Adding five automation areas in the stamping and die manufacturing process not only helps alleviate the shortage of existing technical personnel, but also benefits the future development of stamping manufacturers, including waste, fluid management, and monitoring.
I. How to Improve Automation in the Metal Stamping Industry
1. Moving Scrap Metal
Conveyors, hydraulic dumpers, and automatic loading systems eliminate some of the most labor-intensive manual processes in metal scrap handling.
Conveyors: Conveyors can quickly and automatically remove stamping scrap and chips from the start of production. When metal scrap and waste cutting fluid are automatically removed from the core operation, forklift transfer is no longer needed, and production cycles are optimized.
Automatic dumpers: They receive chip carts or drums from die machining operations and then raise and tilt them over a receiving hopper. Mechanical options are equipped with advanced transfer features; hydraulic systems facilitate low-level metal scrap transfer. If guided by handheld controls, both systems can efficiently handle single-operator cart unloading.
Loading systems: These systems automatically transfer scrap metal to distribution containers for transport to metal recycling stations. The continuous back-and-forth operation of a reciprocating conveyor distributes scrap evenly in the container. When the container is full, level sensors alert the operator. Loading automation can even use machine-to-machine communication to signal scrap dealers that a container is ready for pickup. A platform scale can track overall scrap output and help ensure containers are filled, but also avoid exceeding road weight limits. These systems greatly reduce the supervision required for effective loading.
Automatically transferring metal scrap from one production point to another minimizes employee intervention. Moreover, because these systems eliminate the hazards associated with manually moving metal scrap, workplace safety is improved. This can help attract and retain highly skilled employees while freeing up resources for production-focused tasks in other operational areas.
2. Modifying Metal Scrap
Metal scrap processing equipment automates the task of reducing turnings and bunched chips into flowable shovel-grade chips. Equipment with vertical feed provides continuous positive feed operation to reduce large volumes of scrap. Equipment with horizontal feed accommodates small quantities of fine, large turnings.
These systems help the shop floor remain free of hazardous substances and prepare metal scrap for more efficient line-side processing.
3. Machine Monitoring
As experienced older workers retire, automated machine monitoring and IIoT capabilities provide a path to stamping success for facilities that lack sufficient knowledge of their equipment and maintenance resources. Automated machine monitoring systems continuously monitor equipment performance and capture data, supporting predictive maintenance. Ultimately, this minimizes downtime, reduces maintenance costs by lowering labor overhead, increases productivity, and improves workplace safety throughout operations.
Because IIoT communication devices collect equipment data and send it to the cloud, they make equipment data accessible to anyone or any device anywhere. This helps new operators see what caused machine failures in the past and makes machine uptime more predictable. IIoT can even send emails to suppliers to automatically order replacement parts.
4. Separating Cutting Fluids
In post-die-cutting operations, wringers and centrifuges separate cutting fluids from metal chips. Especially when integrated into metal chip processing systems, wringers and centrifuges help automatically remove and recover cutting fluids, thereby accelerating waste stream management. Wringers and centrifuges with automatic cleaning designs, along with automatic lubrication systems for self-lubricating bearings, help support continuous operation while reducing operator-led procedures.
5. Managing Cutting Fluids
For shops lacking automated fluid filtration systems, cutting fluid management requires repeated operator intervention. Operations using tramp oil separators eliminate the need for manual cleaning of oil from rinse tanks. By automatically removing free-floating and mechanically dispersed tramp oil, bacteria, slime, and inverted emulsions from individual machine sumps, central systems, and wash tanks, tramp oil separators reduce tramp oil to below 1% in a single pass.
Turnkey centralized fluid filtration systems further enhance fluid management efficiency by automatically controlling coolant concentration and continuously eliminating bacteria through ozone injection. These centralized systems require minimal operator involvement and training, making fluid management easy, seamless, and effortless. Cutting fluid recovery equipment can also reduce hazardous waste disposal volumes by up to 90% and reduce new fluid purchases by up to 75%.
Although automation offers a path to future resilience, it remains burdened by stigmas of the past. To fully leverage the level of innovation automation provides, the North American manufacturing sector—including metal forming operations—must first eliminate the misconception that automation only eliminates jobs, when in fact automation helps create new ones. An automation study conducted by Deloitte in the UK showed that while 800,000 low-skilled jobs were eliminated, 3.5 million higher-paying jobs were created.
