In 2026, AMD Machines quoted an automated rotary-index screwdriving machine at $290,000–$370,000, including freight and insurance to the buyer's plant and installation and commissioning, taxes excluded. The machine feeds, drives and verifies thread-rolling screws in small metal assemblies, runs two product variants on one machine and is designed to an 8-second cycle per assembly with one operator.
The same machine concept fits furniture and cabinet hardware, electrical enclosure and switchgear subassemblies, automotive brackets, HVAC and pump covers, power-tool subassemblies, and door and window hardware. Prices are ranges from AMD Machines' 2026 quote. For every screwdriving configuration AMD Machines builds, see our automated screwdriving solutions page.
A rotary-index screwdriving machine is an automated assembly machine that carries parts on a turning table past fixed stations, where robots feed, drive and verify each screw, so the operator only loads parts and the machine sorts good assemblies from rejects.
| Item | AMD Machines screwdriving machine |
|---|---|
| Part family | Small metal assemblies fastened with small screws, two variants |
| Screws | Small metric (M5-class) tri-lobular thread-rolling screws, low torque window |
| Layout | Four-position rotary table: manual load, two robot screwdriving stations, automatic unload |
| Verification | Torque, angle and final depth monitored on every screw |
| Design basis | 8-second nominal cycle per assembly, several hundred thousand assemblies a year, one operator |
| Price | $290,000–$370,000 installed, taxes excluded |
| Lead time | 20 weeks from purchase order to readiness for FAT at AMD's facility |
What Is in This Screwdriving Machine?
AMD Machines designs the machine on a welded steel frame with a steel base plate and four leveling pads, inside an aluminum-profile guard with panels. A Weiss indexer turns the round table between four stations, and two identical robot screwdriving stations share the work. The AMD Machines quote names the equipment:
| System | In the AMD Machines machine |
|---|---|
| Robots | Two KUKA KR 12 R650 SCARA robots (about 26 lb / 12 kg payload, about 25.6 in / 650 mm reach) on welded tube supports |
| Screwdriving | Desoutter automatic screwdrivers and controllers, one per station |
| Screw feeding | Two automatic screw feeders with bulk hoppers, and vacuum valves that hold the screw on the bit |
| Indexing | Weiss TC220 four-position indexer with an aluminum round table |
| Fixtures | Eight sets of machined quick-change fixtures: one per variant at each of the four positions |
| Controls | Siemens S7-1200 PLC with spare I/O; Siemens MTP700 7-inch HMI with recipes, counters and alarm history |
| Sensing | IO-Link master and two slave modules serving six part-present sensors and eight cylinder-position sensors |
| Unload | Pneumatic pick and place to an outfeed chute; pneumatic diverter gate and reject ramp to a scrap box |
| Pneumatics | SMC filter-regulator-lubricator unit and valve manifolds |
| Operator aids | Multicolor light tower (green running, amber waiting for the operator, red fault or reject) and an LED task light at load and unload |
How Much Does an Automatic Screwdriving Machine Cost?
AMD Machines quoted the machine at $290,000–$370,000 installed, taxes excluded, in three lines:
| Line in the AMD Machines quote | Price range |
|---|---|
| Rotary-index screwdriving machine with two SCARA screwdriving stations | $260,000–$340,000 |
| Freight and insurance to the buyer's plant | $11,000–$16,000 |
| Installation and commissioning, travel included | $13,000–$18,000 |
| Total installed | $290,000–$370,000 |
How Does This Machine Compare With AMD's Published Ranges?
The AMD Machines screwdriving solutions page says "A typical single-station automated screwdriving cell costs $80,000–$200,000 depending on complexity. Multi-spindle stations and robotic cells range from $150,000–$400,000." With two robots, two drivers, an indexer and automatic sorting, this AMD Machines machine sits in the upper part of that second range. AMD Machines' guide to what automation costs lists a "Custom assembly machine" at "~$100K – $2M+", and says simple single-station cells ("one press-fit, one screwdriving operation, basic verification") "start from ~$100K."
What Are the Payment Terms for a Screwdriving Machine?
AMD Machines' payment terms for this machine are 40% with the purchase order, 35% at design release, 15% at approval at AMD's facility and 10% at final approval, with a 12-month warranty.
