Hillary Machinery designs and integrates robotic material removal systems for automated grinding, deburring, sanding, cutting, trimming, de-flashing and finishing. Using industrial robots, application-specific tooling, force sensing and 3D vision where required, robotic automation can improve process consistency while reducing repetitive, labor-intensive material removal operations.
Robotic material removal systems automate repetitive manufacturing processes such as grinding, deburring, sanding, cutting, trimming and de-flashing. A properly engineered robotic system can provide consistent tool motion, pressure and process control while reducing the amount of repetitive manual finishing required from production employees.
Hillary Machinery designs and integrates robotic material removal solutions around the actual workpiece, material, tooling, required finish, production rate and manufacturing process.
Robotic grinding systems can automate repetitive grinding operations on castings, fabricated components, weldments and other manufactured parts.
The robot can manipulate the grinding tool or workpiece through a programmed path, helping provide repeatable contact and process consistency from part to part.
Robotic deburring can remove burrs and unwanted material from machined, cast, forged and fabricated components.
Automating deburring can be particularly valuable when parts require repetitive edge finishing or when manual deburring represents a significant portion of total manufacturing labor.
Robots can automate sanding and surface-finishing processes that require repetitive tool movement over a component.
Depending on the application, robotic sanding can help improve consistency while reducing operator exposure to repetitive motion, dust and other process-related conditions.
Robotic cutting and trimming systems can follow programmed three-dimensional paths to remove excess material, trim components or create required part geometry.
Applications can include trimming molded components, cutting fabricated materials, removing excess material and performing other operations where flexible robotic motion provides an advantage over fixed-purpose machinery.
Robotic de-flashing systems can remove excess material created during casting, molding and other manufacturing processes.
Automating the process can reduce repetitive manual finishing while providing consistent programmed motion around complex component geometry.
Material removal is different from simple robotic pick-and-place because the robot must maintain appropriate interaction between the tool and workpiece.
Force sensing and compliant tooling can help compensate for variation in workpieces and maintain controlled contact during grinding, deburring, sanding and other finishing operations.
The appropriate technology depends on the material, required finish, tooling and amount of variation within the manufacturing process.
3D vision can provide additional flexibility when part location, orientation or geometry varies between cycles.
Vision technology can help locate a workpiece and provide information to the robotic system before the material-removal operation begins.
Hillary Machinery integrates FANUC industrial robots into material-removal applications requiring the appropriate combination of payload, reach, speed and process control.
As a FANUC Authorized Systems Integrator, Hillary Machinery can engineer the robot together with tooling, workholding, vision, force sensing, controls and safety equipment as a complete manufacturing automation system.
Robotic material removal can be applied to a broad range of manufacturing and finishing processes, including:
The technology can be applied to many manufactured components when the workpiece, material and required process are suitable for robotic automation.
Potential applications include:
Robotic material removal systems can be engineered in different configurations. In some applications, the robot carries the grinding, sanding or deburring tool to a stationary workpiece.
In other applications, the robot grips and manipulates the workpiece against a stationary grinding, sanding or finishing tool.
The best approach depends on part size and weight, required tool orientation, process forces, cycle time and accessibility.
Grinding, deburring and finishing are frequently labor-intensive operations. Automating suitable processes can provide several potential advantages:
Successful material-removal automation requires evaluating the entire process, not simply selecting a robot. Hillary Machinery can help evaluate:
Grinding, cutting, sanding and other material-removal processes can introduce hazards beyond robot motion itself, including rotating tools, sparks, fragments, dust and process debris.
The complete robotic cell should therefore be evaluated for appropriate guarding, interlocks, dust or fume management and other protective measures based on an application-specific risk assessment.
Robotic material removal uses an industrial robot or cobot to automate processes that remove, shape or finish material, including grinding, deburring, sanding, cutting, trimming and de-flashing.
Yes. Robots can carry a grinding tool to the workpiece or manipulate a workpiece against a stationary grinding system, depending on the application.
Yes. Robotic deburring can automate repetitive edge and burr removal on suitable machined, cast, forged and fabricated components.
Depending on the application, force sensing, compliant tooling or other process control methods can help maintain appropriate contact between the tool and workpiece.
Yes. 3D vision can be incorporated when the application requires the robot to locate or compensate for variation in workpiece position or orientation.
Cobots can perform suitable material-removal applications when their payload, reach, speed and process requirements are appropriate. The complete application, including the cutting or finishing tool, must still be evaluated for safety.
Hillary Machinery can evaluate your current grinding, deburring, sanding, cutting or finishing operation and determine whether robotic automation is appropriate for the process.
Explore Robotic Cutting, Grinding, Deburring & Trimming Systems or contact Hillary Machinery to discuss your material-removal application.
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