If you want to understand the importance of the metalworking industry, take a look and you’ll see that every metal-made item or machine around you comes from this industry, from the smallest tools in your toolbox to the vehicle you drive.
Unsurprisingly, this industry requires heavy and complex machinery to carry out its most challenging tasks, protecting operators while cutting costs and saving time.
Bar feeders or bar loaders are used to load metal bars and long raw materials into sliding headstock Swiss lathes and turning machines.
They improve efficiency, precision, and safety in the line of production, as operators no longer need to load bars into the machines themselves.
These can be pretty simple and low-cost machines, but they’re key for several industries. Top Automazioni manufactures the best bar feeders in the market; click here to learn more.
From screwdrivers to steel buildings, the products of the metalworking industry are everywhere. Machinery and main accessories may vary in this industry, depending on the niche, but some machines are common to nearly all of them. Let’s take a closer look at the top five machines used for metalworking.
Table of Contents
Industrial Robot
In the age of Industry 4.0 — with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing abundant — industrial robots have become commonplace on many factory floors.
Robotic manipulation of components and processes saves time and resources while also improving worker safety. Some industries use an array of robots collaborating in different functions connected to computer numerical control (CNC) machines.
Lathe Machine
Lathes have long been used for metalworking. They help operators perform functions like turning, cutting, threading, boring, sanding, and knurling.
Lathes vary in shape, size, and accessories. They are heavy-duty equipment used mostly for enhanced precision in the production of light machinery parts.
Grinding Machine
Grinding machines are used in many metal manufacturing processes. They spin at high speeds, providing a wide array of finishes. They’re also used for flattening, smoothing, and shaping surfaces and working with pieces cut by other machines.
Milling Machine
Milling machines hold pieces very tightly on movable work tables, while rotary cutters remove undesired parts.
Milling machines also allow operators to rotate pieces vertically and can perform several tasks, such as drilling, shaping, and cutting, but they are mostly used for peripheral milling and face milling.
Shaper Machine
Shaper machines are used for cutting and shaping pieces. They’re single-point cutting tools that allow for linear motion while cutting pieces into the desired shape. They’re commonly used to shape metal sheets into complex formats such as arcs.
Conclusion
Since metal components are everywhere, metalwork is a massive industry. Last year, the industry was valued at USD $36.9 billion in the United States alone, and it is set to grow worldwide in the future.
Top Automazioni is an industry leader in complex machinery for metalworking, providing top-notch industrial robots and bar feeders for a wide variety of purposes, making them indispensable on the factory floor of the most competitive companies.