Here we will look at an application where fabricated sinks, counters and other trim parts were finished with a robotic cell. The parts were long term items the company produces where a reduction in labor and an increase in volume were needed. Both ...

When you start to look into automation be it a finishing application, welding or any number of other processes labor tends to be at the top of the list. There are some things you should keep in mind as you go through the process. Reducing labor can ...

I get a constant flow of questions and in an effort to spread the info to those who may be curious about the same I am going to share a few more here. Question: Can you sand and polish in the same machine? Answer: Yes but also no. Its a case more of ...

In some cases it comes down to "I don't know where to start" and that is what I want to touch on just a bit. Every case will have its own unique aspects but in a general sense the steps are much the same. Be aware of time. As a project comes to life ...

Working with an extrusion is one of the things that seems easy but the devil is in the details. Its a product where the final finish can make or break its acceptance. In some cases it can be as difficult or more than mirror polishing. As you tend to ...

A question I get often is robot vs CNC for finishing work. While there is not a clear yes or no type answer there are a few points that can help to guide the person faced with the question. For detailed parts a robot tends to be a better choice. The ...

Small parts are one of the challenges most shops face at some point or every day in some cases. They can be tough to manage and tend eat up a lot of time while in some cases being dangerous. Most will try to send them through the old belt sander ...

I thought I would share some of the most common questions I get and the related answers. This will not be a deep dive by any means but rather a few of the most common. The first is more a statement than a question. I have a single belt sander so I ...

Automating a finishing process is one of the more complicated things you can take on. When it comes to finishing the definitions tend to be more in the eye of the beholder. There is not one clear standard for finishes and in some cases the end user ...

Dealing with tasks that require a lot of labor or hand work is a way to improve processes and trim costs. This is not to say eliminate jobs but rather put the staff to tasks that better use their skill. Helping to make the people more efficient by ...