Machine Tool Tending: Should I Automate?

The short answer is 'YES,' but chances are you have been automating all along. Automating your simple machine tool tending is just another evolution in manufacturing technology that's already here, but now it's exploding.

With a significant shortage in trained machine operators, and fewer recruits entering the trades, robotic machine tool tending is surging in North America.

It's not that robots are taking skilled machinist jobs either. Most are simply being deployed to do the simple repetitive machine tending jobs that are getting harder and harder to fill, but fill they must. Many shops have the work, but there are alot of CNC's just sitting idle with no one to operate them which is leaving manufacturers and job shops no choice but to invest in robotic machine tending.

We Have Been Automating All Along

Automation is not just about robotics, it's the application of technology, software, programs, robotics, gantry loaders, feeders, loaders, unloaders and other equipment in a system of manufacturing or other production process to improve efficiency and productivity with less human interaction.

Automation in Manufacturing dates back to the late 1700's (the 1st industrial revolution) with the invention of steam engines, steam mills and internal combustion engines. Fast forward to the late 1800's (the 2nd industrial revolution) and the adoption of the punch cards or tape machine programming and to the 1940's and 1950's when the first CNC's and robots were developed, and it continues to evolve.

So, chances are, you have been automating all along. If you have done any of the following over the past few decades, you have already applied automation technology in your machine shop or manufacturing processes:

• Upgraded from a manual mill or lathe to a CNC
• Upgraded to a mill with an automatic tool changer; or lathe with a turret
• Upgraded from a VMC to an HMC
• Added a 4th or 5th axis to your mill
• Upgraded from a simple 2-axis CNC to one with live tools and/or a Y-axis
• Upgraded to a dual turret and/or twin spindle CNC lathe
• Added a bar feeder and/or parts catcher or conveyor
• Added an Automatic Pallet Changer (APC) to your CNC
• Adopted CAD/CAM

Don't stop now, your on a roll! It's very likely the reason you are still a successful enterprise. Where would you be had you not automated all along? Where will you be if you stop automating now?

Robotic Machine Tending?: It's Already Here

Robotic welding, broadly considered to be the first significant robotics application, was developed in 1962. After that, it's not real clear where or when the first robotic CNC machine tool tending system was placed into service, but one thing is for certain, it's here, and here to stay.

Just look at worldwide robot sales in units through 2024.

Sources differ on the exact number, but it is believed that there are over 3 million industrial robots operating in factories around the world today.

The Association for Advanced Automation (A3) estimates that the North American market ranks 3rd behind China and Japan with North American companies ordering 44,196 robots valued at $2.38 billion last year, representing increases of 11% and 18%, respectively, over 2021, the previous record. A3 also reported that every industry segment for robotics saw an increase over the same period.

What Will My Employees Think? The myth about robots taking jobs

This was mostly true when robots were first introduced to manufacturing, because there was an abundance of labor. And, just like calculators and computers, robots could do simple repetitive tasks faster, more efficiently, and more accurately with fewer mistakes at a much lower wage than we as humans could.

However, that's not the situation we find ourselves in today. A robot can only take the job away from someone who is already doing the job or wants the job. Today, manufacturers are dealing with a major shortage of machine operators resulting from a significant resurgence in US Manufacturing, an aging trades workforce, and fewer recruits entering the trades.

• How many machines are idle or underutilized in your shop, because you can't find (or keep) machine operators?
• How much time is it taking from a spindle (or a shift) just to load/unload simple heavy parts with a machine operator and a jib crane?
• How many of your skilled machinists are being under-utilized with simple repetitive work when they could be working on high paying jobs.
• How much overtime are you having to pay existing personnel just to stay caught up?

Robotic machine tending is becoming more and more necessary to do the jobs that can't be filled. This is inherently increasing machine utilization, productivity and efficiency using the same personnel, not less. Machines that were once idle or under-utilized, are now producing at an even higher rate.

It's important to point out that machinists are still needed where human interaction with the machine makes the most 'dollars and sense.' Even when the machine operation is simple and repetitive enough for a robot to do more efficiently, you still need a machine operator to:

• monitor the robot cell(s)
• change inserts
• deliver material to the cell
• pick up and inspect finished parts and prepare to ship, and
• machines and robots must still be maintained

Adding robotic machine tending doesn't just improve a singular process, it forces us to improve the efficiency and standards of all personnel and processes that are now under added stress from the increased production.

Subsequently, robots are NOT replacing the skilled machinist, but, rather, machine operators are becoming robotic cell operators and/or 're-skilled' to become:

• robot programmers
• cutting tool personnel
• quality control personnel
• safety personnel, and/or
• work schedulers / estimators

Resistance to Robotic Machine Tending

Ironically, today we see the same resistance regarding adoption of robots for machine tending as we did for the adoption of CNC, live tools, rotary tables, 5-axis, CAD/CAM, APC's and other modern day machine tool automation technology.

• ?“We don't know how to do it”
• "We don't know how to apply it"
• “We don't know how to operate it”
• ?“We don't know how to program it”
• "How will my employees respond"

People have always experienced a fear of the unknown; it's in our psyche. We as people like to be able to anticipate consequences. When we can't, we start to feel insecure, powerless and sometimes even threatened by new technology, which can lead to resistance to change.

We get it. It's out of our comfort zone, but so was adopting CNC for the first time or anything that was not in our comfort zone for the first time. But we did it, and we keep doing it, don't we? We have all been taking on the unknown to keep up; we must; success requires that of us.

Understandably, machine operators will be the most concerned. However, it's been our experience they are also the ones showing the most interest when the first robot arrives and throughout the entire integration process. Coincidentally, they responded much in the same way the first time they encountered their first CNC in the workplace.

There is a process we recommend when adopting robotics and it predominantly involves making personnel part of the automation process.

• Announce in an open forum (not a memo)- In a scheduled meeting with the machine operators or small groups of operators, indicate your intention to add an automated machine tending system; why you feel it's necessary and the importance of including them in the project.
• Listen and Empathize - Acknowledge and be understanding of their concerns and fears, because they are real; again it's something unknown to them.
• Educate and reduce fear - Education is knowing, and knowing reduces fear. Explain and demonstrate how machine tool automation is simply the next step in manufacturing technology that we have all been required to adopt to remain competitive and successful as a machine shop, a manufacturing business and a workforce, collectively. Site examples of automation that we have all been adopting and learning for years with the introduction of CNC, multi-axis machining and turning, bar feeds, tool changers, HMC's, APC's, and CAD/CAM, etc.
• Inclusion - Make them an integral part of the automation process through training, just like they have been trained on the other manufacturing technologies they have adopted. "Who is interested in learning robotics?"

So, to answer the original question, SHOULD I AUTOMATE? The answer is YES, because:

• You have been embracing automation technology all along; this is just the next evolution.
• Automation technology is the reason your shop is competitive and successful thus far, and like technology, success has a shelf life; an expiration date. No one wants to end up in the 'old technology' column.
• It won't likely take jobs away from your existing employees, but it will expand upon their current jobs as they embrace the new technology.
• Communicate your intentions with your employees in an open forum; empathize with them, educate them, and include them.

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Troy Owen is the President of Hillary Machinery Inc, a Texas/Oklahoma based CNC machine tool distributor and Authorized Systems Integrator for Fanuc Robotics celebrating 39 years in business.