Broadening your machine monitoring strategy allows your operations to shift from a disconnected silo to an integrated, data-rich narrative in which every machine can talk, and every team can listen.
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The Machines You Didn’t Think Could Talk

Factories today tell a story in two halves: a tale of gleaming, modern CNC machines streaming data to dashboards, paired beside older, time-tested equipment that hums reliably but remains invisible in the eyes of digital monitoring systems. This schism is more than just technological nostalgia; it’s a blind spot costing manufacturers in ways they may not realize, as revealed in Scytec Consulting’s recent webinar, “Machines You Didn’t Know You Can Monitor.”

The Hidden Side of the Shop Floor

Step into any production facility and the contrast is clear. While the latest machines report their every move in real time, legacy mills, fabrication lines, robot cells and even conveyor belts and pumps operate undetected in the data landscape. These machines, lacking modern interfaces, are often sidelined, assumed too challenging or insignificant to monitor.

Legacy equipment monitoring isn't often a priority, as older machines are assumed too challenging or insignificant to monitor. But the cost of their invisibility accumulates.

Legacy equipment monitoring isn’t often a priority, as older machines are assumed too challenging or insignificant to monitor. But the cost of their invisibility accumulates.

But the cost of their invisibility accumulates. OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) metrics become skewed, operational bottlenecks stay hidden and teams are caught off guard by downtime events cascading from an unmonitored corner of the shop. For IT managers, partial visibility can undermine confidence in analytics. For operations leaders, unexpected downtime remains a persistent mystery in which the root cause has yet to be fully identified.

Enabling Every Machine to “Talk”

The paradigm is shifting – thanks to advances in edge devices and versatile data collectors. Today, relays, signal converters and IoT sensors can harvest signals from even analog presses and decades-old mills. Ethernet isn’t the dividing line; devices can now translate run/stop signals, power use and vibrational cues into actionable intelligence. The Scytec webinar demonstrated that the tracking of an elevated temperature of thermocouples can trigger graduated alarms to key stakeholders on and outside of the shop floor. These alarms can prompt actions to decipher likely causes and next steps for the operator, maintenance and management for continuous improvement.


These innovations turn the challenge into opportunity. IT departments can transition from mere system guardians to champions of digital transformation, unlocking insights previously lost in the noise of unending support tickets, safeguards against ransomware, upskilling staff and so on. Operations teams, in turn, gain a richer, more complete perspective to underpin scheduling, planning and maintenance strategies – helping to answer the perennial questions of “How much capacity do I have?,” “Should I buy a new machine or hire more, and when?” and “Is this machine underutilized or better applied elsewhere?”

 

Even older conveyor belts and pumps can operate undetected in the data landscape without proper legacy machine monitoring.

Even older conveyor belts and pumps can operate undetected in the data landscape without proper legacy machine monitoring.

Prioritizing Legacy Equipment Monitoring

Given the flood of urgencies occurring on the floor each day, why does this matter now? There are three forces changing the game today:

  • Rising cost pressures: Margins across manufacturing sectors are narrowing due to tariffs, continued inflation and a tight skilled labor market, making blind spots in downtime and performance increasingly expensive. Over 70% of CEOs polled by Chief Executive agreed that increasing costs is their top challenge in 2025.
  • Simpler retrofits: What once required bespoke engineering can now be achieved with off-the-shelf hardware and rapid deployment with the expertise of a manufacturing integrator, like Shop Floor Automations. A well-established integrator enables manufacturers to not only source, vet and implement equipment monitoring solutions – but provides the in-depth service and support to properly wire PLCs into machines, such as a Haas Style 2/3 Light Tower.
  • Clamor for deeper data: Boards and executives are demanding sharper insights into OEE and capacity, in which partial answers (or “I don’t know” responses) are no longer acceptable. Harvard Business Review details how AI is now empowering the decision-making process of boards. “The board of one steel company used AI-generated simulations to help it decide between investing in an existing production facility or building a mill in a new geography,” wrote authors Stanislav Shekshnia and Valery Yakubovich. Data can be made available throughout the enterprise; now it’s a matter of who, what, when, how and why.

The ROI becomes tangible as more machines join the network: surprises diminish, planning gains precision and proactive maintenance can catch issues before they become costly crises. “We’ve seen an approximate 10% increase in efficiency across the board,” says Reyes of his machine monitoring approach at MOGAS, a manufacturer of severe service ball valves for industrial applications.

Retrofitting legacy equipment for monitoring has become simpler, thanks to advances in off-the-shelf hardware and rapid deployment from manufacturing integrators, like Shop Floor Automations.