What Moves the Price of a Screwdriving Machine?
| Cost driver | In this AMD Machines machine |
|---|---|
| Screwdriving stations | Two robots and two drivers, so each station drives half the larger variant's screws and the cycle holds |
| Variants | Two variants at four positions means eight fixture sets |
| Screw types | One screw length; a second length needs its own feeders and a bit changeover, quoted as an option |
| Verification depth | Torque, angle and depth on every screw are in; data collection and traceability export are options |
| Testing | A functional check of the finished assembly stays offline; an in-line test station is an option |
| Loading | Manual load by one operator, by the buyer's choice; unload and reject sorting are automatic |
Why Does the Machine Split the Screws Between Two Robots?
To hold 8 seconds per assembly, AMD's engineering team splits the screws into two equal passes, one per robot: the larger variant needs twice the screws of the smaller one, and AMD Machines divides its screws evenly between screwdriving station 1 and screwdriving station 2. The smaller variant completes all of its screws at screwdriving station 1 and passes through screwdriving station 2 with no screws driven.
AMD's engineering team designs each robot's end-of-arm tooling to reach every screw position of both variants with no mechanical adjustment. Changeover is a fixture swap and a recipe selection at the HMI, which sets the screw count, the positions and the torque for that variant. That is why the AMD Machines quote carries eight quick-change fixture sets, so the operator changes fixtures, not tooling.
AMD Machines' robotic screwdriving systems page compares this robot-mounted approach with multi-spindle heads and gantries.
Why Verify Torque, Angle and Depth on Every Screw?
A thread-rolling screw forms its own thread as it drives, so reaching torque alone does not prove the screw is fully seated. In the AMD Machines design, the screwdriver controller monitors torque, angle and final depth on every screw, so the machine confirms a fully seated screw, not just a tightened one. The specification calls for torque verification on every screw.
Each result is latched to the fixture position the assembly sits in. When the table brings that fixture to the unload station, the PLC evaluates every latched result for that assembly and accepts or rejects it, for example for a missing screw or a torque or seating result out of specification. Good and bad parts separate at unload, with no operator decision involved. For how torque signals verify a joint, see our guide to force and torque measurement in assembly verification.
Two checks stay outside the machine by design. A functional torque check of the finished assembly stays offline, and AMD Machines offers an in-line test station as an option. A visual check of screw seating stays an operator task by the buyer's specification, which is why AMD Machines adds an LED task light at the load and unload area.
Why Manual Loading, Bulk Feeders and a New Indexer?
Loading is manual by the buyer's choice: the operator places the components in a machined pocket fixture through a light-curtain-protected opening, and part-present sensors confirm every component before the cycle can start. One operator runs the AMD Machines machine, and the unload station empties each fixture automatically.
Screws arrive from bulk hoppers on automatic feeders, and a vacuum valve holds each screw on the bit while the robot moves to the hole. For more on feeding and spindle choices, see our guide to screwdriving and nutrunning systems.
When a plant already owns an older index table, AMD Machines can quote both routes: reusing it, or a new indexer. The price in this case study is for a new Weiss TC220 four-position indexer.
How Does the Screwdriving Cycle Run, Step by Step?
Each assembly runs through the AMD Machines machine in 10 steps:
- The operator selects the variant recipe at the HMI: screw count, positions and torque.
- The operator places the components in the fixture at the load station.
- Part-present sensors confirm every component is in place.
- The operator presses the opto-touch start button; the table moves only if the light curtain is clear.
- The table indexes the assembly to screwdriving station 1.
- For each screw, the feeder presents a screw, vacuum holds it on the bit, and the robot drives it while the controller monitors torque, angle and final depth.
- Each result is latched to that fixture position.
- The table indexes to screwdriving station 2, which drives the second half of the screws on the larger variant; the smaller variant passes through.
- At unload, the PLC evaluates the latched results: the pick and place sends an accepted assembly to the outfeed chute, and the diverter gate sends a reject down the ramp to the scrap box.
- The empty fixture returns to the load station.
Which Parts and Industries Does This Screwdriving Machine Fit?
