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First steps in sheet metal automation

Successful projects start by metal fabricators asking the right questions to build a process map

Editor's note: In partnership with Salvagnini America, FMA has launched Automation Talk, a new video podcast series. Sign up to receive notifications about new episodes.

Modern automation isn’t about bells and whistles or adopting the latest and greatest of whatever technological wonder. Automation is not the be all end all. But when implemented the right way, it can form the foundation of manufacturing competitiveness, both in terms of productivity and adaptability.

“Many think you go out and buy a robotic conveyor system and AMR [autonomous mobile robot] or anything else, and all your problems go away. They won’t. First, you need to look at the capability of your process.”

So said Mike Schlagenhafer, manufacturing consultant for Acuity Insurance, who participated in the latest Automation Talk, a new video series from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, in partnership with Salvagnini America. “We have about 7,500 manufacturers that we cover [at Acuity], and my role is to assist our internal resources understand the manufacturing business and be a free-of-cost asset to our customer. If they want to know how to implement 5S, they can reach out to me. If they want to investigate automation or robotic systems, I work with them to understand what systems can help.”

Schlagenhafer, whose career in manufacturing began in 1979, has seen it all: idle or underutilized welding robots; automaton lines that need to be retooled completely for changing customer demands; automation that’s idle because it ran out of material.

“We need to look at what happens before and what happens after,” he said. “Map out concerns on a whiteboard first, before you bring in an integrator and have the person say, ‘This project is going to take this much longer because you didn’t think of this, this, and this.’”

Part of the planning involves detailing all the costs—not just equipment costs but also the integration, operating, tooling (including end-of-arm tooling for robots), and maintenance costs, including identifying potential errors before a machine goes down. Yes, maintenance for automation has come a long way, especially considering the sensors now available that can monitor various aspects of an automated machine. But the automation still requires people who know the process and what to look for should something go awry.

All this covers just a portion of the picture, though. The remaining, and perhaps largest, part of that picture has to do with how automated machinery affects other areas of the business.

“You’ve got this robot or other kind of automation out there, but it sits,” Schlagenhafer said. “You’re not feeding it. How is your planning system? Are you still using pencil and paper to push out orders? If your automaton works, it will outrun what you have in the front office. So, you can’t forget about automation on the front end.” He added that this could involve various kinds of software platforms, scheduling, and nesting systems. Whatever it is, they’re key to realizing automation’s full potential.

Finally, what happens when the customer mix changes? Schlagenhafer described an automotive manufacturer that automated one of its final stages of production, only to later find that the company had to retool the automation completely to adapt to changes in product design and customer demand trends (matching customer takt, in lean parlance). The operation ultimately decided to “modularize” its automation, pulling certain machines in and out of production to adapt to changes in demand and product mix.

“I go back to lean,” he said. “You need to understand your processes, look at them and ask, ‘What if?’ What if customer demand changes? What if it goes up?”

This last point was particularly apt considering the supply chain challenges being faced now. The fabricators who can respond quickly, change on a dime to adapt to supply chain realities (order quantities or delivery dates changing, for instance) are capturing market share. When those implementing it ask the right questions and consider all the variables, modern automation can make quick, flexible response a reality.

About the Author
The Fabricator

Tim Heston

Senior Editor

2135 Point Blvd

Elgin, IL 60123

815-381-1314

Tim Heston, The Fabricator's senior editor, has covered the metal fabrication industry since 1998, starting his career at the American Welding Society's Welding Journal. Since then he has covered the full range of metal fabrication processes, from stamping, bending, and cutting to grinding and polishing. He joined The Fabricator's staff in October 2007.