Retrofitting legacy equipment for monitoring has become simpler, thanks to advances in off-the-shelf hardware and rapid deployment from manufacturing integrators, like Shop Floor Automations.

Take Action

To start exposing your blind spots, Scytec provided the following recommendations for manufacturers with a mix of legacy and modern equipment on the shop floor today:

  1. Audit your shop: Spotlight machines that currently fly under the radar.
  2. Target quick wins: Focus first where downtime creates clear pain.
  3. Run pilots: Test solutions on a small cell or line before a full rollout.
  4. Validate and expand: Confirm the data’s accuracy, then scale methodically while keeping operators in the loop.
  5. Value incremental progress: Even modest expansions can quickly uncover hidden inefficiencies and deliver payback.

The Future: Connecting Old and New

True smart manufacturing isn’t just defined by the newest, shiniest equipment on the floor – that simply isn’t cost-effective for most manufacturers. Smart manufacturing is built on bringing every piece of the fleet, old and new, into the conversation. Each previously unmonitored machine adds a vital clue to the puzzle of shop floor performance.

As manufacturers broaden their monitoring strategies, the story shifts: from disconnected silos to an integrated, data-rich narrative in which every machine can talk, and every team can listen. Contact manufacturing integrator Shop Floor Automations to explore your connectivity options today.

CNC program transfers with Windows 10
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The Extended Lifeline of Windows 10 is a Ticking Clock for Manufacturers

Last month Nucor, North America’s largest steel producer, acknowledged a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized third-party access to certain IT systems, reported Reuters. As a precaution, Nucor temporarily halted production at multiple facilities while forensic teams and external cybersecurity experts investigated the breach and worked to contain its impact. Nucor’s incident is just one example of how cyber threats exploit aging digital infrastructure – and for many manufacturers, that infrastructure often includes Windows 10. But with Windows 10 reaching end of support on October 14, 2025, there is a deeper risk for shops that continue to rely on aging CNC infrastructure.

Aging CNC infrastructures impact cybersecurity and operational efficiency

This year, manufacturers that don’t upgrade their Windows 10 machines risk missing critical OS-level security updates and losing compatibility with third-party solutions.

The New Reality of Windows 10 End of Life on CNCs

This year Windows 10 will no longer receive critical OS-level security updates. While support for Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 has been extended until October 2028, it’s far from a solution for the shop floor. It still means legacy CNC systems and other production technologies running on Windows 10 will become more vulnerable, not less. Compounding the risk, third-party vendors are already phasing out software support, while next-generation manufacturing platforms – from IIoT to real-time analytics – require compatibility with newer operating systems like Windows 11 and Server 2022. The gap between resilient, future-ready IT strategies and older shop floor systems is widening. This blog post explores what manufacturers can, and must, do to close that gap before it spreads into a serious operational liability.

The USB Epidemic: When Compliance and Productivity Collide

For many manufacturers still operating CNC equipment running on Windows 2000, XP or early versions of Windows 10, network segmentation or USB-based file transfers have become the go-to workaround for such outdated systems. However, this tactic is increasingly risky.

CNC program transfers with Windows 10

Running USB-based CNC file transfers have become the go-to workaround using Windows 10 and other outdated systems. However, this tactic is increasingly risky, exposing manufacturers to ransomware events, CMMC noncompliance and operational inefficiencies.

According to Honeywell’s 2022 USB Threat Report, “52% of threats are specifically designed to utilize USB removable devices,” with the vast majority of those threats able to disrupt industrial systems. Pair these threat actors with unsupported software, says Virgina Tech associate professor Lee Vinsel in a recent BBC article, and “there are all kinds of opportunities for failure here, especially when…companies stop supporting old software. Cybersecurity is a huge worry around this issue.” The Department of Defense well understands this concern. Its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 framework prohibits unmonitored file transfers and insecure endpoints – meaning non-compliance can result in disqualification from federal contracts.

Operational inefficiencies further intensify the risk. Poor CNC program version control and manual CNC program transfers can cost production hours and potentially lower quality output as a result of incorrect or outdated G-code files being loaded at the machine.

Closing the Gap

Rather than investing millions in full machine replacements, many manufacturers are turning to modern Distributed Numerical Control (DNC) systems to serve as their secure industrial network. Solutions like Predator Secure DNC offer targeted upgrades that align with industry compliance frameworks and cyber-hardening strategies. IT and operational leaders can isolate legacy equipment from domain threats, centralize logging across mixed-machine environments, like Fanuc, Okuma, Mazak and others, and meet NIST SP 800-171 encryption standards via FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography.

