Robotic Finishing and Machining

Robots are programmed to apply just enough pressure for the job and provide a consistent/repeatable rate of transfer so that the integrity of each piece is retained and all workpieces kept beautifully uniform. If there isn’t enough pressure or inconsistent rates of speed, time and materials are wasted. With the properly programmed force control end of arm tool design and path optimization a robot will maintain a constant force while removing material compared to a human who, while flexible, is not consistent.    MESH has experience with grinding wheels, grinding pads, sanding belts, and steel brush systems using a robot as the main automation tool.

From lighting reflective fixtures to automotive exterior parts requiring aesthetically pleasing finishes MESH most likely has experience and a solution for your operation. Most of the polishing projects also require additional competencies (such as gripping, fixturing, welding, pre-polishing and material handling) other than polishing. MESH has aligned our resources and experience to offer a complete line of solutions for finishing of your parts including polishing. Robots are ideally suited for polishing routines due to the requirement of consistent paths, multiple passes, and consistent pressure no matter the angle.

Deflashing of foundry parts and deburring of metal or plastic parts can require a number of different processes depending on the part and finished product requirements.    For foundry parts grinding wheels, pencil grinders and sanding belts often do most if not all the requirements.    For plastic deflashing carbide pencil grinders with compensation do the trick.  MESH has pre-engineered solutions for most of these tasks including our own grinding stand using a diamond wheel, our own belt sanding stand, regrip stands and end of arm gripper solutions.   Robots are ideal for most of these tasks due to the typical complex geometry of the parts and the need for consistently repeatable paths under repeatable pressure at varying amounts along the path.

Robotic machining is best suited when the part is very large or awkward in geometry thus requiring a solution where the spindle can be taken to the part. This coupled with a requirement needing 6 axes spindle adjustment. At MESH we are experts at CNC machining with six machines operating in our own facility.   We also have been integrating robots into CNC tending applications for years (see our Robotic Machine Tending page). With this experience, we know when to specify robotic machining vs traditional CNC machining.   Let us help you determine the right solution.

It is easy to argue that fixturing and work holding is the most important aspect of any successful automation system. All good fixtures allow for proper part fit-up and are easy to use, but fixtures can also increase quality by maintaining consistency in manufacturing. MESH designs and builds fixturing for both manual and automatic purposes. MESH specializes in fixtures that are heavy duty, automated, easy to maintain, operator friendly and provide precise part fit-up.