TRUMPF Automates Sheet Metal Sorting Without Programming
TRUMPF is introducing two new automation products designed to eliminate manual sorting in sheet metal laser-cutting operations.
The SortMaster Station and SortMaster Vision work together: the Station separates cut parts from the scrap skeleton, and the Vision—using AI-assisted image recognition—picks and palletizes them automatically.
The system is built around a LiftMaster Compact loading and unloading automation system from TRUMPF, which removes the cut sheet from the pallet changer and transfers it to the SortMaster Station. From there, parts are separated from the scrap skeleton in seconds and conveyed to the sorting area—while the cutting machine is already processing the next sheet.
"This solution decouples the cutting, separating, and sorting processes from each other for the first time," said Andreas Bunz, head of robotics at TRUMPF's Chicago-area Smart Factory. "This allows users to better utilize their laser machine and increase throughput. A third pallet station enables parallel manual sorting, for example, of special formats, or handling of thick plates up to 2 inches."
The Vision handles parts that have historically resisted automation—complex geometries, small parts prone to tipping, and thick material up to 1 in (25.4 mm). No programming is required: it pulls part data directly from the cutting program, simulates gripping and removal options, and selects the best approach at runtime. TRUMPF developed those adaptive robotics capabilities in partnership with Intrinsic, an AI and robotics software company.
Both products are compatible with TRUMPF 3000 and 5000 series laser cutting machines and can be retrofitted to existing setups, allowing manufacturers to add automation incrementally.
"Customers will be able to automatically sort parts that could not be removed using conventional solutions, even with a batch size of one," Bunz added.
The SortMaster Station will be available for purchase in the United States in September 2026. The SortMaster Vision is expected to follow in 2027.
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Laura Davis
Editor-in-Chief, New Equipment Digest
Laura Davis is the editor in chief of New Equipment Digest (NED), a brand part of the Manufacturing Group at EndeavorB2B. NED covers all products, equipment, solutions, and technology related to the broad scope of manufacturing, from mops and buckets to robots and automation. Laura has been a manufacturing product writer for eight years, knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the industry, along with what readers are looking for when wanting to learn about the latest products on the market.