The Cost of Complacency

Doing nothing may be the most expensive option. The global average cost of a data breach soared to 4.88M, the highest total ever, according to a 2024 IBM report.

For a temporary and limited reprieve, Microsoft offers an Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 that starts at $61 per device Year One, with pricing doubling every consecutive year for a maximum of three years after the end of support for Windows 10. Even so, there is no extended Microsoft ESU option after this time period.

Plotting Your Path

To mitigate the risk of your manufacturing operations, IT and operations should take the following steps to prepare for the end of Windows 10 support:

Windows End of Life on CNCs

  1. Conduct a CNC Operating System (OS) and network audit before Q3 2025, identifying all legacy systems still running Windows 10 or earlier.
  2. Prioritize upgrades for machines processing sensitive IP or DoD-controlled projects.
  3. Implement secure DNC options along with Microsoft’s ESU to support phased migrations and DNC retrofits while maintaining compliance and uptime.

Maximizing Grace Periods

Microsoft’s 365 extension for Windows 10 is not a pardon, it’s simply a grace period. Manufacturers who fail to act may find themselves next in line for a costly ransomware event or compliance failure.

Manufacturing integrator Shop Floor Automations (SFA) has worked with hundreds of manufacturers to navigate such transitions securely and efficiently. The path to a resilient, connected shop floor doesn’t begin with rip-and-replace – it starts with informed decisions and trusted partners.

To receive technical guidance for your manufacturing operations, contact the experts at SFA now.

Equipment monitoring software for maintenance
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The Dilemma of Do-It-Yourself Equipment Monitoring Software

Downtime – and the response time to it – continues to plague manufacturers across the United States. A 2022 Siemens report revealed that a typical large plant “still loses 25 hours a month to unplanned downtime.” They estimate the cost of an hour of downtime to be $500,000 for oil and gas companies, which makes downtime quickly cost millions.

As a result, teams are responding by gathering internal technical requirements, evaluating off-the-shelf machine monitoring solutions and attempting trial implementations. Top machine monitoring solutions will capture data from new and aged CNC equipment and deliver trends and reports using configurable dashboards via modern communication tools, like text and Microsoft Teams, to help you pinpoint production bottlenecks and machine condition degradation for improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), quality control and profitability.

CNC machine monitoring for downtime monitoring

But there are hundreds of available equipment monitoring software solutions today, ranging from Predator Software to Scytec DataXchange and beyond, and the equipment monitoring market itself is projected to reach 220.92 million USD by 2031. This makes the vendor decision-making process all the more onerous and lengthier, particularly for time and labor-constrained companies. Some manufacturers are instead taking on a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach by assembling internal and/or outsourced developers, collaborating with various departments and rolling out a custom solution. There’s an attraction to this path, but is it truly the right way toward achieving more uptime, better operator performance and greater profits?

If you’re considering or already headed in this direction, you very well may consider the positive and negative aspects of DIY equipment monitoring development to fully validate your decision. As a manufacturing integrator experienced in helping manufacturers search, select and implement the ideal machine monitoring software solution for your business, the experts at Shop Floor Automations have compiled a comprehensive list to aid your research below. We welcome your comments on other advantages and disadvantages that factor into your own machine monitoring evaluation.

The Pros of DIY Equipment Monitoring Software Development

  • Potentially less upfront cost. When your teams develop equipment monitoring software in-house, you’re not likely to incur the recurring software subscription or license fees demanded by software vendors. Software subscription revenues are anticipated to grow by a CAGR of 16.6% reports EY, as enterprise technology companies continue to shift away from a perpetual software license model. You also have the benefit of leveraging existing programmable logic controllers (PLCs) without upfront costs for hardware and training to program it.
  • Built your way. Machine monitoring software designed for your business can be customized to accommodate your specific business processes, equipment types, locations, unique terminology and standards, integrations and more. You’re not forced to adapt to the user interface, limitations and future development of a commercial application geared for a mass of users.
  • Vendor neutral. A DIY equipment monitoring project allows you to be in control, deciding who is involved and how the system and data is maintained, supported, secured and located. Conversely, a machine monitoring software provider will often dictate the supporting partners and underlying ecosystem available with the solution – which can require data hosted by their third-party provider.
  • Fringe benefits of familiarity. When you’re able to dedicate your resources to your own project, you can command your own timetable, training program and the coordination of subject matter experts. There’s less of an educational barrier, too, as teams should be familiar with the corporate nomenclature, key personnel and strategic priorities. The purchase of a commercial application like equipment monitoring software, however, means you are beholden to the skills, bandwidth, language and processes of the technology provider and the demands of their existing customer base.

