What Auxiliary Equipment Supports Automated Machining?

Auxiliary work in automated machining includes workholding, loading and unloading, in-system transport and storage, on-machine inspection, and the handling of chips and cutting fluid.

Automating these activities reduces auxiliary time and raises productivity. Product variety, batch size, required output, and workpiece geometry determine the system structure, layout, automation level, and auxiliary equipment.

Auxiliary Equipment for Small and Medium Batches

Equipment for small and medium batches must be sufficiently universal and adjustable to accommodate product and process changes.

Automated systems built from general-purpose machines often use modular universal fixtures. An FMS based on CNC machines and machining centers may use standardized pallets. Workholding points on a pallet are arranged for the specific part, while the pallet-to-machine datum and attachment remain standardized.

General-purpose robots can load and unload different workpieces by changing their gripper modules.

Chain and roller conveyors can move parts together with pallets or carriers. Automated guided vehicles are especially flexible in an FMS because exchanging the vehicle pallet allows the same vehicle to carry workpieces, tools, or interchangeable spindle heads. On an inductively guided vehicle, changing the guide wire in the floor changes the route.

Robots are also commonly combined with conveyors. A robot with automatic gripper exchange can move workpieces, tools, and fixtures as well as load and unload machines, providing high flexibility for varied shapes and motions.

A central store can hold blanks, work in process, tools, pallets, and other materials. An automated stacker-crane system retrieves and delivers them under computer control, supporting unattended production.

Auxiliary Equipment for Mass Production

Automated high-volume lines use fixed fixtures or traveling fixtures. Fixed fixtures resemble conventional machine fixtures but must avoid interference with transfer equipment and allow effective chip removal. Traveling fixtures suit complex workpieces and require an automatic fixture-return system.

Small, simple parts can use hopper or magazine feeders. Large, complex parts such as housings can be loaded and unloaded by robots.

Parts may move through the line on indexing transfer devices with pawl, swing-lever, or lift-and-carry mechanisms selected for the workpiece geometry, material, and process. Where indexing transfer is difficult to arrange, robots can perform handling. Rotational parts can travel in chute-type tracks. Conveyors can move parts directly or together with pallets and carriers, and transport vehicles can also be used in high-volume production.

If a housing must be inverted during processing, the line needs a turnover device, or the loading robot can perform the turning motion.

Intermediate storage buffers improve flexibility and balance takt between operations. Powered rollers and gravity slides can also provide limited workpiece accumulation.

Automatic chip-removal equipment continuously clears chips from the cutting zone. It separates reusable cutting fluid and transports chips out of the machines so the automated line can operate reliably.