A Flexible Robot Tending Cell keeps the spindle cutting while nobody is standing in front of the machine, which is measured in spindle hours per day rather than in cycle time. This page covers the Flexible Robot Tending Cell configured with an integrated probe and reject chute and supplied to job shops running mixed batches: robot integration with custom grippers, guarding and machine interface. The headline figure is repeatability of ±0.05 mm, and the rest of the page explains what it means in daily use.
In practice the difficulty is rarely the nominal size. repeatability ±0.05 mm is held on the features that locate the part in the assembly, and the process is set up so that the first piece and the five hundredth measure the same way.
Specification
| Process | Robot integration with custom grippers, guarding and machine interface |
|---|---|
| Material / configuration | an integrated probe and reject chute |
| Size / capacity | repeatability of ±0.05 mm |
| Tolerance | repeatability ±0.05 mm |
| Surface finish | anodised and powder coated frames |
| Application | flexible robot tending cell for job shops running mixed batches |
| Inspection | Dimensional report, material certificate, first article report on request |
| Lead time | 7–15 working days for samples, 3–4 weeks for production |
| Minimum order | 1 piece for prototypes, from 50 pieces for production pricing |
Manufacturing process
Production begins with a drawing and material review. Stock is certified, the operation sequence is fixed, and robot integration with custom grippers, guarding and machine interface is carried out on equipment maintained to hold repeatability ±0.05 mm over a full shift, not just on a first piece.
Material is purchased against a certificate and checked on receipt, so the composition is known before any cutting starts. Work in progress is identified by part number and operation, and the finished parts are deburred, cleaned and protected before they leave the machine area.
Typical applications
Most of the work supplied in this category falls into the following examples.
- Loading raw castings into machining centres.
- Unloading finished shafts from lathes.
- Transferring parts between two operations.
- Servicing injection moulding machines.
- Deburring and washing before packing.
Quality control and documentation
Inspection is not a final formality. Dimensions are checked during the cycle and again at the end, so drift is corrected while there is still stock to remove.
Material certificates to EN 10204 3.1, dimensional reports and first article inspection reports are issued with the shipment where the application requires them. Calibration dates and measurement uncertainty are recorded alongside every result.
Ordering, lead time and packaging
Orders start from a single piece. Samples are quoted from the 3D model, and production pricing follows once quantity, finishing and inspection are agreed.
Frequently asked questions
How much output does machine tending really add?
It converts breaks, changeovers and unattended hours into cutting time. Spindle utilisation typically moves from around 45 per cent to above 80 per cent without changing the process.
What stops a robot cell from running unattended?
Part presentation and recovery, not the robot. Grippers, Input-output handshakes with the machine control and a defined restart routine decide whether faults clear themselves.
What file formats do you need for a quotation?
STEP or IGES for the 3D model and a PDF drawing with tolerances, material and surface finish called out. Native files from SolidWorks, Creo or Inventor are also accepted.
Send the drawing or the 3D model for a quotation. Include material, quantity, tolerance and finish, and a detailed quote with lead time is returned within one working day.
