From Manual Bending to Automated Sheet Metal Production

Building a More Continuous Bending Process

Traditional sheet metal bending is often limited by operator availability.

When production demand increases, manufacturers may need additional shifts, overtime, or additional operators.

Automation provides another approach: creating a production process that can continue with significantly less manual intervention.

A KLD customer used this approach for repetitive production of 1,200 mm square perforated panels.

Manual Production

The original process required two operators.

Each panel required four-side bending, with operators manually handling and repositioning the workpiece.

The recorded manual cycle averaged approximately:

126 seconds per part

Production during an 8-hour working day remained below approximately:

200 pieces

Automated Production

KLD integrated a CNC press brake with robotic handling and automatic positioning.

After the automated process reached stable production, the recorded cycle time was approximately:

66 seconds per part

The customer recorded approximately:

435 pieces in 8 hours

The production analysis also estimated approximately:

1,300 pieces over 24 hours

under the tested production conditions.

What Makes Extended Production Possible?

The key is reducing the amount of continuous operator intervention.

The operator is mainly responsible for:

• Preparing raw materials
• Loading material
• Unloading finished products
• Monitoring the process

The repetitive bending and positioning operations are handled automatically.

This creates a different production model from conventional manual bending.

Automation Does Not Mean "No People"

An automated production cell still requires people.

Operators and technicians remain important for:

• Material preparation
• Quality inspection
• Tooling
• Programming
• Maintenance
• Production supervision

The difference is that people are no longer required to perform every repetitive movement during every bending cycle.

Is 24-Hour Operation Suitable for Every Factory?

Not necessarily.

Extended automated production makes the most sense when:

• Parts are highly repetitive
• Production demand is stable
• Material supply is reliable
• The bending process is standardized
• The automation system has appropriate safety controls
• The production economics justify longer machine utilization

The actual achievable output always depends on the application.

The Key Takeaway

The value of automation is not simply producing faster.

It is creating a production process that can operate more continuously and with less repetitive manual intervention.

For manufacturers facing growing demand or labor constraints, this can become an important part of a long-term production strategy.

KLD Machinery develops automated bending and flexible sheet metal production solutions based on actual production requirements.