VIDEO: How To Automate Multiple Ops

Jacob Sanchez: This is How To, brought to you by MSC Industrial Supply. My name's Jacob Sanchez. I'm here in Champaign, Illinois, at Wagner Machine Company. And like many great shops around our country, Wagner Machine Company found itself at a crossroad. They could choose to do the same type of machining that they're great at. They do it day in and day out.

Or they could choose to be different. They chose to be different with automation and not just automating their op ones that we may see every day. They went beyond that to their twos, their threes, their fours, because they saw how reliable and efficient it was in their processes and that transferred to their customers. So, if you're looking at how to elevate your shop, if you guys just want to get to that next level, this episode’s for you. 

So come with me. Let's learn how to bring innovation to your company. And most importantly, let's learn how to automate multiple ops. 

All right. If you ever find yourself in the Champaign, Illinois, area trying to get into Wagner Machine Company, you're going to run into Nate Schaub, the head mill programmer here. Thanks for having us, man. 

Nate Schaub: Yeah, thanks for coming by. 

Jacob Sanchez: So what led to your guys' decision at Wagner to bring in automation?

Nate Schaub: Just production numbers, really. And we needed more time in the day since we only run a single ship. We need more time in the day to get more hours because our customers were just demanding more and more parts. And we by, you know, loading at 8 hours a day, was just not keeping up.

Jacob Sanchez: So you touched on your customers always demanding more parts, better productivity. What did you guys do to bring automation to that next level, though?

Nate Schaub: Well, obviously, automating an op one is the norm, but we we've taken it to op two and op three, if you will, after anodized to just keep punching the numbers, you know, like just to try and keep up. 

Jacob Sanchez: There's still so much of the industry that still thinks that's impossible. 

Nate Schaub: It's scary. It really is. And there's a lot to go into it. There's a lot into it. But if you put in some effort up front, you know, you put in junk you get junk out. So if you put in a lot of work up front and you'll have a nice set up afterwards. 

Jacob Sanchez: And how has utilizing automation helped with the workforce development? You know what I mean? That's a big thing. People think that the robots come in, people go out.

Nate Schaub: Oh definitely not, we're always hiring. Always hiring, yeah. I think everybody likes the robots, to be honest. I mean, it keeps, keeps a little bit off their plate. You know, I just have to check parts. I don't have to keep making sure I'm doing this. You know.

Jacob Sanchez: The same tedious task, the basic task.

Nate Schaub: Gives you a little bit relief.

Jacob Sanchez: Heck yeah, man. Well, if you don't mind, do you mind if we just go check it out? I want to see what you guys are rolling with. 

All right, man. So I’m watching what it's doing right now. I'm loving it. How do you start with automating multiple ops? Like this is the second, third...

Nate Schaub: Third op. Third op after anodized. 

Jacob Sanchez: Heck, yeah. So how do you even get started with that process though? Like, where does it come from?

Nate Schaub: Well you start at your, at your computer, with the programming.

Jacob Sanchez: Starts on the machining side?

Nate Schaub: Yeah, you start with the CAM. Make sure you got everything right there. And you come in here and it's little things like right here, bring the probe in and actually probe the top of the fixture to make sure it has seated correctly. And you can continue machining.

Jacob Sanchez: That's a great technique for machine shops to use too, is utilizing that probe in your cycles?

Nate Schaub: Yeah, absolutely.

Jacob Sanchez: Well, when I hear automation, I think robots. You wanna go check out the robots? You mind if I grab? Sweet, now I feel like I'm back in the day. I used to program these guys too. So this is where the magic happens. This is where you start automating.

Nate Schaub: A lot of it starts right here.

Jacob Sanchez: So tell me about the process a little bit. What are you guys using this robot for? What's going on with the fixturing? What's happening?

Nate Schaub: Well, we've had a lot of things with this one. We have had to make several changes, like all these fixtures were machined at the same time and we've added in grip.

Jacob Sanchez: Oh no way.

Nate Schaub: Gripper locations here for the, for the fingers to actually come in and grab to prevent rocking and things like that.

Jacob Sanchez: Dude, you mind if I show them that real quick? That is nuts, so what they did is you get a lot of slippage where you're doing flat grippers and you're using automation on not just here on your fixtures but on your parts, anything flat with coolant, you know, it doesn't work good. They would grab and they would just be flinging around coming out of the machine. So they added those holes right there, those slots, so it locks in and it doesn't move around. That's awesome. Nice.

Nate Schaub: We also even beveled the edges here just to give us that much better chance of the pallet dropping back into its position.

Jacob Sanchez: Dude, that's sweet, man. Well, I appreciate your time. I know I learned a lot just being here, seeing what you guys do to automate your machine, automate something that's more than just the holding it, machine it, all right, give it to an operator. Let somebody else load it. So that's awesome, man. Do you mind if we go take a walk around?

Yeah, let’s go see what else we got going on. Dude, this is amazing. You know what man? I really hope people learn that there's more than just the first op when it comes to automation, you guys are showing them that. I really appreciate it.

Nate Schaub: Yeah thanks, no problem. 

Jacob Sanchez: This is awesome.

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