Method and system, including: a strip of metallic material used by a bender to produce the 3-D signage; a sanding unit coupled to the bender and configured to sand away any dirt, oil, or other undesirable material attaching to the strip of metallic material; and a controller configured to make a measurement of how fast the strip of metallic material is feeding into the bender, and to control an operating speed of the sanding unit based on the measurement.

An automated rover device removes material from opposite surfaces of an elongate part, such as a composite stiffener. The device includes a pair of material removal tools along with a vacuum assembly for vacuuming away material removed by the tools.

An apparatus for machining a web made of electrode material includes a track extending continuously between a web path and an offload path, and supports operatively coupled to the track and moveable continuously along the web path and the offload path. The track is operable to control a conveying speed of each support along the web path. Each support includes a work surface that engages with the web at a first end of the web path to convey the web in the down-web direction at the conveying speed along the web path between the first end and a second end of the web path. The web is disengaged from the work surface at the second end of the web path. The apparatus also includes a machining device operable to act on the web as the web is conveyed in the down-web direction at the conveying speed along the web path.

An apparatus for machining a web made of electrode material includes a track extending continuously between a web path and an offload path, and supports operatively coupled to the track and moveable continuously along the web path and the offload path. The track is operable to control a conveying speed of each support along the web path. Each support includes a work surface that engages with the web at a first end of the web path to convey the web in the down-web direction at the conveying speed along the web path between the first end and a second end of the web path. The web is disengaged from the work surface at the second end of the web path. The apparatus also includes a machining device operable to act on the web as the web is conveyed in the down-web direction at the conveying speed along the web path.