The Cons of DIY Equipment Monitoring Software Development

  • Susceptibility to higher Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and other impacts. The TCO of your DIY equipment monitoring system goes beyond just IT salaries; often the continued energy costs, hardware, security, training, networking, backup, testing and more will make this project far more expensive than commercial applications. Your custom software would also likely be impacted significantly by change: budgetary constraints, shifts in strategic objectives and corporate systems and policies, personnel movements and other factors. As a dedicated technology business to many users, the commercial developer tends to better absorb and rebound from events like employee attrition and economic impacts.
  • Competing departmental prioritiesLess emphasis on contingency and continuity. As an internal project, DIY machine monitoring software can be more prone to decreased attention over time, particularly if the project champion has left for another opportunity or moved to another department. The software and its related documentation and training programs, then, are less likely to stay current or remain relevant as new technology and security protocols are introduced to the business, new machinery is acquired and older machinery is retired or networks are upgraded. In this age of rapid change, software that sits doesn’t help a bit.
  • Forfeiting best practices. Custom software, such as DIY machine monitoring, inherently lacks the benefits that come from applying industry best practices, including data trends across wide swaths of users and equipment types, new AI developments, the latest security standards and other technological advancements that require research, resources and large, varied datasets. The core competency of software vendors often affords them greater focus, expertise, budgets, data access and more to help customers refine their business processes through proven functionality.
  • Shouldering the burden of ongoing maintenance and improvements. New requests for features require manual updates to hardware when working with DIY machine monitoring software. Maintenance technicians, for example, have to update the PLC hardware to capture each additional signal desired by internal management. This step may need to be replicated for each machine tool, which can be time-consuming and requires additional documentation to capture every change. Commercial machine monitoring, on the other hand, enables configuration via a web browser without the need to physically walk to the equipment.

In this age of rapid change, software that sits doesn’t help a bit.

Custom machine monitoring applications tend to be rigid in design, requiring a multitude of support tickets to increase flexibility as users engage with the software over months and years. Commercial equipment monitoring solution providers, alternatively, configure the System Resource Controller (SRC) and deploy changes easily. Their solutions tend to be out-of-the-box configurable for user control of reports, charts, and dashboards based on your machine brands. Software developers also have streamlined processes in place to accommodate continued development schedules and software enhancement and integration requests.

A DIY approach to equipment monitoring software can appear practical, especially for manufacturers with in-house IT development. But it’s important to look beyond upfront factors to include the entire scope of such a project, so that your TCO encompasses all opportunity costs, barriers necessary to overcome and anticipated internal and external changes that will impact short- and long-term development. After all, a deviation from core competency can be a costly mistake for manufacturers already reeling from downtime and production loss.

Ransomware on CNC Machines
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Building Resistance into Aged CNC Machines

How CNC program transfers can overcome the vulnerabilities of SMB1 for greater security and efficiency

It took mere hours. In May of 2017, a devastating ransomware cryptoworm called WannaCry impacted more than 200,000 computers across 150 countries, ultimately amassing over $4 billion in damages. Only months later, a variation of this worm spread to 10,000 machines in Apple’s single supplier of SoC components for iPads and iPhones, causing a production stoppage for a full day and shipment delays among its major tech customer base. The original worm was halted, but IT services management company Cloudflare asserts that WannaCry attacks continue today.

Ransomware on CNC Machines

The ransomware cryptoworm WannaCry notably affected TSMC, which manufactures processors and other silicon chips for major technology companies such as Qualcomm, AMD and Apple, due to a Windows SMB1 server vulnerability.

Starting with SMB1

What happened to the National Health Service (NHS), FedEx, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and so many others? The WannaCry worm exploited “vulnerabilities in the Windows SMB v1 server to remotely compromise systems, encrypt files and spread to other hosts,” explains a fact sheet from the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC). While patches have since been issued by Microsoft, the software company admits there are still instances in which manufacturers may need to run SMB1:

    1. Your company is running XP or Windows Server 2003 under a custom support agreement
    2. You have old management software that demands admins browse via the “network,” also known as the “network neighborhood” master browser list
    3. You run old multi-function printers with antiquated firmware in order to “scan to share”

For manufacturers experiencing such cases, there are workarounds. SMB1 could be disabled on every system connected to the network, recommends the NCCIC. You can block port 445 (Samba). You can verify that there isn’t any unexpected SMB1 network traffic. You can isolate vulnerable embedded systems. But these options may not necessarily be viable for efficient and protected CNC file transfers among aged equipment.

