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Smarter Shop Floor With Cloud-Based Monitoring

Cloud-Based Monitoring Project Introduction:

Tech Manufacturing, a long-time manufacturer of machined metal parts for aerospace clients such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Bombardier, needed to raise production capacity and reduce lead times for their clients’ largest and most urgent orders. With their 5-axis CNC machines already running 24 hours a day up to 7 days a week, Jerry Halley, Chief Engineer at Tech Manufacturing, looked towards smarter operation and real-time performance data to increase the productivity and useful life of their existing machines.

“We needed a better understanding of how our machines were actually performing for us in real-time,” said Halley. “Live and historical machine performance data would also help us identify technical or process issues that were detrimental to productivity.” With a combination of hardware and software, a CNC monitoring system would collect, analyze, and visualize the necessary performance metrics. However, Halley needed to weigh the productivity gains of such a system against the cost and effort of deployment, especially if it involved a new and unfamiliar server-based IT infrastructure. The ideal system would be easily deployed without specialized IT equipment, knowledge, or effort, and would not require repeated software installation, updates, or configuration.

manufacturing technology trendsApplication Requirements:
-Live dashboard with alerts based on historical and target performance metrics
-Easy to use with existing CNC machines that may not have built-in Ethernet interface
-Does not require investment or expertise in specialized IT infrastructure, servers, or software
-Knowledgeable and experienced integration and vendor support team

Solution:
Tech Manufacturing selected Shop Floor Automations, one of the most prominent systems integrators in North America specializing in CNC monitoring systems, to assist with cloud-based monitoring. Each CNC machine was connected to the existing local area network, so no additional IT infrastructure was required. For legacy machines that did not have a readily available Ethernet port, Shop Floor Automations provided an easy-to-deploy solution that was developed with Moxa. “The industrial networking units from Moxa make it easy for us to get our clients’ legacy machines connected to the cloud,” said Greg Mercurio, President of Shop Floor Automations.

“For industrial users like Tech Manufacturing, these solutions are invaluable in extending the capabilities and useful life of their still-functional but older CNC machines.” With the local network connected to the Internet, machine performance data was easily viewed and analyzed by cloud-based software such as Scytec DataXchange or Predator Machine Data Collection. Key performance metrics were organized on a visual dashboard so owners and machine operators were able to see exactly how productive each cell was, down to the machine level. Read more below.

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Improving Productivity with Cloud-Based Monitoring

Cloud-Based Monitoring

Check out this article about Cloud-Based Monitoring and how it can improve productivity. This is a powerful tool for any modern machine shop and it is important to learn how easy it is to revolutionize the way machines are being monitored.

As a manufacturer of machined metal parts for aerospace clients such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Bombardier, Tech Manufacturing often ran its five-axis CNC machines 24 hours a day up to seven days a week. With such heavy CNC demands, the company began looking for ways to increase its production capacity and reduce lead times for its clients’ largest and most urgent orders.

Purchasing additional machines would, of course, be one way to achieve this. But Jerry Halley, chief engineer at Tech Manufacturing, was interested in finding a smarter, more efficient approach that did not require a large capital investment.

“It was clear to me that we needed a much better understanding of how our machines were actually performing for us in real time,” Halley explains. “In addition, if we had live and historical machine performance data available, we would be able to identify any technical or process issues that were detrimental to individual or overall productivity.” Read more below.

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Southwest Manufacturing News – May 2015

Southwest Manufacturing News – May 2015

In the May 2015 issue of Southwest Manufacturing News, we proudly ran two ads to let the manufacturing industry further know of our services. Our big highlight focused on cloud data collection services for $45 per month, per machine.

Scytec Hosted DataXchange through Shop Floor Automations means the client will not need servers, have access to a real-time dashboard, and many more benefits. Better yet – they will see up to 10 percent productivity on an immediate time frame!

