Shaper Automation Cell

The company’s legacy shaping system created significant operational challenges:

• Time-Consuming Changeovers: Mechanical adjustments for different part sizes often required several hours.
• High Scrap Rates: Variations in stock thickness made it difficult to center the bullnose profile accurately, resulting in wasted material.
• Limited Capacity: The block holder magazine could accommodate only a small number of parts, necessitating constant attention from operators.
• Obsolete Equipment: Aging equipment that was built overseas was challenging to maintain due to limited access to spare parts and technical support
• Inefficient Drilling Process: Parts were transferred to a separate drill station for countersink and through holes, which also required fixture changes based on part size, slowing production.
• Poor Chip Management: Design issues led to excessive chip buildup, increasing cleanup time and disrupting operation.
• Labor-Intensive Management: Meeting production demands required six days of labor.

To address these challenges, Premier Automation partnered with the material services company to engineer a fully integrated robotic shaping cell designed for precise drilling and shaping that improved safety, streamlined workflow, and decreased scrap rates.

• Robotic Handling: A Fanuc M-10 robot with custom end-of-arm tooling (bi-parting grippers, vacuum cup, and laser sensor) for accurate, flexible part handling across multiple stock sizes
• Integrated Drilling & Shaping: A dual-drill arrangement for simultaneous countersink and through holes, paired with a custom shaping unit that clamps and rotates stock against a bullnose cutter for precise profiling
• Enclosed Cutter Design: A secure housing with access doors for chip containment, creating a safer and cleaner work environment
• Automated Workflow: An outfeed conveyor and palletized infeed allow continuous operation for hours with minimal operator intervention
• Remote Diagnostics: The system includes remote monitoring to minimize downtime and streamline troubleshooting

• Accelerated Production: The operations now meet demand in 4 days instead of 6, increasing overall throughput and capacity
• Waste Reduction: Decrease in scrap rates thanks to precise servo-controlled shaping, improving material utilization
• Rapid Changeovers: Setup adjustments that once required hours are now complete in seconds through the HMI, boosting responsiveness
• Operational Reliability: The system simplifies maintenance and minimizes downtime risk