Above: Automated sorting with SortMaster Station and SortMaster Vision from TRUMPF - thanks to adaptive robotic functions, all programming of the sorting process is eliminated. (Source: TRUMPF)
TRUMPF is presenting new solutions for automated sorting of 2D laser-cut parts in North America. With the SortMaster Station and SortMaster Vision, manufacturers can sort parts reliably and without any programming work. After laser cutting is complete, the SortMaster Station separates parts from the sheet metal regardless of part size or geometry. Then, using an AI-assisted camera, the SortMaster Vision picks up and palletizes the parts automatically. Meanwhile, the laser cutting machine is already processing the next sheet. This productive solution will work with TRUMPF 3000 and 5000 series laser cutting machines.
“Automated sorting of parts is one of the biggest challenges in the sheet metal world and this solution proves our technological leadership in that area,” says Andreas Bunz, head of robotics at the TRUMPF Chicago-area Smart Factory. “Parts with radii are typically easy to sort, manually or automatically, but sorting intricate geometries is exponentially more difficult. That is why TRUMPF developed the SortMaster Station and the SortMaster Vision for parts up to 1 inch thick, as well as heavy parts which nobody enjoys sorting eight hours a day. Previous automation solutions were too inflexible and time-consuming to program, so manufacturers often ended up sorting parts by hand. With the SortMaster Station and the SortMaster Vision, TRUMPF can help manufacturers automate the productive sorting of any sheet metal part.”
Reliable and fully automated removal
The solution uses a LiftMaster Compact loading and unloading automation system from TRUMPF. It removes the cut sheet from the pallet changer of the cutting machine and transfers it to the SortMaster Station. This separates the components from the scrap skeleton in just a few seconds. Separated parts are then conveyed to the sorting area.
“This solution decouples the cutting, separating and sorting processes from each other for the first time,” explains Bunz. “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.”
Sorting with cameras and intelligent software
The SortMaster Vision is used for automated sorting. For several years, TRUMPF has worked with Intrinsic, a leading AI and robotics software company, to introduce adaptive robotics capabilities such as automated perception and robot path planning for the SortMaster Vision. This enables the robot to autonomously recognize separated parts using AI-supported image recognition. The software autonomously calculates the robot’s motion plan including the gripping points. The SortMaster Vision independently obtains all the part information from the cutting program, uses it to simulate various removals in advance, and selects the most suitable one at runtime. This eliminates the need for programming of the sorting process.
The process creates maximum flexibility and capability to handle a wide range of parts and batch sizes. In particular, the system can accommodate small or complex parts that are prone to tipping over or tilting in the scrap skeleton. Even thicker parts can be separated out and automatically sorted in the sorting process. The two sorting modules can also be retrofitted at a later date, which reduces the initial investment and allows the degree of automation to be increased step by step.
“This fully automatic solution for separating and sorting is a real gamechanger,” said Bunz. “Thanks to this innovative process, customers will be able to automatically sort parts that could not be removed using conventional solutions, even with a batch size of one.”
The SortMaster Station will be available for purchase in the United States as of September 2026 and the SortMaster Vision will be available for purchase next year.
The new SortMaster Station and SortMaster Vision solutions from TRUMPF enable fully automatic sorting without programming. (Source: TRUMPF)
After automated sorting with the SortMaster Station and SortMaster Vision from TRUMPF, an employee just has to remove the finished stacks of parts. (Source: TRUMPF)
The new SortMaster Station and SortMaster Vision solutions from TRUMPF can also automatically sort thick and complex components. (Source: TRUMPF)