Check out our Southwest Manufacturing News advertisement

We also announced the opening of a regional office in Texas advertisement

Contact us to find out what data you can gather and store in the cloud. Get machine monitoring info or call (877) 611-5825

Machine Monitoring gives you the ability to see what your machines are doing in real-time. Collect & process data from your machines using software like MTConnect, FANUC FOCAS, custom macros, or hardware devices. Optional data collection terminals can be used for additional operator input. Run time, downtime, & OEE data is then presented via dashboards, historical reports, & charts.  Emails or text messages can be sent to notify you of production issues on the shop floor.

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Southwest Manufacturing News – April 2015

The Predator Software logo accompanied by several lines of text: "Got Predator Software? Maximize your shop floor productivity with: DNC network, machine monitoring, document control, and CNC editing. Call us today to improve your bottom line."April 2015 Southwest Manufacturing News

Shop Floor Automations is a proud reseller of Predator Software, year after year. We took out an ad in the April 2015 Southwest Manufacturing News talking about the many solutions this software can give your shop floor.

Meeting document control, CNC editing, machine monitoring, DNC, and more needs, SFA is always happy to talk to customers about the advantages of this software. Contact us by sending a message, or tweet us at @SFA_inc

Check out our ad covering our Predator services

As we roll out our new office in Houston Texas, please see what we have to offer.  See more details about our new offices.

More about Shop Floor Automations:

About Shop Floor Automations (SFA): Founded back in 1998, SFA started as a small company focused on distributing the Predator Software product line to the San Diego and Los Angeles markets of California. SFA has been ranked #1 in Predator Software Sales, Service and Support since 1999.

 

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March ad in the Southwest Manufacturing News

Manufacturing News

We are proud to be up and running for a month in Texas

Check out our other ad in MFG News

More about our Support Services, available across the USA:

Support / Services

When selecting a vendor for your shop floor automation needs, it is important to select a company that is committed to service and support. Our clients list continues to grow through recommendations from our customers, as well as our partners. You can speak to a real person over the phone with us, versus sending emails or leaving messages on a cell phone, then waiting for a response. The information contained on these pages is intended to give you direct access to the latest software revisions, support options and technical documentation available! Read more below.

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CNC Software And OEE Hardware Products in MFG News

Greg Mercurio Shop Floor Automations

CNC Software And OEE Hardware

Manufacturing News spoke with Greg Mercurio about some of our OEE software and CNC hardware this month.

Shop Floor Automations (SFA), distributor of Scytec Data Xchange, will be presenting its latest data collection in a cloud SAAS product along with its latest automation products for the shop floor.

CNC Software

SFA will showcase a cloud-based machine product to capture utilization, downtime and OEE data as well as display real-time machine performance. SFA will demonstrate how real-time utilization and OEE information can now be collected with no database or reporting servers to install or maintain. The pricing model is designed to allow users to explore machine monitoring without a huge upfront cost or unknowns.

Read more below

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Predator’s Enhanced Ethernet Based Machine Monitoring called CNC Service

Enhanced Ethernet Based Machine Monitoring

Shop Floor Automations announces a new solution for Machine Monitoring utilizing MTConnect, FOCAS and other solutions called CNC Service (originally an article in CNC West).

SHOP FLOOR AUTOMATIONS ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF PREDATOR’S
ENHANCED ETHERNET-BASED MACHINE MONITORING

Predator SoftwareLA MESA, Calif. – December 16, 2014 – Shop Floor Automations (SFA), the largest distributor and Service Center for Predator Software Inc., today announced the release of Predator’s popular Manufacturing Data Collection (MDC) software for Ethernet-based machine tools.

For many years, Predator has offered its fully automated, real-time MDC system for any size company to monitor and improve shop floor productivity using PLCs, macros, and paper-based solutions. This solution integrated well into equipment with stack lights and older machines to capture running, alarms, feed hold, and idle time, but left some users objecting to adding more equipment due to the costs of hardware requirements.

Today, most CNC machines include Ethernet ports and can be leveraged for data collection. CNC machines that use a Fanuc controller may have a feature called FOCAS, which allows for the capture of real-time data such as overrides, spindle speed, program number, feed/speed rates, alarms, and indicates control mode. Read more below.

