New Look, New Feel, New Robots at System 3R
Are AMRs the next big trend in job shop automation? System 3R’s IMTS booth will emphasize both its specialty EDM tooling and its automation products, including an autonomous moving robot.
![An LD-90 AMR with System 3R branding on a demonstration shop floor.](https://d2n4wb9orp1vta.cloudfront.net/cms/brand/mms/2024-mms/showdaily-system3r-1.jpg;maxWidth=385)
System 3R will bring an LD-90 AMR to IMTS, using it to demonstrate independent, automated workpiece transport. Image courtesy of System 3R.
System 3R returns to IMTS with rebranded signage, updated software, new technology and several specialized tools.
Eric Ostini, head of business development at System 3R’s parent company GF Machining Solutions, says that the rebranded signage is meant to emphasize that System 3R technology is compatible with machines from any OEM, rather than just its parent. Its orange and black signage now reflects System 3R’s colors, and the booth’s independence reflects the de facto independence the company has enjoyed for years.
This year’s System 3R booth is split in half to give equal focus to two main business areas: tooling and automation.
The tooling section of System 3R’s booth includes both newer tooling and some of its popular evergreens. It includes the company’s DelphinShort wire EDM tooling, as well as its hollow-centered Matrix tooling.
For automation, System 3R is presenting version 5 of its WorkShopManager software, which streamlines automation process management. This latest version has an updated user interface alongside several other enhancements to streamline management. The company is using this software to power an autonomous moving robot (AMR) that serves as the centerpiece of its automation display. This AMR is paired with one of System 3R’s WorkPartner 1+ automation systems and a simulated machine. By tasking the AMR to move between the two stations and work in a continuous cycle, System 3R aims to demonstrate how these kinds of robots can work with machines without being limited to a single location or track, which Ostini points to as a common bottleneck for lights-out machining.
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