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.
Archived copy of the Shop Floor Automations Newsletter – May/June 2015.
Replace your floppy disk drives and media with USB solutions.
Our proven solution works with a variety of machines and equipment that use 1.44MB floppy disk drives. All documentation and technical support are included to allow for a quick upgrade.
Simple to install using existing ribbon cable and power cable. No modifications needed to your machines or special software required.
Are you still using Windows Server 2003 in your facility? There are some things you need to consider.
Microsoft is ending support for Windows Server 2003 on July 14, 2015 which means no new security updates, hotfixes, assisted support options, or updated technical content.
Among other challenges, businesses will face increased risk from cyber-attack, and lack of PCI compliance. Windows Server 2003 end of support opens the door for new opportunities to introduce your customers to cloud and hybrid-cloud IT. Most companies now using Windows Server 2003 plan to migrate to a newer version of Windows Server, and many are considering cloud options.
“How to Improve Shop Efficiencies using the Cloud”
Join Shop Floor Automations and our partner Scytec Consulting for a webinar on a useful tool to monitor the efficiency of your shop floor.
Learn how you can monitor your shop in real-time and
– Decrease downtime
– Increase productivity
– Receive instant notifications
– View and report on your data from anywhere
– View unlimited dashboards for real time data
– Collect feed, speeds, overrides and more
Did you miss our webinar on Plant Maintenance Management software?
See a demonstration of the highlighted features in this video at your desk or on your mobile device.
We covered the following areas:
– Asset & equipment management
– Work orders and requests
– Inventory and purchasing
– Predictive maintenance
– Built-in reporting & analytics
– Mobility and more!
We have been serving our customers since 1998 and expanded our product lines. While we have been recognized as the number one reseller for Predator Software for many consecutive years and known for wired and wireless DNC, check out our other product lines. We specialize in machine monitoring, plant maintenance and job scheduling software to improve the work flow and processes throughout the shop floor. Contact us today for a free consultation on how we can help build a better partnership with you.
We have opened a new regional office in Houston, Texas. In the ad, pictured here on Southwest Manufacturing News, we speak about the services we offer.
“Manage. Measure. Improve,” SFA declares. Among the services offered, we will continue to provide machine monitoring and OEE, job scheduling, DNC software, MTConnect, plant maintenance (CMMS), document control, and more future solutions.
Also, SFA gave a window into how USB can replace Floppy Drives. Our advertisement for more detail is here at Southwest Manufacturing News.
With machines such as Fanuc, Fadal, Haas, Mitsubishi, Siemens, Mazak, & Yasnac, a company can convert from using floppy disks to USB for CNC controls.
Please Contact us for more information toll free at (877) 611-5825 or tweet us at @SFA_inc
https://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpg00Greg Mercuriohttps://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpgGreg Mercurio2015-06-04 13:27:272018-08-23 22:46:26Southwest Manufacturing News June 2015
La Mesa, CA – March 16, 2015 – Shop Floor Automations (SFA), one of the largest independent CNC Automation Suppliers for the CNC Machine Tool Industry has enhanced the LAN Connect product to add Ethernet to any CNC machine.
The LAN Connect device acts as an interface between commercially available SD flash memory and any CNC control with an available RS232 port. Machine tool files can be sent from CNC memory to the LAN Connect device, SD memory to CNC memory or drip-fed (DNC) from the SD memory. Flexible CNC communication firmware is built into the unit allowing connection to just about any machine tool control.
The LAN Connect device contains all the necessary hardware to integrate a universal display onto a CNC machine tool pendant. The controller is DIN rail mountable inside the pendant or can be reverse mounted on the display. A two (2)GB SD card is included and be upgraded by the end user to any size or brand desired to support larger NC programs/storage capacity. Read more below.
https://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpg00Greg Mercuriohttps://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpgGreg Mercurio2015-05-20 11:02:312019-02-21 23:22:02Network Any CNC Control
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
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.
https://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpg00Greg Mercuriohttps://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpgGreg Mercurio2015-05-05 12:54:002019-01-17 17:54:22Southwest Manufacturing News – May 2015
At the end of 1st quarter of 2015, Predator Software has released v10 product suite.
Over 115,000 companies in over 40 countries rely on Predator solutions to network, monitor, revise, control, organize, verify, manage and automate their shop floor and improve productivity. Users are now able to upgrade to the latest versions to support Windows 8 and Server 20012, with enhanced support for virtual operating systems.
Predator Machine Monitoring and Data Collection included several new features: two new OEE dashboards, bar charts for good/scrap parts, 4 new components (cost centers, work center, machine type and report type), chart filters, and 125 machine time reports.
To learn more about the services Shop Floor Automations provides, which includes Predator, we invite you to check out our YouTube channel for tutorials, insights, and more. Visit our YouTube channel, and see our video’s technical guides AKA transcripts.
SFA is also located on other social media channels, such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, & more!
https://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpg00Greg Mercuriohttps://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpgGreg Mercurio2015-04-27 09:27:412018-11-08 00:08:53Predator Software Version Upgrades Released
Many clients call us about DNC Software for FANUC controls and ask “can I DNC or drip-feed my FANUC control?” The typical response is “what model of FANUC control do you have on the machine that you want to use the DNC software with?” Many times, the specifics are not available, but solutions are available depending on the make and model of the FANUC control!