Adding five automation areas in the stamping and die manufacturing process not only helps alleviate the existing shortage of technical personnel, but also benefits the future development of stamping manufacturers, including waste, fluid management, and monitoring.
I. How to Improve Automation in the Metal Stamping Industry
1. Moving Scrap Metal
Conveyors, hydraulic dumpers, and automatic loading systems eliminate some of the most labor-intensive manual processes in metal scrap handling.
Conveyors: Conveyors can quickly and automatically remove stamping scrap and chips from the start of production. When metal scrap and waste cutting fluid are automatically removed from the core operation, forklift transfer is no longer needed, and production cycles are optimized.
Automatic dumpers: They receive chip carts or drums from die machining operations and then raise and tilt them over a receiving hopper. Mechanical options are equipped with advanced transfer features; hydraulic systems facilitate low-level metal scrap transfer. If operated with handheld controls, both systems can efficiently handle single-person cart unloading.
Loading systems: These systems automatically transfer scrap metal to distribution containers for transport to metal recycling stations. The continuous back-and-forth operation of a reciprocating conveyor distributes scrap evenly in the container. When the container is full, level sensors alert the operator. Loading automation can even use machine-to-machine communication to signal scrap dealers that a container is ready for pickup. A platform scale can track overall scrap output and help ensure containers are full, but also not exceed road weight limits. These systems greatly reduce the supervision required for effective loading.
Automatically transferring metal scrap from one production point to another minimizes employee intervention. Moreover, because these systems eliminate the hazards associated with manually moving metal scrap, workplace safety is improved. This can help attract and retain highly qualified employees while freeing up resources for production-focused tasks in other operational areas.
2. Modifying Metal Scrap
Metal scrap processing equipment automates the task of reducing turnings and bunched chips into flowable shovel-grade chips. Equipment with vertical feed provides continuous positive feed operation to reduce large volumes of scrap. Equipment with horizontal feed accommodates small volumes of fine, large turnings.
These systems help the shop floor remain free of hazardous substances and prepare metal scrap for more efficient in-line processing.
3. Machine Monitoring
As experienced older workers retire, automated machine monitoring and IIoT capabilities provide a path to stamping success, given their lack of sufficient knowledge of facility equipment and maintenance resources. Automated machine monitoring systems continuously monitor equipment performance and capture data, supporting predictive maintenance. Ultimately, this can minimize downtime, reduce maintenance costs by lowering labor overhead, increase productivity, and improve workplace safety throughout operations.
Because IIoT communication devices collect equipment data and send it to the cloud, they make equipment data accessible to anyone or any device anywhere. This can help new operators see what caused machine failures in the past and make machine uptime more predictable. IIoT can even send emails to suppliers to automatically order replacement parts.
4. Separating Cutting Fluids
In post-die-cutting operations, wringers and centrifuges separate cutting fluids from metal chips. Especially when integrated into metal chip processing systems, wringers and centrifuges help automatically remove and recover cutting fluids, thereby accelerating waste stream management. Wringers and centrifuges with automatic cleaning designs, along with automatic lubrication systems for self-lubricating bearings, help support continuous operation while reducing operator-led procedures.
5. Managing Cutting Fluids
For shops lacking automated fluid filtration systems, cutting fluid management requires repeated operator intervention. Operations using tramp oil separators eliminate the need for manual cleaning of oil from rinse tanks. By automatically removing free-floating and mechanically dispersed tramp oil, bacteria, slime, and inverted emulsions from individual machine sumps, central systems, and wash tanks, tramp oil separators can reduce tramp oil to below 1% in a single pass.
Turnkey centralized fluid filtration systems further enhance fluid management efficiency by automatically controlling coolant concentration and continuously eliminating bacteria through ozone injection. These centralized systems require minimal operator involvement and training, making fluid management easy, seamless, and effortless. Cutting fluid recovery equipment can also reduce hazardous waste disposal volumes by up to 90% and new fluid purchases by up to 75%.
Although automation offers a path to future resilience, it is still burdened by stigmas of the past. To fully leverage the level of innovation automation provides, the North American manufacturing sector—including metal forming operations—must first dispel the misconception that automation only eliminates jobs, when in fact automation helps create new ones. A Deloitte automation study in the UK showed that while 800,000 low-skilled jobs were eliminated, 3.5 million higher-paying jobs were created.