As industry recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic businesses will face renewed challenges as production ramps up again. The skills shortage has not gone away, if anything it will have worsened, making the availability of machine automation more pressing.

To help meet these challenges, Devon-based XYZ Machine Tools has created an automation and machine package that will provide a cost-effective route to maximising productivity.

The package revolves around the three machine LR series of XYZ vertical machining centres (VMCs), the XYZ 500 LR, XYZ 750 LR and XYZ 1000 LR, with prices starting at £99,870 for a combination of the 500 LR and the XYZ Robo-Tend fully automated production cell.

The Robo-Tend system features a KUKA Cybertech robot with 10kg lifting capacity (larger versions available) with vision system, along with an automated drawer system for storage of raw material and finished components.

A major advantage of Robo-Tend is its portability, it can be quickly disconnected and moved, either to another compatible XYZ machining centre or, to allow conventional operation of the machine with an operator, when required.

To encourage greater use of automation XYZ Machine Tools has made this package more tempting with the addition of several features that would normally be classed as cost options, including automated vice, swarf conveyor and automated door system. In addition, the package comes with training and warranty to ensure maximum performance from day one to provide complete reassurance.

XYZ Robo-Tend is a UK-designed and built system that was developed to provide cost-effective automation to small- and medium-size companies, those that would not normally consider automation of this type as ‘being for them’. The system addresses this perception, making automation viable for lower-volume production.

Nigel Atherton, XYZ Machine Tools managing director, said: “The availability of skilled labour is an issue that will not disappear and small- to medium-size businesses must automate lower skilled jobs, such as machine loading/unloading, freeing up valuable skilled employees to add value further down the line. We believe Robo-Tend will open up automation to a much wider audience at an extremely competitive price.

“Whether purchased with finance with very low hourly costs or, purchased outright where payback can be a matter of months, these packages are a powerful argument to automate the manufacturing process, whatever the production needs.”

The Robo-Tend/XYZ machine packages availabe from XYZ Machine Tools provide a versatile, user-friendly, modular approach to automation, and subject to component size are capable of operating unattended for a full shift, and can even operate 24/7 with the only manual intervention being to restock the raw material in the part storage system when required.

This makes it ideal for those companies that need to improve productivity but may be struggling to find the personnel or skills to operate their machines.