Move Workpieces AI Power for Loading And Unloading

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Solution Kit iv OS Sheet Metal is a loading and unloading system from Schmalz that utilizes artificial intelligence, 3D vision sensors, and a flexible area gripper to detect and move various workpieces. Machine builder Lissmac significantly increased its performance with this system.

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"We are specialists when it comes to optimizing work processes," says Daniel Wechsel. He is the head of sheet metal production at Lissmac Maschinenbau GmbH. That’s why the company continuously searches for solutions to increase its productivity and improve its systems. In sheet metal production, employees loaded and unloaded the deburring machines—one person was required per machine. "The shortage of skilled workers repeatedly led to bottlenecks. Our goal was therefore to automatically load the machines to ease the workload of our employees," summarizes Daniel Wechsel.

Founded in 1978, Lissmac specializes in construction machinery such as joint cutters and stone saws, grinding and deburring machines, as well as handling systems. With approximately 380 employees worldwide, the company, headquartered in Bad Wurzach in Upper Swabia, generated around 72 million dollars in 2023. The export share is over 40 percent and rising—the company operates in Europe, America, the Middle East, as well as Australia and New Zealand—with assembly and service locations also in the USA and Dubai.

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Partnership on Equal Footing

With its deburring machines, Lissmac processes workpieces made of aluminum, steel, and stainless steel in its own production, starting from sizes of  up to a diagonal of 37.4 inches, with thicknesses ranging between 1/32 and about 3/4 inch. The components vary in their internal contours, and the surfaces can be either dry or wet. "For automation, the system must be able to reliably identify the parts," explains Daniel Wechsel. "We have been working with our partner Schmalz on vacuum and gripping solutions for a long time. When we learned about the solution kit for sheet metal processing, we were immediately interested."

As a technology expert for the interaction between robot and gripper, Schmalz contributed not only the Solution Kit iv OS but also the Matrix Area Gripper FMG. For this, Schmalz combined seven modules, with each suction gripper individually controllable. The FMG is characterized by low vacuum requirements and can hold suctioned workpieces even in the event of actuator voltage loss. The highlight, however, is the artificial intelligence (AI) integrated into the Solution Kit iv OS Sheet Metal. It reacts flexibly to changing requirements and workpieces without a learning process. "The AI-supported part recognition works extremely reliably—and saves noticeable time, as the tedious manual placement of workpieces is now a thing of the past," confirms the head of sheet metal production.

From Manual to Automated Process

The employees place the workpieces in sorted stacks on a pallet inside the robot cell. Each batch is allowed to contain only one specific sheet thickness. Ceiling-mounted 3D vision sensors in the cell detect different sheet geometries and provide the necessary data for robot control. This enables the gripper to be precisely positioned and accurately place the sheets onto the conveyor belt of the deburring machine. For this purpose, Schmalz and Lissmac defined rules and connected the robot cell and deburring system via an interface.

Per shift, the system automatically loads 700 to 1,000 workpieces into Lissmac's grinding machine. The system still has significant reserves—if needed, it can handle up to 500 parts per hour. After deburring, a conveyor belt transports the processed parts, which are still manually removed at this stage. "The Solution Kit has become an important tool in our sheet metal production," emphasizes Daniel Wechsel. Now, one worker operates and unloads two deburring machines simultaneously. "This allows us to use our staff much more efficiently," he says happily. There is only one limitation: the sheet metal parts require a minimum web width of 1.2 inches for the grippers to grasp them.

Since August 2024, the system has been operating in regular production. The workforce has embraced the robotic solution, as it has relieved them of repetitive tasks. "The operation is intuitive, and the system works reliably," summarizes the head of sheet metal production. "We can now deploy our skilled workers across multiple machines simultaneously, which significantly increases productivity."

The Next Step

As a machine builder, Lissmac naturally thinks further with the automation solution. "We have a great product with a lot of potential. That’s why we want to not only use the Solution Kit for our own production but also make it available to our customers," says Daniel Wechsel. Therefore, Lissmac and Schmalz are developing a modular system for different load capacities and part geometries. "Full automation, of course, also includes a solution for picking up parts directly after processing. We are currently working on that. This will make the system ready to meet any challenge."

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