Transfer CNC Programs on SMB1 Machines

Manufacturers can struggle to disable SMB1 on every machine and still transfer CNC programs efficiently, effectively and securely.

Simplifying Network Setups

An alternate route is to simplify network setups altogether. A modern DNC software, like Predator Secure DNC, enables you to remove Windows shares, corporate domains, workgroups, homegroups, Microsoft SMB, CFS, FTP, DNS, WINS, NETBUI and IPX/SPX within shop floor VLANs, WANs or subnets for DNC or file transfers. This can be especially useful for manufacturers running older CNC equipment with Windows-based controls that lack compatibility with newer operating systems. It can also alleviate the need for system upgrades and service packs to maintain the older versions of Windows.

The original WannaCry worm was halted, but Cloudflare asserts that WannaCry attacks continue today.

In other cases, controllers like Haas classic controllers can be upgraded to another SMB version by contacting the machine tool builder or segmenting the network to address CNC machines that are not upgradable or do not run a Windows operating system. The point is, regardless of your SMB1-dependent machinery environment, you can reduce your ransomware risk while gaining the latest benefits in efficiency and productivity.

An experienced manufacturing integrator possesses the technical expertise to properly assess, assign and execute custom solutions for your company. Contact Shop Floor Automations to understand your full scope of SMB1 options today.

Scrap material in manufacturing - Shop Floor Automations
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Revise Your Revisions: Scrapping the Rework from Poor CNC Production Documentation

Imagine this: as a manufacturer, one of your engineers or CNC programmers has finally completed a product design for a part worth $75,000. They add the files to a USB thumb drive and run it out to the shop floor to upload the design and work instructions for the second shift. Success, he or she thinks. However, one of your team members made a last-minute change to the files without your knowledge. You won’t find out until the prototype is rejected by the customer, scrapping the part and costing your company thousands of dollars, even more time and effort, further project delays, interdepartmental frustration and a dissatisfied customer. Yikes.

Ideal PDM software ties engineering designs, CNC programs and production documentation for full revision control

In reality, manufacturers today have far greater ability to prevent a scenario like this from occurring in the first place. Modern production data management or product data management (PDM) software solutions are specifically designed to manage your manufacturing documentation, like CNC programs, CMM programs, machine offsets, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), to reduce inaccuracies, improve productivity, security and efficiency and speed up time to market. The revision control features of a well-designed PDM, such as Predator PDM, can allow for revisions per vault item, not per file, allowing you to condense the number of files it takes to run your business. New revisions or status changes are validated once-a-minute on every shop floor PC, and the correct program and work instructions may be selected from a pick list tied with the job scheduled in your ERP or MES system – all features to ensure the right CNC production documentation is sent to the right job at the right time.

Proper PDM software aids the CNC program and documentation process on the shop floor for less waste, faster time to market, increased productivity and more.

The use of Windows folders and other alternatives to fulfill regulated traceability requirements often fall short of meeting compliance standards.

Compliance Tracking for CNC Production Documentation

“Manufacturers and their industry partners are becoming greater generators and consumers of data output from their operations, particularly as automation increases,” wrote the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in late 2023. As regulatory bodies, such as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Defense (DoD), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seek to control this data collection and consumption movement, manufacturers are responsible for tracking, restricting and proving the path of all production documentation. Applying traditional means, like pen and paper, text files or Windows folders, to meet the latest traceability requirements lack the revision control, visibility and reliability to fulfill such mandates. Even USB thumb drive usage can be significantly limited or prohibited altogether in order to achieve compliance. With so much regulation and new technology available now, how does a manufacturer find and implement an optimal PDM solution?

A partnership with a manufacturing integrator with experience in your industry – be it aerospace, defense, oil and gas, medical device and pharmaceuticals or another industrial sector – and a broad software and hardware portfolio can help you better navigate options to institute effective and compliant processes to deliver profitable products. Contact a manufacturing expert at Shop Floor Automations to help reduce time to market, decrease waste and enhance the security of your CNC production documentation by visiting shopfloorautomations.com now.

IMTS 2024 attendees can visit Shop Floor Automations for manufacturing integration solutions and support
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Map Your Show with this IMTS 2024 Exhibitor Lineup

“Everything we have today is the result of going to Chicago, walking through those doors of IMTS, and seeing all the amazing technology. It’s a great atmosphere. It’s like walking into a living room that’s set up as a CNC shop with people smiling and ready to help you.” 

