Automation
Engineered Components for Systems That Cannot Afford to Stop.
Automated systems are only as reliable as their weakest component. When a sensor housing fails, an end of arm tool breaks, or a cable management solution is not up to the task, the line stops. In automated manufacturing environments, that stoppage has an immediate and measurable cost.
Additive manufacturing gives automation engineers a faster, more flexible path to the custom components that keep automated systems running. At Axiom Works, we bring the engineering background to design those components correctly the first time.
Where Additive Manufacturing Fits in Automation
Automation systems are built around standard components, but they run on custom ones. The brackets, housings, end of arm tooling, cable management solutions, and sensor mounts that make a robotic or automated system actually work are rarely off the shelf. They are engineered for a specific robot, a specific payload, a specific part, and a specific process.
Traditionally, those custom components were machined or fabricated from metal. That works, but it comes with lead times, costs, and geometric limitations that additive manufacturing eliminates.
End of arm tooling. The tooling attached to the end of a robot arm is one of the highest value opportunities for additive manufacturing in automation. Custom grippers, vacuum cups, part nests, and combination tools can be designed with internal vacuum channels, conformal contact surfaces, and complex geometry that metal fabrication cannot economically produce. Additive manufactured end of arm tooling is also significantly lighter than metal alternatives, which reduces moment loads on the robot arm, extends joint life, and in many cases allows a smaller robot to handle a larger payload.
Sensor and camera housings. Automated systems rely on vision systems, proximity sensors, force torque sensors, and a wide variety of other instrumentation. The housings and mounting structures for that instrumentation are almost always custom. Additive manufacturing produces these components faster and at lower cost than machining, with geometry that can be optimized for cable routing, cooling, and integration with the surrounding structure.
Cable and hose management. Unmanaged cables and hoses are one of the most common sources of failures in robotic systems. Custom cable carriers, routing brackets, strain relief components, and hose management solutions designed specifically for the robot configuration and range of motion keep cables organized, protected, and out of the way of moving parts.
Custom brackets and structural components. Integrating robots and automated systems into existing manufacturing environments almost always requires custom mounting structures, adapter plates, and interface components. Additive manufacturing produces these faster than a machine shop and with fewer geometric constraints.
Conveyor and transfer system components. Guides, diverters, and custom transfer components for automated material handling systems benefit from the same design freedom and lead time advantages that additive manufacturing offers in other automation contexts.
Lightweighting in Automation
Weight is one of the most important engineering variables in end of arm tooling and any component attached to a moving axis in an automated system. Every gram added to end of arm tooling increases the moment load on the robot joint, reduces usable payload capacity, increases cycle time if acceleration is limited to protect the joint, and accelerates wear on drive components.
Additive manufactured components can be topology optimized and internally structured to remove mass wherever it is not structurally necessary. The result is tooling and structural components that are as light as the application allows without compromising the rigidity and strength the system requires.
For automation engineers working at the edge of a robot's payload capacity or trying to maximize cycle rate, the weight savings from well engineered additive components can be the difference between a system that meets the spec and one that does not.
Materials for Automation Applications
Automation components live in manufacturing environments. They get exposed to cutting fluids, lubricants, cleaning chemicals, and the mechanical stresses of high cycle operation. Material selection has to reflect the actual operating environment, not just the initial installation conditions.
Our Vision Miner industrial equipment processes ultra-performance polymers suited to the demands of automation applications:
PEEK — exceptional mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and dimensional stability for end of arm tooling, sensor housings, and structural components in demanding manufacturing environments
Carbon fiber composites — the preferred material for weight critical end of arm tooling and moving axis components where stiffness and low mass are both required
ULTEM — strong thermal and mechanical performance for components operating in elevated temperature environments or requiring broad chemical compatibility
PPS (Polyphenylene Sulfide) — outstanding chemical resistance for components exposed to cutting fluids, coolants, and cleaning agents in automated machining and processing environments
Engineering grade Nylon — well suited for housings, brackets, and structural components where chemical exposure is limited and cost efficiency matters alongside performance
Applications in Automation
Axiom Works supports automation engineers, integrators, and OEMs across a broad range of applications:
End of arm tooling — custom grippers, vacuum tools, part nests, and combination tooling designed for specific payloads, part geometries, and process requirements
Robot mounting structures — custom brackets, adapter plates, and interface components for integrating robots into existing manufacturing environments
Sensor and camera housings — custom enclosures and mounting structures for vision systems, proximity sensors, and other instrumentation
Cable and hose management — custom routing brackets, cable carriers, and strain relief components designed for specific robot configurations and ranges of motion
Conveyor and transfer components — guides, diverters, and handling components for automated material handling systems
Prototype automation components — rapid production of custom components for automation systems under development, allowing integration testing before committing to production tooling
Speed Matters in Automation Integration
Automation projects run on tight schedules. When a system integration is behind because a custom component is sitting in a machine shop queue, the cost of that delay compounds daily across the project team.
Additive manufacturing from Axiom Works compresses the lead time on custom automation components to days in most cases. The engineering behind the component is done correctly, the material is selected for the operating environment, and the part is dimensionally validated before it ships.
When your integration timeline cannot wait on a machine shop, we are structured to move at the speed the project requires.
The Engineering Advantage in Automation
Automation engineers do not need a vendor who prints what they send. They need a partner who understands robotic systems, thinks about load paths and cable management and payload optimization the way their own engineers do, and can be trusted to flag a design problem before it shows up as a fault code on the production floor.
Axiom Works brings 17 years of additive manufacturing experience alongside a deep background in mechanical engineering, machine design, and automation to every engagement. That background means we understand the system context that every custom component lives in, not just the geometry of the part itself.
CONSUMER PRODUCTS ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING · FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPING · SHORT RUN PRODUCTION · RAPID PROTOTYPING · BRIDGE PRODUCTION · INDUSTRIAL 3D PRINTING · PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT · ADVANCED MANUFACTURING