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CMMS from Production Machining Magazine

DataXchange Smartware CMMSProduction Machining Magazine

There is a good article about CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) from Bigfoot CMMS in the April 2014 edition of Production Machining. Shop Floor Automations provides an excellent solution for those needs.

Automation is what is propelling manufacturing today, and I’m not only talking about machine tool automation. Automation can and does occur in the office as well with the implementation of shop management software and tool data management software.

A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) is one example of a tool that automates preventive maintenance schedules on shop equipment. This system can improve the bottom line through increased labor efficiency, enhanced asset effectiveness, certification assistance with government agencies and certifying organizations, liability protection and more.

A CMMS monitors pressure, temperature, voltage and hours run and help operators communicate when maintenance should be completed. It can also track equipment history and grade performance over time. The software can reduce equipment downtime, minimize equipment and cost repairs, maximize equipment reliability and increase efficiency.

Read “Investing in a Computerized Maintenance Management System” for more information about the CMMS.

Other options for shop management software include scheduling software such as the one in described in “Profiting with Shop Management Software” and modular tool data management software  that allows users to take tool data anywhere that it is needed, from purchasing to design and engineering to CAD/CAM to the tool crib and assembly, all in one database. Read more in “Integrated Tool Management with CAD/CAM Connection.”

Get more info or check out the full article in Production Machining

 

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Using Software to Support Your Automation Agenda

MoldMaking Technology magazine

We had an extensive article posted in MoldMaking Technology magazine. Learn how to increase the productivity of your shop. Check out the article.

A shop floor focuses on several aspects of automation when working with CNC machines, and software is one tool that can help manage the automation process. When investing in software, consider the entire problem you are attempting to solve.

A key factor in your software purchase should be integration. Many software vendors provide only one piece of a software solution, which makes it difficult to integrate with other software programs being used by the shop. By being able to purchase only what you need or what you are ready to integrate from a single provider, you gain tools that work together as a seamless package.

Scheduling also plays a critical role in optimizing automation. Job scheduling software should deliver and communicate in real time the orders that need to be manufactured, as well as track labor, material, and delays. Whiteboards and spreadsheets do not provide real-time data, so look for a solution that utilizes what-if scenarios, is designed for ease of use and receives buy-in from the operators using the product. Read more below.

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SFA in February 2014 Manufacturing News

February 2014 Manufacturing News

Read our article about DNC in this month’s Manufacturing News issue, “SFA + Predator DNC Software For Windows”

Shop Floor Automations NewsletterShop Floor Automations (SFA), a provider of software for the manufacturing shop floor, installed Predator’s version 9.0.16 through the end of 2013 while beta testing version 10.0 of Predator DNC Software and Editor.

Version 9.0 has been installed at hundreds of different sites. The main benefit is its compatibility with Windows 7 and Windows 2008/2012 server, including both 32- and 64-bit Operating systems.

“The DNC is easily migrated from previous versions running under Windows XP to the latest Predator DNC with our migration tools and hardware program,” said SFA President Greg Mercurio. “Customers have used the same solution for years from us and if it works, they do not want to change anything unless needed. Because of the end to Microsoft’s support for Windows XP, we have created a program to assist customers in keeping their machines up and running without interrupting production.”

SFA can provide end users with new hardware to integrate their existing wired system into wireless 802.11 B/G or embrace Ethernet technology on the shop floor. The use of RS232 serial ports is being phased out and networking CNC machines is becoming more prevalent. Predator Software includes functionality to communicate via FTP or Windows Share, and supports the use of the FANUC FOCAS to simplify file transfers. RS232 standard protocol is also included to support the hundreds of legacy CNC controllers with enhanced file management tools to automate the download and upload process.

Read the whole piece here! You may also call SFA and ask us about more Predator Software solutions at (877) 611-5825.

The different Predator solutions we are offer: DNC. Touch HMI, EditLock, MDC, CNC Editor, CNC Editor Express, CNC Editor Light, PDM, and Tracker. We have been the number one reseller of Predator Software since 1999 and continue to customize this solution to fit customer needs. Ask about demos and free trials!