 — Ashley Miller, Co-owner, ARC EDM 

For those who attended the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2022, like Miller, they know that there was plenty to keep over 86,000 registrants from 110 countries interested in the 1,816 exhibitors. IMTS 2024 promises much more, with many new product launches and networking connections anticipated over the course of the six-day event.

Visit Shop Floor Automations at IMTS 2024 in Chicago

New Products, New Connections

ZOLLER (booth #432018), for one, plans to introduce its >>coraMeasure LG<< automated tool measurement system to improve tool measurement precision and speed by delivering tools to a linear robot that removes tools from the pallet and moves them to a ZOLLER >>venturion<< presetting and measuring machine. Each tool is identified with the ZOLLER >>dChip<< system and tool data is stored in the ZOLLER z.One database and accessible anywhere.

The new HAIMER (Booth #431510) Automation Cube One will also make its debut at IMTS 2024. This fully automatic robotic cell can shrink fit a tool, measure it and send the data to the machine tool in just 60 seconds. The Automation Cube One features a FANUC cobot for handling of tool assemblies and a Siemens Sinumerik One CNC control.

IMTS machine monitoring exhibitor Shop Floor Automations

DataXchange, available through IMTS machinoe monitoring exhibitor Shop Floor Automations, has released new protocol for supported equipment brands, including Okuma, Heidenhain and Siemens.

For those exploring machine monitoring and data collection solutions, Scytec Consulting (Booth #133240) has released new protocol for machine brands like Okuma, Heidenhain and Siemens to connect more data points for greater depth and analysis of equipment on the shop floor with its DataXchange equipment monitoring software. The added collection of Siemens spindle speed rates, for example, can help identify faults for better finish and surface quality due to consistent cutting speed at the tool cutting edge.

The partnership between Scytec and CGTech’s VERICUT® takes machine monitoring a step further through digital twins to simulate your manufacturing environment and identify the presence of variances before production begins on the floor, thereby minimizing or eliminating non-conformances and rework. Attendees seeking an IMTS machine monitoring exhibitor will have first access to the latest Post Check feature of CNC Machine Connect, in which users may replay stored, live-streamed data from the program for even greater visibility and predictive accuracy of your simulations.

IMTS 2024 attendees can visit Shop Floor Automations for manufacturing integration solutions and support

Greg Mercurio, president of manufacturing integrator Shop Floor Automations, says that “It’s the relationships that we start and build at IMTS that make the show such a vital experience. Not only are we able to demonstrate the latest advances in our technology portfolio, but our deep customer connections allow us to match the right solution and service to their environment so they can focus on their producing high-quality product.”

To plan your IMTS show with these exhibitors and others, visit www.imts.com.

Equipment monitoring ERP - Scytec DataXchange
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Integrating Equipment Data with ERP for Bigger Business Benefits

Maintenance, particularly on the shop floor, involves expensive machinery – which translates into high costs for actions like repair work. These costs can represent anywhere from 15-70% of expenses, says IEEE. But maintenance costs may not even be the biggest liability.

 

Equipment monitoring ERP - Scytec DataXchange

Inefficient maintenance processes, like manual data collection, contribute to unplanned downtime and costs, according to Forbes.

For companies with strict quality standards and challenging customer expectations, the cost of a nonconformance, rework or even rejection can be enough to draw the attention of executives due to the shipping, additional labor, materials and reallocated machine time required to correct the defective product. This says nothing of the damage to the customer relationship and the impact on their own tight schedule. It behooves manufacturers, then, to ensure shop floor equipment is always performing optimally with minimal downtime.

The Move Past Manual Downtime Tracking

To do so effectively, manufacturing machinery must be continuously monitored. Today’s smart factory showcases plants with modern machine monitoring software, like Scytec DataXchange, which replaces previous steps of manually tracking, handwriting or physically keying in cycle times, set up times, downtimes, costs and reason codes, and then piecing this data together to understand trends, performance and opportunities for improved efficiency. While these manual processes were time- and labor-intensive to compile, report and analyze, they were also often riddled with inaccuracies, in addition to the time delays that further hinder a company’s ability to react quickly. In fact, Forbes specifically cites these types of inefficient maintenance processes as bad attributes that contribute to unplanned downtime and costs.

