Industrial Automation

Machine Tending

Robotic machine tending solutions for CNC mills, lathes, presses, and injection molding machines: maximizing uptime and throughput.

Core Manufacturing Benefits

verified24/7 unattended operation
verifiedIncreased machine utilization to 90%+
verifiedReduced labor costs and human error
verifiedRapid changeover between part types

Technical Documentation & Specifications

Detailed insights into materials, capabilities, design rules, and finishing options.

Machine Tending Automation

Machine tending automation uses robots to load and unload parts from CNC mills, lathes, press brakes, injection molding machines, and other production equipment. By automating the manual task of placing raw stock and removing finished parts, you unlock 24/7 unattended operation, eliminate bottlenecks, and free skilled operators for higher-value work.

Aettram integrates collaborative robots (cobots) and industrial robots with your existing machines no need to replace equipment. Our systems handle part orientation, fixture clamping, deburring, gauging, and palletizing as part of a complete automated cell.

How Machine Tending Works

A typical machine tending cell follows this cycle:

verifiedPart Presentation Raw stock is staged on trays, conveyors, pallets, or in bins
verifiedRobot Pick The robot selects a part using a gripper (mechanical, vacuum, or magnetic)
verifiedMachine Load The robot places the part into the machine fixture or chuck
verifiedMachining Cycle The machine runs its programmed cycle while the robot prepares the next part
verifiedPart Unload The robot removes the finished part and places it on an output conveyor or bin
verifiedSecondary Operations Optional deburring, washing, gauging, or marking before output

Key Capabilities

System Capability	Technical Specification	Operational Impact
Robot Payload Capacity	5 kg to 50 kg (COBOT / Industrial)	Handles everything from small electronics to heavy raw castings
Part Changeover Time	Under 10 minutes (Quick-Change)	Rapid transition between different part geometries without re-programming
Vision Part Guidance	2D / 3D Vision Tracking	Automatically locates and registers un-oriented parts on feed trays
Machine Communications	EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus	Seamless integration with Fanuc, Siemens, Haas, and Mazak controllers
Enclosure Footprint	Compact Modular (Custom Fit)	Minimum floor space footprint to maintain clear walkways

chat_bubbleGet in Touch

Let's Start Your Project

Whether it's a prototype or full-scale production, we're here to help. Drop us a message and our engineering team will get back to you with a clear plan, no strings attached.

support_agent