.
Integrating inspection into the automated process can help manufacturers identify production issues without relying exclusively on separate manual inspection operations.
Industrial robots can perform or support repetitive assembly operations when the parts, tooling and process are suitable for automation. Custom systems can combine part handling with fastening, insertion, positioning, inspection and other manufacturing operations.
Hillary Machinery is a FANUC Authorized Systems Integrator and can incorporate FANUC industrial robots and supporting automation technologies into custom manufacturing systems.
Robot selection should be based on the required payload, reach, cycle time, mounting arrangement, working envelope and complete automation process.
A pre-engineered automation system can be an excellent choice when the manufacturing process closely matches a standardized application. Custom robotic integration becomes more appropriate when the application involves unusual parts, multiple machines, heavy payloads, vision guidance, secondary operations or a manufacturing sequence that requires application-specific engineering.
Hillary Machinery can evaluate both approaches and determine how much customization is actually required.
A successful automation project begins with the manufacturing process rather than the robot itself. Important factors include:
Robotic automation must be evaluated as a complete system. Robot motion, payload, end-of-arm tooling, workpieces, machines, conveyors and other equipment can introduce hazards that must be addressed in the system design.
Appropriate safeguarding and operating requirements should be determined through an application-specific risk assessment.
A custom robotic system is an automation solution engineered around a specific manufacturing process rather than a standardized robot package. It can combine robots, tooling, vision, material handling, machine interfaces and other technologies into one integrated system.
Yes. When machine cycle times, robot reach, part handling and the production process permit, one industrial robot can potentially load and unload multiple CNC machines.
Yes. Industrial robots are available in a wide range of payload capacities. Robot selection must account for both the workpiece and end-of-arm tooling, as well as reach, inertia and the required handling process.
3D vision-guided robotics uses cameras or scanning technology to provide the robot with information about the location and orientation of a workpiece, allowing the automation system to adapt to variations in part position.
Custom automation should be considered when a standardized robotic package cannot adequately address the part, machine layout, payload, process sequence, vision requirements or production objectives.
Hillary Machinery provides robotic integration for manufacturing applications, including evaluation of the robot, end-of-arm tooling, machine interfaces, part handling and supporting automation equipment.
Hillary Machinery can evaluate your parts, machines, production process, cycle-time requirements and automation objectives to develop a robotic system around the actual manufacturing application.
View Custom Robotic Systems or contact Hillary Machinery to discuss your automation project.
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