AMD Machines' rotary-index screwdriving concept fits small parts held by several low-torque screws, in general manufacturing, electrical, automotive and consumer products:
| Part family or application | What would change |
|---|---|
| Furniture and cabinet hardware: slides, brackets, latches | Fixtures and screw positions in the recipe |
| Electrical enclosures, terminal blocks and switchgear subassemblies | Plastic bosses need a lower torque window and possibly self-tapping screws |
| Automotive brackets, seat and latch subassemblies | Higher torque, a larger SCARA or driver, and likely the traceability option |
| HVAC, pump and motor-housing covers and small brackets | Bigger fixtures, and possibly a third station |
| Power-tool and lawn-and-garden subassemblies | More variants, and the second screw length option |
| Door and window hardware: strikes, latches, brackets | Fixtures and screw positions in the recipe |
For these industries, see AMD Machines' general manufacturing automation, electronics manufacturing automation and automotive manufacturing automation pages.
What Safety Does a Screwdriving Machine Need?
AMD Machines encloses the machine in an aluminum-profile guard with four interlocked doors: opening any door cuts power to the robots and the indexer and exhausts the air. A light curtain protects the load opening, and the operator starts each cycle with an opto-touch button, so the table can't move while a hand is in the fixture. Two emergency stops and three safety relays complete the circuit.
AMD Machines' quote includes an ISO 12100 risk assessment, with a first draft before FAT. In your request for quote, specify UL 508A control panels and NFPA 79 machine wiring.
What Does the Screwdriving Machine Quote Include and Leave Out?
| Item | In the AMD Machines quote |
|---|---|
| Machine | Included, with eight fixture sets for the two variants |
| Validation | At AMD's facility before shipment |
| Freight and insurance | Included, to the buyer's plant |
| Installation and commissioning | Included, travel included |
| Documentation | 3D and 2D files; operator, technician and troubleshooting manuals; electrical and pneumatic diagrams; preventive maintenance plan; spare-parts list and bill of materials |
| Warranty | 12 months |
| Screws, components and consumables | Excluded, supplied by the buyer |
| Plant utilities | Excluded |
| In-line functional test | Option |
| Torque and angle data collection, part marking and traceability export | Option |
| A second screw length (dedicated feeders and bit changeover) | Option |
| Tooling for other part formats | Excluded |
| Taxes | Excluded |
How Long Does It Take to Build a Screwdriving Machine?
AMD Machines' lead time for this machine is 20 weeks from purchase order to readiness for FAT at AMD's facility. Freight, installation and commissioning follow.
AMD Machines builds simple machines in as little as 6 weeks and complex systems in 24–26 weeks, where a typical overseas builder runs 40–42 weeks. A two-robot index machine with eight fixture sets lands between the two. See our custom automation lead times for what sets the schedule.
What Should You Send to Get a Screwdriving Machine Quoted?
| What to send AMD Machines | What it settles |
|---|---|
| 3D models of every variant, with screw positions marked | Fixtures, robot reach, station split |
| Screw drawings: type, size, length, and the torque window | Feeders, driver and controller |
| Annual volume, shifts and target cycle time | Number of screwdriving stations |
| What each screw must prove: torque only, or torque, angle and depth | Verification and reject logic |
| Whether you need data collection, marking or traceability | Controls and options |
| Manual or automatic loading, and where finished parts go | Load station, unload and outfeed |
| Any existing index table you want reused | Whether both routes get quoted |
| Your electrical and safety standards, such as UL 508A and NFPA 79 | Panel build and wiring |
For development, AMD Machines asks for about 30 complete sample sets of each variant.
Screwdriving Machine FAQ
How much does an automatic screwdriving machine cost?
An automated rotary-index screwdriving machine with two SCARA robots costs $290,000–$370,000 in a 2026 AMD Machines quote, including freight, insurance, installation and commissioning, taxes excluded. The machine alone is priced at $260,000–$340,000.
How fast can a screwdriving machine run?
AMD Machines designs this machine to an 8-second nominal cycle per assembly by splitting the screws evenly between two robot stations. More screws per part can need a third station.
Can one screwdriving machine run more than one product variant?
Yes. This AMD Machines machine runs two variants: each robot's tooling reaches every screw position of both, so changeover is a fixture swap and a recipe selection at the HMI. A second screw length needs dedicated feeders and a bit changeover.
Does the machine record torque data for every screw?
The controller monitors torque, angle and depth on every screw, and the PLC uses those results to accept or reject each assembly. Collecting and exporting the data for traceability is an option in the AMD Machines quote.
If you're budgeting a screwdriving machine for small assemblies, hardware, brackets or covers, send us your parts and screw specification and AMD Machines will scope the stations and price it.