Reducing Manual Handling in Sheet Metal Production
Labor availability is becoming an important consideration for sheet metal manufacturers.
For repetitive production, the challenge is often not finding someone who can operate a press brake.
It is maintaining a consistent workforce for physically repetitive material handling over long production periods.
One KLD customer faced this challenge while producing 1,200 mm square perforated panels requiring four-side bending.
The Original Process
The manual production process required two operators.
The work involved:
- Moving raw material to the bending machine
- Positioning the panel
- Performing four bending operations
- Repositioning the workpiece
- Moving the finished panel to the output area
For a large panel, these repeated movements can consume significant operator time.
The recorded manual cycle averaged approximately 126 seconds per part.
The Automated Process
KLD integrated robotic handling and automatic positioning with a CNC press brake.
The robot performs the repetitive material-handling and positioning tasks required during the bending process.
The operator’s role is therefore changed from manually controlling the entire bending process to mainly:
- Loading raw material
- Unloading finished parts
- Monitoring production
- Performing necessary quality checks
The automated process achieved approximately 66 seconds per part.
More Than Labor Reduction
The main benefit is not simply reducing the number of operators.
Automation can also make the production process more consistent.
A robot follows the programmed sequence repeatedly, reducing variation caused by differences in manual handling.
For repetitive production, this can help manufacturers establish a more stable workflow.
Recorded Production Comparison
| Manual | Automated | |
|---|---|---|
| Operators | 2 | 1 for loading/unloading |
| Cycle time | ~126 sec | 66 sec |
| 8-hour output | <200 pcs | ~435 pcs |
The data shows that the value of automation came from a combination of labor optimization and higher production capacity.
When Does This Make Sense?
Robotic bending should be evaluated when:
- Parts are repetitive
- Production volume is stable
- Manual handling is significant
- Workpieces are large or difficult to handle
- Labor availability is a concern
- Longer production hours are required
For highly variable job-shop production, a conventional CNC press brake may remain the more flexible option.
The Key Takeaway
The purpose of automation is not necessarily to eliminate workers.
It is to move people away from repetitive physical tasks and allow them to focus on activities that require judgment, supervision and technical skills.
KLD develops robotic bending solutions based on the actual production process rather than applying a standard automation package to every customer.