MD Mate: Seamless Robot-Integrated Machine Tending for Small Lathes, Mills & Grinders

Automated Cells & Equipment’s MD Mate is a simple, drop-in machine tending solution for small lathes, mills and grinders. The drawer-based part presentation system enables parts to be placed onto simple fixtures located within each of the four included sliding drawers, the company says.

To operate the machine, an operator opens each of the four drawers from outside the robot cell, places raw parts into each drawer fixture and then closes each drawer. The operator cycle starts both the machine tool and the included six-axis, 7-kg payload FANUC robot. The robot moves to the top drawer, depresses the drawer handle, pulls the drawer into the robot cell and locks it into position for part unloading, then unhooks from the drawer handle, picks the first part from the drawer and then loads the machine tool. On the next cycle, a finished part is unloaded from the machine tool and a new raw part is loaded. The robot moves back to the drawer to place the finished part back into the drawer. As drawers are completed, the robot moves down to the next available drawer.

Loading and unloading from outside the robot cell promotes uninterrupted part load/unload of the machine tool. Available part area per drawer is 24" W × 16" D × 4" H fixture area. A drawer locking system is provided on each drawer to accurately lock the drawer in any of three positions: inside the cell, inside the drawer cabinet, or open on the operator side.