Bigger Business Benefits

The utilization of equipment monitoring software becomes crucial, therefore, for businesses working towards the goal “to prolong production performance until it reaches a point that the machine requires complete replacement due to wear and tear or technology change, if justified,” writes Salman Taghizadegan in Essentials of Lean Six Sigma. But the benefits of equipment monitoring systems extend past precise predictive maintenance. Through Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) integration, ideal machine monitoring software can capture and populate data, like these, for an even bigger business-wide impact:

  • Actual set-up and run times. By comparing your estimates to your actuals, you’ll increase the accuracy of your job costing to give you a better handle on your margins and overall profitability. The visibility afforded by these actual times will allow for easier and more reliable planning and scheduling, as staffing requirements become predictable.
  • Machine statuses. Uptime and downtime records and notifications to maintenance, production and management can ensure service is planned for and executed when – and exactly – as needed.
  • Completed quantity. Inventory of raw materials, intermediates and finished goods can be affected in real-time by machine processing, as it occurs.
  • Scrap quantity. Material requirements may be altered based on the volume of actual scrap produced, adding to the dependability of planning and scheduling.
  • Scrap codes. Opportunities to reduce waste may be presented through reason code analysis.

Integrate Machine Monitoring with ERP

While machine monitoring software offers a lot towards optimal maintenance management, its integration with ERP is the lift that expands the effect of equipment data across the enterprise to grant clearer visibility into production, inventory, accounting, lean, planning, scheduling – and yes, maintenance – to help drive greater consistency into each process for more effective decision-making. Learn more about connecting your ERP with machine monitoring software by contacting a Shop Floor Automations representative today.

A machine toolhead at work, carving metal into the proper shape specified by the data sent to the machine.

CNC Data Transfer Software – Data Types and Information

There are many methods of data transfer available for CNC machines. However, the preferred option for the largest, most productive manufacturers is using CNC data transfer software. This type of software is capable of transferring a wide range of different data types, a few of which we will cover here. We’ll also cover why that data is important and which data transfer software you should consider implementing at your own facility to accomplish your most important business goals.

The Importance of the Different Data Types

Every CNC machine must be configured to different tools and materials, as well as how it should be working with them. Even identical machines often require different data to deal with separate issues relating to drive systems and other discrepancies. That data needs to be transferred on a regular basis, to avoid catastrophic failure and unnecessary downtimes.

Keep your machines running at peak efficiency by ensuring the correct data is accurately and quickly transferred. Below, we’ll cover many of the different data types which can be transferred using CNC data transfer software, including programs, custom variables, offsets parameters, PLC registers, and more.

Programs

It’s helpful to think of programs as a set of instructions computers use to control a machine tool.

In a complete system, the computer will be connected to something like a mill, along with electrical drives, sensors, and more. In this system, the computer uses its programming to send instructions that control the movement of the machine.

Within programming, there are two main types of modes, incremental and absolute systems. Absolute movement moves the tool along a set of coordinates all based around the machine’s zero point. Incremental movement moves the tool a set distance based on where the current position of the tool.

Both methods of programming offer their own unique benefits and are capable of delivering great results. Most machines and tools are capable of handling both depending on your needs and preferences.

Variables

Let’s say you need to cut a wide range of materials, in a variety of sizes. Rather than starting your programming from scratch with each new material, you can use variables to make things easier.

Variables allow you to quickly define the parameters you need to work under, such as the size of the cut and the speed of the machine, based on the material you’re cutting. Used primarily in situations where values need to change based on the situation, you can assign values to variables which make them easy to refer back to whenever needed.

Offsets

Offsets are primarily used to take measurement of and assign value to the position of the tool being used. There are two types of offsets – tool offsets and fixture (or work) offsets.

Tool offsets are specified values and measurements used to shift the position of the tool so it can be utilized best. In other words, a tool offset is used as a representation of structure of the machine and tool. In some instances, new tools are designed around these offsets for specific applications and benefits.

A work, or fixture offset, measures the average distance between the zero of the machine and the work zero in the X-Z plane. Unlike tool offsets, work offsets are used to represent the specifications of the workpieces themselves.

Parameters

When people use tools, it’s helpful if they know how they’re supposed to work. The same goes for a machine using a tool. Parameters tell the CNC machine all the information about the specific tool being used, such as the features, specific functions, and how the tool should be used.

Parameters are used to specify settings for every feature and function a CNC machine will need to perform with a given set of tools. In many cases, there are up to thousands of parameters needed per CNC. The management of all those parameters often relies on CNC data transfer software extensively to keep everything in order.

PLC Registers

PLCs or “Programmable Logic Controllers” store and manipulate values representing the size and number of materials, etc.

What Data Transfer Software Should You Consider?

As the amount of data CNC machines rely on has increased an equally large number of software solutions have developed. How can you decide which is the best for your particular shop floor needs?

