Pick and place technology for running Op. 10 to Op. 20 between two CNC lathes has been developed by Toellner Systems. According to the company, the design offers flawless transfer of Op. 10 machined parts from one servodriven, parts loading/unloading system to a second, running Op. 20 in a fast, constant and smooth automated process.

After Op. 10 has finished  machining, the part automatically transfers between the two cells via a Toellner conveyor system. The pick and place gripper assembly on Cell 2 gathers the part, turns it around 180 degrees and places the part in the nest assembly, ready for Op. 20 machining, before moving on to Op. 30 using the same technology.

The unit allows for minimal human intervention, thus freeing up the worker to attend to other important projects within the plant. As these machines are designed to load/unload a part in less than 6 seconds, the increases in production and throughput are significant, plus the loaders can run untended anywhere from 30 minutes to as much as 12 hours.