2nd place, metalworking category: Trumpf

With the Trumatic 5000 production cell with new Sheetmaster, users can laser cut, punch and form their components fully automatically. The new Sheetmaster enables a fully automated material flow in the production cell - from loading and unloading the machine to ejecting the processed parts. This solution can be seamlessly integrated into a self-sufficient smart factory. This enables efficiency benefits along the entire process chain.

Trumpf has equipped the new machine with a six-kilowatt fiber laser for maximum productivity. This saves energy and also cuts the parts particularly quickly. In addition, a lowerable die protects the workpieces from scratches during punching. The punching head of the Trumatic 5000 is equipped with a patented electric drive, the Deltadrive.

With this machine, Trumpf has fully automated the material flow. This is possible thanks to the new Sheetmaster - a technology that handles components in the production cell using grippers. Here, the sensor-monitored suction cups on the grippers can be activated individually. This allows the grippers to pick up the workpieces even faster and more flexibly. This saves time, especially with small batch sizes. The Sheetmaster can also be connected to an automated Stopa storage system. It independently supplies the production cell with raw material. The technology also palletizes and sorts the parts independently. Another advantage of the new Sheetmaster is that it ejects the cut and punched components from the production cell. Companies can therefore transport them directly for further processing, such as bending, deburring or grinding. This reduces non-productive times and increases production efficiency.

As a further automation technology, the Trumatic 5000 is equipped with a tool changer that automatically exchanges the punching and forming tools. This Toolmaster can accommodate up to 90 different tool cassettes. Users can produce small batch sizes and a wide range of variants without having to change over the machine manually. The solution also features an automatic nozzle changer with inspection function. This prevents the machine from coming to a standstill overnight, for example due to a damaged nozzle.