Easy to set up
- even with daily changing articles
TROST operates two SherpaLoaders® in contract manufacturing for 5-axis machining
Alexander Trost founded the company in Rahden in 2006 with a vertical machining center. Today, the company manufactures products using seven modern CNC machining centers and a team of ten qualified employees in a 1,300 m² facility.
Easier automation with the SherpaLoader®
Making manufacturing tasks as simple as possible is one of the supreme challenges of machining. Automation can play a crucial role here—especially when it prioritizes simplicity. MAFU-SHERPA CNC Automation GmbH demonstrates how camera-guided CNC automation boosts productivity, improves cost-effectiveness, and makes manufacturing workstations more attractive.
Efficient production of small and medium-sized series
“Our daily challenge is to remain competitive. Because the competition is getting tougher and tougher,” emphasizes Alexander Trost, managing director of TROST Zerspanungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG in Rahden. “Our top priority is ensuring trouble-free machine operation while reducing the workload on our operators.” TROST manufactures precision components for general and specialized machine construction, typically in small and medium-sized production runs. For many years, the company has relied on reliable 3- and 5-axis machining centers of HURCO. To reduce setup times and ease the workload on staff, a HURCO VMX 30Ui was automated using the SherpaLoader®.
Automated 5-axis Machining at TROST
At TROST, a SherpaLoader® has been handling workpieces since 2021, from material staging to the finished part. Two table trolleys serve as material storage. A 3D camera system mounted on the robot detects the blanks as they are fed in, regardless of their orientation, eliminating the need for dies or fixed stops. The robot precisely aligns the blank, automatically clamps it in the vise of the HURCO VMX 30Ui, and starts machining. After machining, the SherpaLoader® M20 cleans the workpiece with compressed air, removes it, and immediately loads the next blank. This ensures that loading and unloading operations run synchronously—for maximum spindle runtime and process reliability. “During the day, we’ve reduced our staffing levels, and in the evenings we can continue production unmanned,” reports Trost. “The combination of the HURCO machine and Sherpa automation has proven its worth; since 2024, the next SherpaLoader® has been loading a VMX42 SRti on the production floor—our key to consistent productivity.”
Maximum flexibility through camera control
Whether for milling or turning, the SherpaLoader® systems feature a modular design and support 6-axis robots of 7 to 225 kg. Their 3D vision system and laser system automatically detect parts, adapt to new geometries, and enable changeovers in under five minutes. Workpieces can be loaded flexibly and in a space-saving manner using table trolleys, pallets, or the SpaceBox pull-out system. This camera-based intelligence ensures robust handling, fewer manual interventions, and consistent machine availability—perfect for small and medium-sized production runs.
