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Predator Software Inc logo, which is a blue gear with a bear pawprint in the center.

PDM, MDC and DNC software among the highest-sought Predator solutions supported by the manufacturing integrator

Shop Floor Automations (SFA), a manufacturing integrator specializing in digitally transformative hardware, software and support solutions, announces its exclusive achievement as the top reseller of Predator software since 2004. This significant milestone represents the integrator’s deep industry and technical expertise and unwavering commitment to customer success by serving thousands of North American manufacturers of aerospace and defense, automotive, oil and gas, heavy equipment and medical device products.

 

“Predator software is a renowned provider of manufacturing automation solutions and leader in Industry 4.0, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital factory and lean manufacturing,” says Greg Mercurio, president and founder of SFA. “By coupling these solutions with the excellent service, skillset and knowledge of our technical team, our customers realize tangible gains and have come to rely on us for all their automation needs.”

Engineer working with DNC Software at his desk.

Shop Floor Automations has served manufacturers as their premier Predator Software reseller for 20 years.

 

Robert Jackson, a manufacturing engineer at Flowco Production Solutions, shared his DNC experience in an SFA customer success story.

 

“I’m responsible for helping to design high-quality parts and manage all the planning for manufacturing,” reported Jackson. “Predator DNC gives me the ability to spend my day doing what I’m supposed to be doing.”

 

Today SFA offers the following suite of Predator Software solutions:

 

  1. Predator DNC (Direct Numeric Control) is a robust DNC solution designed to simplify and automate the process of managing CNC programs to ensure secure, reliable and efficient program transfer to CNC machines.
  2. Predator MDC (Machine Data Collection) is an advanced manufacturing data collection system that enables real-time monitoring and analysis of machine performance, production metrics, and downtime, thus empowering manufacturers to optimize processes and maximize productivity.
  3. Predator PDM (Product Data Management) is a comprehensive solution for managing and controlling manufacturing documentation, including CAD/CAM files, setup sheets, work instructions and more, to streamline collaboration, version control, and compliance.
  4. Predator CNC Editor is a powerful editor for CNC program editing, revision control, and backplotting, equipped with features such as syntax highlighting, intelligent search, and customizable templates to simplify programming tasks and ensure code accuracy.
  5. Predator Touch HMI (Human Machine Interface) is designed to enhance operator efficiency and productivity by providing easy access to machine status, job information, and process parameters via touch-enabled interfaces.

 

For more information about SFA and Predator Software to help give your business a competitive edge, call 619-461-4000 or visit www.shopfloorautomations.com.

 

ABOUT SHOP FLOOR AUTOMATIONS

Founded in 1998, Shop Floor Automations (SFA) is a manufacturing integrator specializing in digitally transformative hardware, software and support solutions to increase the productivity, efficiency and profitability of plant facilities throughout North America. To add intelligent automation to your shop floor for better communication, control and improvement, contact Shop Floor Automations at www.shopfloorautomations.com.

Predator MDC Video

Predator MDC creates a continuously up to date knowledge base of your manufacturing performance. It quantifies how well your machines, people and parts are produced. Predator MDC can establish and compare continuous improvement results for lean manufacturing efforts. Predator MDC organizes your real-time data into actionable metrics for availability, quality and performance. Metrics for specific machines or rolled up metrics for an entire department across multiple plants are available with a few mouse clicks. Refer to the following major features

Predator MDC supports automatic, error-free, and unattended machine monitoring for events such as job start and end, setup start and end, cycle start and end, to name a few of the events that can be monitored. This type of data is collected automatically using software, hardware, custom macros and other methods without requiring operator training or input.

Predator MDCPredator MDC also supports manual monitoring of events that are initiated by machine operators such as machine login/offs, downtimes, and scrap reasons. Predator MDC can be used to manually collect data using several methods including Remote Request, swiping bar codes, touch screen PCs or standard PCs.

Predator MDC supports up to 4096 CNC machines, robots, PLCs, ATE Test Stands, band saws, dot peen markers and other equipment per PC for simultaneous cycle time, setup time, teardown time, downtimes with reasons, good parts, scrap parts with reasons and an unlimited number of user defined events.

Keep score of your shop floor productivity with Predator MDC. Every second is tracked per machine, job, part, operation, shift and person. Real-time dashboards displays current machine, part, job, operation and personnel status. Multiple engineers, supervisors and managers can view the dashboard from any networked PC. Leverage the power of the Internet and VPN from anywhere in the world to see the status of your shop floor.

Dedicate one or more large screen monitors on the shop floor for real-time digital signage. Create slides of charts, dashboards and reports with specific filters and details. Eliminate manual posting of paper reports and charts. Provide a focal point for standup shop meetings while enforcing productivity and manufacturing metrics that management, engineering and quality departments care about.

Want more information? Call (877) 611-5825 and ask us how we can help you increase OEE on your shop floor!

Predator SoftwarePredator Software Machine Monitoring

Shop Floor Automations (SFA), a distributor and service center for Predator Software Inc., has announced the Basic version of Predator’s Manufacturing Data Collection (MDC) Software.

“For many years now, Predator has offered their fully automated, real time MDC system for larger corporations,” said a company spokesperson. “Now they have released the Basic version of the same software targeted toward the small to medium size manufactures looking to capture utilization, with alarm status and part counts.”

MDC Basic is designed to be an affordable way to collect real-time and historical data from the shop floor. It allows for no operator input at the CNC to capture running or idle status along with alarm mode. The customer can also record good and scrapped part counts directly from the CNC interface.

All the collected data is recorded into one of three database platforms: Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQLo r Oracle. Decision makers will have various reports and charts at their fingertips regarding production history, said SFA. Read more below.

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