INFINITY Platform | BMO Automation (2024)

With the INFINITY Platform, BMO provides the modular building blocks with which machinists of today can build towards the autonomous factory of tomorrow. There are as yet no autonomous factories when it comes to machining. And not many companies will ever take this step in one go. The autonomous factory is therefore not a project but a continuous process which you work towards step by step. This makes it even more important that the investments a company makes in automation today can in the future still be deployed as modules in the autonomous factory. This is precisely the essence of the INFINITY Platform.

With INFINITY, BMO is also taking the first step towards function differentiation in machining. By making a distinction between logistical tasks and work for which you truly require machining knowledge, the scarce CNC operators can concentrate on the work that matters most. That is why INFINITY works with carriers (for example trays and crates) that are filled in-house in the sawing department or at the material supplier’s site, and are then loaded in the robot cell in their entirety. This provides the CNC operator with extra space in both his day and his head.

The difference between the current generation of CNC automation and INFINITY is that we no longer have an island approach to automation. In the future, we will automate the entire factory as an integral whole, and tooling, materials and workpieces will be stored much more centrally so that they are able to go to the CNC machines on demand and autonomously. When companies are ready for this, the INFINITY Modules are transported to a central place in the company.

“With the INFINITY Platform, BMO takes the lead in the next generation of CNC Automation. Let’s change the game of machining.”

Frank Biemans, Founder of BMO

BMO Carrier Family

Let’s change the game of Storage

The BMO Carrier Family arose from the need to reduce manual work for the CNC operators. On top of this, it ensures for a seamless integration with your internal logistics or even the entire supply chain. Carriers can also be stored centrally in an INFINITY robot cell in your warehouse. From here carriers are issued to the various robot cells connected to your CNC machines.

Tetris

Have the BMO software play Tetris with all carriers

In effect a CNC operator plays Tetris the whole day. How high is this workpiece? Where does that fit without losing too much storage space? How many of these carriers fit one on top of the other? Is there then still enough room for the next series? What about if I move this series from here to there?

The disadvantage of Tetris is that it costs people a lot of time and a mistake is easily made. If a CNC operator were to play Tetris against AI software, the operator would lose by a long way. AI software is simply much better at this task. That’s why you should leave the BMO software to play Tetris the whole day with all your carriers. In doing so, the INFINITY Platform takes over an important thinking task of the CNC operator. This provides the operator with extra space in both his day and his head. Your operator can then fully concentrate on what matters most. And there is an additional advantage: The software does not make any stacking errors, so there are no collisions between carriers.

Dynamic Storage

Up to 200% more storage space in the same vertical meter

Every product series and every machine clamp or tool has a different height. And this often leads to a lot of air in particular being stored. All vertical metres that are being inefficiently used. Why should you accept wasted storage space?

Dynamic Storage is as standard integrated in the INFINITY Platform: The height of each carrier is automatically measured during the input. The robot then stacks the carriers tightly on top of one another, with only a few millimetres in between. This means that all your storage height is optimally used.

A second advantage of Dynamic Storage is that the storage areas are not reserved in advance for one type of carrier. Today there is a pallet with vice in the place where tomorrow products will be on a tray. And the day after tomorrow there will be bars in a supply chain crate here. The entire BMO Carrier Family can be used dynamically and interchangeably.

This allows Dynamic Storage to realise 200% more storage space per vertical meter. Thanks to Dynamic Storage, the INFINITY Platform takes up the smallest surface area of your production floor.

Start small today

Keep it simple and have your employees first get used to CNC automation in a relaxed manner. Keep it compact and first gain valuable experience before you completely overhaul your production layout. Keep it small and wait to see if there is still sufficient market demand in the long-term for your spindle hours. Keep the investment low and first earn this back in full.

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Infinite capacity tomorrow

Thanks to the modular structure of the platform, INFINITY grows along with your company. Prepare yourself for a future full of possibilities. Do you want more storage capacity for your machine(s)? This is possible with extra storage modules. Do you want less storage capacity for your machines and more storage capacity in a central warehouse? This is possible with new modules or with a relocation of existing modules. Do you want your INFINITYs for your CNC machines to be automatically stocked on demand from your central warehouse? This is possible with an AMR Docking Module. BMO is constantly developing new modules that are compatible with all previous modules. The INFINITY Platform meets your needs precisely.

Keep investments low for today

Invest smartly. With the INFINITY Platform you keep investments in CNC automation low and the risks small. A small initial investment is after all earned back in full much more quickly. The disadvantage of traditional automation systems is that you need to know already now what your company needs in the long-term, and you would also have to buy this as well. And when it comes to flawed investments you will not be the first and certainly not the last company to do so. Why start big when you can also start small? You can expand your INFINITY Platform at any time.
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Keep infinite flexibility for tomorrow

Thanks to the modular structure of the platform, INFINITY grows along with your company. Prepare yourself for a future full of possibilities. Do you want more storage capacity for your machine(s)? This is possible with extra storage modules. Do you want less storage capacity for your machines and more storage capacity in a central warehouse? This is possible with new modules or with a relocation of existing modules. Do you want your INFINITYs for your CNC machines to be automatically stocked on demand from your central warehouse? This is possible with an AMR Docking Module. BMO is constantly developing new modules that are compatible with all previous modules. The INFINITY Platform meets your needs precisely.