AUTOMATED WAREHOUSING IN THE SHEET METAL INDUSTRY: A CRUCIAL ASSET
The sheet metal industry is a rapidly evolving sector characterized by intense competition. Consequently, the substantial benefits of production automation in this field are particularly noteworthy. Specifically, the implementation of automated warehouses for sheet metal raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished parts can significantly boost production line efficiency by minimizing downtime and inefficiencies caused by material shortages at crucial moments.
The implementation of automated warehousing in a market environment where sheet metal fabrication has been consistently growing in recent years can propel a company far ahead in the global competition. A sheet metal automated warehouse proves valuable at every critical point in the material flow of an up-to-date manufacturing plant. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that any automated storage solution, like any other automated component in the industry, reaches its maximum potential when integrated into a fully automated production line.
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This is why Prima Power offers its customers comprehensive plans for the full automation of production lines where all our cutting technologies and storage solutions are integrated. Following substantive dialogue with our customers, we initially identify the specific needs and constraints of each production line. Subsequently, we recommend various system enhancements and the addition of new components aimed at boosting line productivity and reducing per-part costs. Our advantage in this process lies in our in-house production of all the proposed automated solutions, including the software that operates them, ensuring seamless integration.
PRIMA POWER STORAGE SOLUTIONS: THE FLEXIBLE PATH TO STREAMLINING YOUR PRODUCTION FLOW
In the development of automated warehousing systems for sheet metal industries, Prima Power has established various types of storage solutions to cater to the diverse needs of our customers. Our solutions can function as raw material warehouses, intermediate storage for finished components, or even as a buffer within a production line. To effectively meet all our customers' requirements, flexibility and modularity remain paramount.
For example, our Fast Loading Storage System consists of a single tower from which a gripper can directly retrieve sheet materials stored in cassettes and then swiftly deliver them to the connection point with a manufacturing machine. It can also store materials from the production line in its shelving unit. This storage solution is cost-effective, highly flexible, and can be seamlessly integrated with other automated parts to create a larger storage and materials handling system. Moreover, we observed that the Fast Loading Storage System excels when handling small batches of products that require the use of various types of raw materials.
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A larger yet highly flexible storage system we offer to our customers is the Combo Tower Storage. In this automated sheet metal storage facility, one or two shelving units can be connected to several different machines or cells situated around the storage unit. The increased storage capacity of this system enables long unmanned operating cycles and makes it an ideal choice for lights-out production.
Furthermore, we offer our customers the Combo Laser Tower, a specialized storage unit designed for seamless integration with our 2D laser cutting machines. We provide this highly flexible automated storage solution with the option of one or two shelving. Leveraging the modularity and flexibility of the Combo Laser Tower, Prima Power can construct production lines, tailored for(repeat of the line above) . highly advanced automated material flow.
Another automated solution that maximizes flexibility in metal sheet manufacturing is our Night Train FMS® system. The low-profile crane and the smart shelf structure of this automated storage solution allow it to obtain an outstanding capacity in a small space. With the Night Train FMS® system we offer our customers a high performing solution, seamlessly integrated with all Prima Power machines, that can also be useful to increase unmanned operation time.
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Night Train
For each solution we offer, providing both the software and hardware as in-house products, we can guarantee the seamless integration of all components within the material handling and storage unit, thus optimizing the overall system's performance.
THE FUTURE IMPACT OF SHEET METAL WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION
We strongly believe that the development of automated warehousing for sheet metal will lead to a significant increase in companies' productivity in the coming years. Automated storage systems are now highly reliable and efficient, and their integration into production lines can save space in plants, streamline the overall material flow, reduce costs, and improve the ease of managing production data for business planning.
With this vision in mind, Prima Power is committed to developing even more flexible and modular storage solutions to meet the needs of manufacturing companies looking to partner with us. Please feel free to contact us for a consultation on how automation can enhance your business for the year to come.