CNC Machine Automation Solutions

Robotic machine tending and CNC automation cut labor cost by 25% to 60% and raise machine uptime to 82% to 97% in typical shop environments, with payback in 6 to 18 months depending on volume.

Ellison Technologies, the largest DN Solutions distributor in North America with 16 locations across the U.S., supplies and integrates collaborative robots, movable robot cells, part and production set-up automation, and factory-wide automation systems. These solutions remove manual load and unload steps so one operator can run more machines per shift.

Collaborative robots, or cobots, work alongside operators without a safety cage, using torque sensors on every joint to detect contact and stop automatically. Ellison Technologies is the U.S. and Mexico importer for Doosan Robotics, supplying and integrating cobots for CNC machine tending, load and unload, inspection, and packaging.

See Doosan Robotics Cobots

A movable robot cell combines a robotic arm with part storage in one self-contained unit that rolls up to a CNC machine without a custom build. The arm loads raw material, repositions parts mid-cycle, and unloads finished parts, cutting the operator attention a machine needs per cycle.

See Halter LoadAssistant

Spindle probes and tool probes measure and position a part automatically at the start of a cycle, replacing manual edge-finding and hand measurement. This cuts non-cutting time at the start of every job and reduces operator-dependent variation in part placement.

Barfeeders load raw bar stock automatically so a lathe can run multiple parts unattended. Pallet systems let an operator load the next fixture while the machine finishes the current one, cutting changeover to near zero. Gantry loaders move finished and raw parts in and out of the work envelope without an operator present at the machine.

FAQ Section

What automation solutions does Ellison Technologies offer for CNC machining?

Ellison Technologies offers collaborative robots (cobots), plug-and-play movable robot cells, part and production set-up automation (barfeeders, pallet systems, tool pre-setters, gantry loaders), and factory-wide automation for assembly, conveyor, and sorting systems. As the largest DN Solutions distributor in North America, Ellison integrates these systems directly with the CNC machines it sells and services.

What's the difference between a cobot and a standard industrial robot for machine tending?

A collaborative robot (cobot) is built with sensors that detect a person nearby and slow or stop, allowing safe work in the same space without a safety cage. A standard industrial robot typically runs faster and handles heavier payloads but needs a fenced work cell. Shops with tight floor space or frequent operator interaction usually choose a cobot; higher-volume, single-part-number cells often justify a standard industrial robot.

Which industries benefit most from CNC automation and lights-out machining?

Aerospace, medical, and automotive shops running repetitive part families see the fastest returns from automation, since long unattended run times multiply the value of each labor hour saved. Ellison automates part and production set-up (probes, pallet systems, barfeeders) as well as full robotic cells for these industries, letting one operator oversee multiple machines running lights-out.

CNC Machine Automation Solutions

Automation is one of the quickest ways to increase the return on investment on a machine tool purchase.

What Are Collaborative Robots (Cobots) for CNC Machine Tending?

What Are Collaborative Robots (Cobots) for CNC Machine Tending?

What Is a Plug-and-Play Robot Cell for CNC Machines?