PRECISION METALFORMING
Above and below : Robotic bending of sheet metal parts .
Jean Perrot specialises in developing robotic cells for large sheet metal parts .
Jean Perrot will celebrate its 60th anniversary on 22 September 2023 , part of the 160-year-old PINETTE P . E . I . industrial engineering group
“ We operate in a field which is risky because parts are large and heavy and are not easy to bend . It is a very niche market and , to be efficient in this market , you need a lot of engineering and automation / robotic technology expertise . So , we are a one-stop shop for customers with lots of capability in-house . We do not work , for example , with robotic integrators or HMI software partners but provide this expertise ourselves . Our own HMI software can link to a customer ’ s ERP system for overall supervision of manufacturer operations ,” he added .
The GADE robotic cell that will be at LAMIERA is the result of Group synergies .
Over the past two / three years , JEAN PERROT has enjoyed huge success selling a lot of automated and robotic press brake cells . It is continuing to innovate in this area as it has found a new way to use the robotic cell , in either manual or automatic mode , for either one-off or serial production . This new bending cell concept , with Fanuc robots , envisages manufacturers using their press brake operators during the day for unique , one-off or small batch production and at night , when workers have gone home , switching the cell into automatic mode for serial production .
“ We worked on a lot of safety issues to obtain CE certification for both modes . The cell enables us to mix these two modes and extend production during the night shift . The cell will be customised and adapted to the needs of the customers , in manual or automatic mode . The next step is for more flexible cells that can be put in front of the press so that users can switch between the cell and manual press brakes . I want to change mindsets so that robot cells can be used for different types of production and batch activities , especially in a climate of global labour shortages . The technology , with Industry 4.0 , HMI and robot programming , also appeals to younger generations ,” explained Erick Rousseau .
Strategic focus
The company is receiving a lot of requests primarily for robotic cells for specific industrial projects linked to new business development for customers or new strategic visions for customer company management ( e . g . improving overall productivity , starting lean manufacturing operations or trying to overcome resource issues ).
“ In terms of strategic focus , we bought GADE ( an Italian press brake manufacturer ) in 2022 . We wish to explore more international markets and have a base in Italy . We also want to run more development activity and sell more robotic cells overseas . GADE has a fabrication workshop so we can use that to produce / manufacture the main parts for JP / PINETTE press brake frames . We would also like , with GADE , to develop international sales with two brands as GADE already offers hybrid technology ( its own hybrid press brake with hydraulics ). This means that we can now offer hydraulic , electric and robotic press brakes to customers going forward ,” outlined Erick Rousseau .
GADE will continue to operate as an individual company but is now part of the PINETTE group . Erick Rousseau intends to focus on the synergy between the JEAN PERROT and GADE brands .
“ We are trying to develop new innovations together , using common suppliers , so we will be showcasing our first GADE robotic cell at the LAMIERA exhibition from 10-13 May 2023 in Milan . We encourage visitors to LAMIERA to come to our booth ( E26 in Hall 15 ) at LAMIERA to see this technology in action ,” Erick Rousseau told ISMR .
The global PINETTE group is also focused on sustainability , trying to reduce the energy consumption of its machine tools and tapping into decarbonisation . The majority of JEAN PERROT ’ s customers are French and
ISMR May 2023 | ismr . net | 39