Fully Automatic Laser Cutting Feeder and Stacker System – Uninterrupted Material Flow for Lights-Out Manufacturing

For fabricators pushing up against the limits of manual operation, the bottleneck often is not the cutting speed of the laser—it is everything happening before and after the beam fires. Manual loading is slow, physically demanding, and inconsistent. Unloading cut parts is a repetitive, time-consuming task that pulls skilled labor away from more value-added work like quality inspection and finishing. The Herochu Fully Automatic Laser Cutting Feeder and Stacker System is engineered to shatter this bottleneck, transforming the laser cell into a pillar of continuous, unattended production.

This integrated solution combines a single gantry truss manipulator with a laser cutting machine, governed by a centralized CNC and vacuum control system. The automated feeding system links the gantry truss manipulator with the laser cutting equipment to form a unified and efficient production unit. From the moment raw plate enters the three-dimensional tower warehouse until the finished cut stack is ready for the next operation, every motion is synchronized, repeatable, and fully automatic.

The Cartesian Foundation: Engineering for Uninterrupted Operation

The Herochu system is built on the robust foundation of a Cartesian coordinate truss robot—a gantry-style manipulator renowned for its strength, precision, and reliability in industrial settings. The core of the system is its rigid body, constructed from high-strength aluminum alloy or rectangular steel tube.

The system comprises a three-dimensional storage warehouse, a bilateral gantry truss, a composite truss manipulator, a finished material truck, and a sophisticated PLC control system. Together, these elements form a sheet metal automatic production unit that operates with a level of synchronicity impossible to achieve with manual methods. The CNC control system acts as the conductor of this orchestra, receiving orders from the factory’s ERP or MES system and directing every movement.

Feeder Function: High-Speed Material Presentation

The feeding mechanism employs a matrix of vacuum cups connected to a regulated pneumatic system operating at 0.6 to 0.7 MPa, capable of lifting sheets up to 500 kilograms without deformation or slippage. The vacuum control system adjusts suction force based on the material’s weight and surface texture, preventing slippage and ensuring reliable transport.

The system’s double-layer electric exchange material car ensures uninterrupted material supply. Even with a maximum air consumption of 1.5 cubic meters per minute, the system remains energy-efficient thanks to intelligent control algorithms.

The gantry loader is mounted overhead on a rigid truss structure that spans the entire cutting area, supported by heavy-duty linear rails that ensure smooth, vibration-free motion. This overhead configuration eliminates floor obstacles and maximizes usable workspace.

Stacker Function: Automated Finished Part Removal and Sorting

The unloading function is equally critical to achieving true lights-out manufacturing. The system automatically extracts processed sheets and skeletons and stacks them cleanly without stopping cycles. The double-layer finished material truck receives finished parts and scrap sheets, allowing operators to safely remove completed nests without pausing the machine lines.

The system’s ability to handle finished parts with the same precision as raw material loading ensures that downstream operations receive properly oriented and stacked components. Scrap skeleton frames are removed and stacked separately, simplifying material recycling and waste management.

One-to-Two Configuration: Maximizing Laser Utilization

The Herochu Fully Automatic Laser Cutting Feeder and Stacker System can be configured as a full-automatic one-to-two plate processing unit, meaning a single automated double-tower warehouse and gantry manipulator can support two independent laser cutting systems at once. This configuration effectively doubles the throughput of a single automation investment, making it particularly attractive for high-volume fabrication facilities.

The continuous automation loop extracts raw sheets from storage, stages them over the target machine, loads the material table the moment it cycles open, and simultaneously reclaims finished cut pieces or skeleton frames. By turning material handling into a parallel background process, the system minimizes laser idle times to near zero.

Control Intelligence and Production Management

The digital control system establishes a fail-safe, data-driven environment capable of fully autonomous manufacturing. Core system logic is governed by Siemens PLCs, material tracking is guided by Omron sensors, and electrical distribution is managed via Schneider Electric components. The touchscreen Human-Machine Interface displays live spatial coordinates, vacuum pressure levels, and inventory data. Integrated load cells weigh material frames automatically to prevent system overloads.

The system interfaces directly with vertical cantilever storage towers supporting up to 13 levels, each accommodating payloads of 3,000 to 5,000 kilograms. This vertical integration reclaims up to 70 percent of floor space while maintaining instant access to the full material inventory.

Safety Systems for Unattended Operation

To ensure CE and ISO 9001 compliance, the system integrates fail-safe check valves that maintain gripper pressure during sudden shop air failure, LiDAR path scanners for obstacle detection, and perimeter safety light curtains. These safety systems enable truly unattended operation by automatically halting production in the event of any anomaly and resuming once the condition is cleared.

The system supports true lights-out manufacturing, running through overnight and weekend shifts without operator intervention. For lightly manned or unmanned production, it delivers a full range of automated functions, including automatic cassette changing and continuous loading and unloading.

Technical Summary