Automating the Sheet Metal Process

The new BendMaster robotic bending system from TRUMPF allows Amazing Custom Fabricators to make complex, repeatable bends without operator intervention.

With an eye on continual improvement and a desire to reduce non-value-added time, Amazing Custom Fabricators of Mississauga, Ont., has embraced automation as the company’s future.

Since 1997 the company has supplied custom sheet metal parts, components, and assemblies to a range of customers, including electronic appliance manufacturers and major department store chains. The company’s on-site capabilities include shearing, laser cutting, CNC punching, CNC brake forming, hardware insertion, welding (spot, GMAW, and GTAW), assembly, and finishing.

President and founder Fred Lai has seen his company grow in all areas of business, even during this recent recession.

A few years ago the company took its first automation baby steps with the addition of a 2-D laser cutter complete with a load/unload system. This was the company’s first introduction to the benefits that such a setup can bring, such as the ability to run the laser cutting operation lights-out.

Much has changed since that time, however. The company moved into a new, 41,000-sq.-ft. building last October and added new equipment to the shop floor.

A look inside the walls of the shop today reveals more than just a load/unload system at work; now the shop has a fully-integrated Stopa material storage tower and a recently installed BendMaster robotic bending cell, both installed by TRUMPF Canada.

“The building and our new equipment together mark another milestone for our business,” said Lai. “They are great showpieces for both existing as well as new customers. This move has increased our ability to serve our customers and allowed us to retain customers despite the economic downturn.”

Now both the laser processing system and the bending operation can work unattended, running multiple jobs in many different material thicknesses, all supplied by the storage tower.

“Lights-out operation is a true benefit to our business because it allows us to produce more parts in the same time frame,” said Lai. “It also has allowed us to more accurately control our sheet metal inventory.”

The company no longer has partial stacks of material in various thicknesses lying around on the shop floor. All of this material is tightly controlled and coordinated within the storage tower.

Company President Fred Lai (left) and Operations Manager Jim Mark understand the importance of automation in today's sheet metal fabricating.

Predictable Manufacturing

By knowing how many parts will be created per hour, Amazing Custom Fabricators can schedule more jobs, taking advantage of this 24/7 style of manufacturing.

“This setup allows us to serve our customers in a flexible manner both in terms of lot size and turnaround time,” said Operations Manager Jim Mark. “It allows us to take on new jobs without affecting existing customers’ jobs.”

The company’s new bending cell comprises a TRUMPF TruBend bending machine and the BendMaster robot, a four-axis robot on a track. This system is operated by only one control and is programmed jointly TruTops Bend software.

A computer vision recognition system is used to locate the position of the forming blanks, and a new double-sheet detector ensures that only one sheet is handled at a time. This type of setup makes a centering station unnecessary. As required, the bending cell also can be operated manually at any time.

Creating Quality Parts

Repeatable, quality parts are easier to create for the company now that the human element has been removed from the equation. Amazing’s programmers and operators still must create correct bend sequences, but the robot can create the same bend time after time, all shift long.

This is where hands-on training and equipment supplier support become important.

“It is of the utmost importance that our staff is thoroughly trained to be up to speed on this new equipment,” said Mark. “Also, having multiple people able to do the work is important so that multiple shifts can be run smoothly.”

According to Lai and Mark, having this type of automated bending system in your facility doesn’t necessarily mean that your lot sizes need to be in the thousands.

“Conventional thinking says that you can’t make just a few parts using a robot, but we know that given the right set of circumstances, we will be successful,” said Mark.

For more information, visit www.amazingcustomfab.com and www.us.trumpf.com.