Overview
The robot is usually the simple part of a machine tending cell.
The harder work is part presentation, gripper design, machine-door interface, CNC or molding-machine signals, inspection, reject handling, safety, and recovery when parts are missing or misaligned.
Common machine tending applications
CNC machine tending
Lathe or machining center loading, unloading, part flip, gauging, deburring, and tray management.
Injection molding take-out
Part removal, insert loading, sprue handling, vision checks, trimming, stacking, and downstream handoff.
Press and stamping tending
Blank loading, unload, fixture alignment, guarding, interlocks, and press signal integration.
Inspection-linked tending
Machine unload, camera inspection, measurement, reject sorting, and traceability.
Supplier validation checks
- Comparable cells with the same machine type and similar cycle time.
- EOAT design, backup gripper parts, part-present sensors, and recovery logic.
- PLC/HMI integration, machine signals, safety architecture, and E-stop zones.
- FAT using real parts, trays, rejects, and fault conditions.