To drip-feed or DNC to FANUC controls, there are several requirements that need to be met. For this post, assume this is a FANUC older controller with a tape reader. The old model of Fanuc controls had a switch or toggle on the controller that allowed for the operator to enable tape mode, along with other modes like MDI and Edit. When in the tape mode, the part program is executed line by line (more happens but keeping this post short). The operator would load up the tape on the machine’s tape reader and press Cycle Start to cue the part program.
Today, tape readers are a thing of the past and these FANUC controls still need DNC Software to drip-feed. For an older FANUC control that needs to be drip-feed or DNC, we can supply a Behind the Tape Reader (BTR). The BTR and DNC Software will replace the old tape reader and “trick” the control to believe it executes the old tape. If you have executives tapes, no problem – the DNC Software for the FANUC control can be configured to accept this as well.
There are many options for DNC Software for FANUC controls, but the key is compatibility and ease of configuration to work with Windows 7 and 8. Our motto is to keep it simple and don’t try to find the cheapest solution. Sometimes, you will spend more time trying to troubleshoot the FANUC drip-feed problem when something elsewhere is already proven and reliable.
Find a vendor who has experience and can provide you with the complete solution for DNC Software for the FANUC control. We would love to hear from you to help you with your shop floor needs!
https://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpg00Greg Mercuriohttps://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpgGreg Mercurio2015-04-22 13:59:022019-02-21 23:16:31DNC Software for FANUC Controls – Part 1
Shop Floor Automations will be in Booth #561 at the Del Mar Electronics & Design Show 2015 on May 6th and 7th.
SFA will be demonstrating our software and hardware solutions to help machine shops operate more efficiently.
Tradeshows are the best time of year, as far as SFA is concerned. They proudly display which shows they will be attending, which you can see at this link.
SFA is based in La Mesa, CA – a suburb of San Diego County (the same county where Del Mar is located). They are happy to connect with clients, potential and present, all across social media. The quickest method is to tweet @SFA_inc
https://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpg00Greg Mercuriohttps://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpgGreg Mercurio2015-04-20 14:02:242018-11-29 20:41:18Del Mar Electronics & Design Show
The following is an archived copy of the Shop Floor Automations Newsletter – March/April 2015 issue.
Please join Shop Floor Automations and our partner Smartware Group for a webinar on one of the most modern maintenance management solutions available today, Bigfoot CMMS.
Some of the highlighted features include:
Schedule unlimited preventive maintenance tasks and procedures with automatic reminders
Create, manage, and analyze work orders with drag-and-drop feature
Track and analyze equipment information and history
Make maintenance requests from anywhere within your organization
Manage and track assets and parts for Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory
Analyze historical maintenance issues and help predict future events with built-in reporting and analysis
Notify personnel of maintenance events with automated e-mails and mobile access
See a demonstration of Bigfoot CMMS and learn about its simple installation process, technical requirements, and available add-on solutions and services during this informative webinar
Keep your shop floor running in peak performance and upgrade your Predator Software. Since February 2015, several new versions have been released.
Be sure to check out our support section on our website for the release notes. Contact your Account Manager before upgrading to confirm you have the proper license, hardware and backup in place. If you are on a current software maintenance and version upgrades agreement, the new version is available at no charge. If not current, please contact Paula at ext. 1000.
* Predator CNC Editor v10.0.25
* Predator DNC Enterprise v10.0.0.10
* Predator Machine Monitoring v10.0.209
* Predator CNC Service v10.2.0.182
* Predator Product Data Management v10.0.222
Keep your shop floor running in peak performance and upgrade your Predator Software. Since February 2015, several new versions have been released.
Be sure to check out our support section on our website for the release notes. Contact your Account Manager before upgrading to confirm you have the proper license, hardware and backup in place. If you are on a current software maintenance and version upgrades agreement, the new version is available at no charge. If not current, please contact Paula at ext. 1000.
* Predator CNC Editor v10.0.25
* Predator DNC Enterprise v10.0.0.10
* Predator Machine Monitoring v10.0.209
* Predator CNC Service v10.2.0.182
* Predator Product Data Management v10.0.222
Simplify the communications on the shop floor with our USB Connect device.
* Add more memory to your CNC
* Drip-feed (DNC) large part programs
* Use any brand or size USB memory stick
* Works with any brand of CNC controller
* Either a pendant mounted or portable device
Plug in the USB memory stick with the NC program, select the button to transfer and you’re cutting chips with ease.
Did we help your company achieve its goals? Did we do a good job? Did one of our technicians go above and beyond the scope of work?
We would love to hear about it! Perhaps you could send us some feedback that we can post on our new website – and include your name and company. Just reply to this email. If you include your t-shirt size, we’ll send you a free G-Code t-shirt!
While we’re on the topic of performance, if we fell short of your expectations, we would like to hear about that as well – so we can make the necessary adjustments to our operations.
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
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.
https://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpg00Greg Mercuriohttps://www.shopfloorautomations.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SFA-Site-Logo-300x138.jpgGreg Mercurio2015-04-10 15:36:252022-05-18 11:02:06Southwest Manufacturing News – April 2015
Replace your floppy disk drives and media with USB solutions.
Predator Software Version Upgrades
DNC Software for FANUC Controls
Del Mar Electronics & Design Show 2015
April 2015 Southwest Manufacturing News