On April 12, 2023, 20 people from 11 companies gathered in the central hall of 3M in Neuss. Among them sheet metal workers, polishers, foundries, larger construction builders, robot integrator SHL and TFT with a focus on the cobot. The event is an initiative of Metaaltechniek from Amersfoort that was immediately enthusiastically embraced by the participants 3M, SHL and TFT. What these companies have in common is their strong focus on automated sanding, grinding and polishing, from small series to huge runs.
The reason for the day was that many companies in the metal industry still have very limited knowledge to eventually arrive at an automation solution that really works! It is unfortunate to find out by trial and error that automating a grinding process is something completely different from automating a welding process. Meanwhile, the first robots stand unused in a corner catching dust due to unforeseen complications in their purchase.
The urgency of automation is very clear to all participants: the question facing almost the entire manufacturing industry: "Where do I get the people who want to do the grinding work. The question is not so much whether we should automate but rather how and with whom.
After a warm welcome with coffee and all sorts of goodies at 3M's R&D center, a day of automation awaited. We split into three groups for the workshops given by these three innovative companies.
Neem dan rechtstreeks contact op met Metaaltechniek Handelsonderneming BV.