In context
In early 2024, manufacturers faced labor shortages and rising demand, pushing small shops to automate repetitive tasks like machine tending. This case highlighted how plug-and-play robotic solutions could be adopted by small job shops without deep automation expertise.
What was reported
Mitsubishi Electric Automation provided an automated machine tending solution, LoadMate Plus, to TL Aerotek, a small-job milling shop. The customer experienced a surge in orders and sought to reduce labor dependency while scaling production.
LoadMate Plus is a configurable, plug-and-play system designed for robotic applications, suitable for stand-alone cells or integration into larger setups. For TL Aerotek, a 4×4 configuration was connected to an existing machine tool equipped with an RV20 six-axis robot arm. Integration with the Mitsubishi Electric M8 Series CNC was achieved via Ethernet, ensuring built-in compatibility.
After deployment, the system ran unattended for 24 hours, tripling the customer's normal output. The solution was suggested by Expand Machinery, TL Aerotek's long-time milling machine supplier.
Why it mattered
This case demonstrated that accessible, pre-engineered automation could enable small manufacturers to achieve significant productivity gains without custom engineering, pointing toward broader adoption of robotics in SMB machining environments.
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Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2024-02-23 · “Mitsubishi Electric Automation’s automated machine tending solution ‘triples output’ for customer”