A new Danish company says it has solved a well-known and previously “unsolvable challenge” in the metal industry.
Made4CNC has developed what is claimed to be the world’s first completely automatic door opening solution for robotic machine tending, fitted to any robot and CNC machine in under an hour.
Currently only a small percentage of the industry’s CNC machines are automatically fed components.
Most of the world’s CNC machines rely on either the operator or the robotic arm having to physically open and close the machines’ heavy doors every few minutes. Investing in a new fully automatic CNC machine or upgrading an older model can be a tall order, both in practical and financial terms.
Made4CNC’s first official product, the new Safedoor SD100 removes the barriers to the automation of component feeding at machine shops.
Safedoor SD100 opens CNC doors that are up to 1 meter wide and weigh 400 kg, at a speed of 500 mm/s. The door opener can connect to any robot and CNC machine make via galvanic insulated digital inputs and outputs.
Several end users and distributors have already caught the scent of a killer app and have started deploying the solution.
The team behind Made4CNC, Thomas Visti, Lasse Kieffer and Peter Nadolny are three professionals well-known for disrupting the robot industry, having played integral roles in the success of Danish robot companies Universal Robots, OnRobot, Purple Robotics and Mobile Industrial Robots.
Automation must speed up
When automating CNC machines today, integrators often build “homemade” door opening solutions. But that risks errors, stoppages, and hazardous situations because the solutions typically require compressed air and are neither standardized nor tested.
These challenges are overcome with Made4CNC’s fully electric Safedoor SD100 with built-in safety functions that enable the integrator to adjust the speed of the CNC door, making risk assessments easier to conduct.
Peter Nadolny Madsen, CEO at Made4CNC, says: “Around the world the need for faster and greater automation is a major trend, and for it to succeed, less time must be spent on each installation.
“With the SD100, we have integrated safety and robustness in a user-friendly solution, which we believe is the key to optimal productivity.”
Madsen adds that integration of collaborative robots or light industrial robots together with existing CNC machines makes a lot of sense, since the automation of existing machines generate low risk and a short payback period for the customer.
Global expansion in 12 months
Together with investors Thomas Visti and Lasse Kieffer, Peter Nadolny Madsen established Made4CNC in January 2021. Investor Lasse Kieffer has contributed with his deep technological expertise, while investor Thomas Visti has provided market insight.
Visti says: “Made4CNC has understood what is required to make the process easier,” said Thomas Visti “It’s win-win-win for the end customer, employees, distributors and the manufacturer. I therefore expect that Made4CNC will have established itself via robot distributors and integrators around most of the world in the next 12 months.”
Stable, safe door openers
Integrator Nordelektro has installed two Made4CNC Safedoor SD100 door opening solutions at Randers Tandhjulsfabrik.
Lars Bo Nielsen, factory manager at Randers Tandhjulsfabrik, says: “It took less than an hour for each CNC machine and they are good and stable door openers.”
For Nordelektro, it makes a huge difference that they can provide customers with a standardized solution designed as a solution-in-a-box.
Jesper Storm Simonsen, sales manager at Nordelektro, says: “Safedoor SD100 is a complete solution, which makes it simpler to work with automation.
“It is a huge advantage for us as an integrator. We don’t need to invent something complicated and expensive. We have minimum project risk.”
Better flow and better work environment
Made4CNC has just entered into agreement with their first American distributor, Thinkbot Solutions.
Philip Courtois, president of Thinkbot Solutions, says: “Safedoor SD100 makes having a job as a machine feeder much more pleasant and easy-going, while the employer will be able to optimize and get a better work flow.
“Others have tried unsuccessfully to develop a user-friendly door opener. Made4CNC has completely succeeded. I have chosen to distribute SD100 because attention is given to all of the details in terms of the mechanics, software and safety.”
He adds that SD100 is certified by the world’s most popular collaborative robot company Universal Robots. “The UR+ certification ensures completely seamless integration with robots from Universal Robots. All operation can be done through the robot’s teach pendant.”