DNC Software

If you have a variety of CNC machines with different controllers, DNC software is an absolute must have. Responsible for managing CNC programs, machine parameters, and offsets with a single network, DNC software is known for transforming the capabilities of your shop floor for the better. Click here to learn more about how DNC software can help you save time and increase production rates.

MTConnect Solutions

Sometimes compared to Bluetooth technology, MTConnect is an open, universal factory floor communication standard that is designed specifically for the shop floor environment. The protocol enables efficient transfer of data between devices (such as CNCs) and manufacturing shop floor software applications.

This software is especially effective in giving your equipment the ability to connect, deliver real-time data, and speak to each other. You can also display the information quickly on dashboards, smartphones, ERP/MRP systems, and other equipment. Click here to learn more about the benefits MTConnect can have on your processes.

Shop Floor Automations – Your CNC Data Transfer Software Specialists

At Shop Floor Automations, we offer CNC data transfer software for any brand, connection type, or age of CNC machine. Machine monitoring & CNC data collection delivers real-time analytics & OEE metrics to boost shop floor efficiency. Many DNC companies and installers have come and gone in the years, but Shop Floor Automations is still here to help you navigate the space with precision. We have over 3,000 installations in the USA, Mexico, Canada, and more.

Contact us today to learn more about our services or to ask us how we can help you select and integrate the perfect CNC data transfer software for your shop floor!

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Why You Should Skip Free DNC Software

Shop floor employee working on a laptop in front of a CNC Control

The benefits of DNC software when it comes to managing your CNC programs, machine parameters, and offsets are well known. As a result, many businesses look to offer some form of DNC software or their own, ranging from thousands of dollars to absolutely free. While free DNC software options may seem like a great deal, the limitations they create are often detrimental to your business.

As professional manufacturing integrators for over 20 years, Shop Floor Automations has seen and experienced both the good and the bad DNC software options out there, and now we want to share some of the things we’ve learned about free DNC options with you. Below, we’ll outline exactly why you should look to invest in your business’s success and skip free DNC software.

Drawbacks of Free DNC Software

In short, free DNC software is simply incapable of offering the same value you can expect from full versions. While perhaps useful in the short term for the smallest of shops, those free options won’t be able to deliver any worthwhile benefit if you’re looking to increase your capabilities and production rates. Let’s dive further into a few of the major limitations.

              Lack of Capability & Flexibility

Free DNC software almost always comes with limitations on both the types of machines and programmed instructions it can support. If you are looking to connect various types of machines performing several unique functions, your free software option won’t keep up. Instead, choose an option that allows you to connect any brand, type, and age of CNC machine to ensure your software can grow alongside your business.

              Inability to Grow with You

One of DNC software’s significant benefits is its powerful ability to increase production rates easily and rapidly. While a free version may work for you now, it will severely limit the number of machines you can connect. Anything more than a small handful of devices is going to demonstrate the limitations of free software immediately. In addition, newer machines with Ethernet connection are left out and you will be forced to use other software to manages these machines.  As you begin growing, your needs will quickly outpace the capabilities of any free DNC software option you choose.

Does Free DNC Software Offer Any Value?

Free DNC software options are not all bad. If you are relatively new to the world of DNC software, it may be beneficial to try one of these free options out for a few weeks. While it will not give you anywhere near a clear image of what exactly DNC software is capable of, it can be an effective way to dip your toe in the water. However, we don’t recommend relying on a free option for any extended amount of time. Keep in mind, if you need support or help getting your CNC machine communicating, it usually endss up costing you more since there is no one to call and support is left to an email address with hopes a timely response is provided.

Invest in Your Success with DNC Software

Improving your CNC networking, securing ethernet transfers, combining with PDM for CNC revision control, and integrating with other manufacturing automation software: these are the benefits you can expect from true DNC software. Investing in this software now means upgrading your capabilities, your productivity, and your overall profitability.

Interested in True DNC Software? Try the Real Deal For Yourself.

Whether you have grown frustrated with the abilities of your free DNC software or want to try DNC software for the first time, Shop Floor Automations is here to help. We offer a 30-day software trial run to help you test out the software and be sure it meets your needs.

After discussing your current system and needs, we will work together to help you configure a few of your machines, give you an overview of the interface, and validate bi-direction communication for the full extent of the 30 days. From there, we will let you run things, giving you a chance to truly experience the software without intervention. Participating in this trial comes at no charge, and there is no obligation to purchase the software after the trial ends. Just complete this form, and we’ll walk you through the rest!

We look forward to helping automate your shop floor!