Case Study: 3D Machine boosts production capacity with Formic automation

3D Machine boosts production capacity 25% with Formic Technologies

3D Machine Inc., a family-owned CNC machining manufacturer, faced inefficiencies and high labor costs from manually tending a Mori Seiki lathe and a Haas CNC machine. The repetitive task was unpopular with operators and the company was hesitant to invest in traditional automation due to high capital costs and order forecast uncertainty. They partnered with Formic Technologies to implement a solution.

Formic deployed its Formic Tend machine tending solution with a Fanuc robot for a low hourly rate and no capital investment. The solution automated the entire loading and unloading process for both machines. As a result, 3D Machine increased production capacity by 25% over roughly 2,000 hours of operation, gained more consistent output, and freed up its team for other tasks. Formic's performance-based approach, which included support and maintenance, provided a competitive edge and derisked the automation process.

3D Machine Inc