OEE transparency for the entire machine park
"Production managers often do not have a fact-based view of the performance of their machines and processes," says Gruber, explaining one of the major problems in production. "Due to different types of machines and control systems, it is difficult to compare the availability or performance of different machines". The inhomogeneity of the machine parks in terms of the age of the models is also a challenge if you want to achieve transparency with regard to the performance of a machine. In addition to new machine models with the latest control software, many companies also use older systems. Their control software lacks a reliable program for analyzing the machining process. "Our approach is to bundle the machine data centrally in one application, regardless of the machine's age and control software, so that it is possible to compare the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)," explains Gruber. "Huge amounts of data are generated in every single machine every second of a machining process. Recording, structuring and visualizing this data is the main task of our machine data acquisition (MDA) solution."
What ideal machine data acquisition looks like
Machine data is basically all information generated by an industrial CNC machine. There are two main types – process data and NC program data. Ideally, this data is recorded in the same place it is created, i.e. in the machine control system.
The process data includes all information required for and generated by the operation of the machine. This is primarily the control data, but also information about various types of messages, runtimes or the status of the machine, for example.
The NC program data is measured at the processing units and contains valuable information about the production process. In terms of production performance, data such as the number of units, capacity utilization and availability of a machine is essential. If machine data acquisition is used, it acts as a seamless interface between the machines in production and the information processing system. The analyzed data from the machines can be evaluated and taken into consideration directly. If necessary, the data obtained can be used to develop measures that have a positive impact on the production process. This makes the production process more transparent and reveals potential for improvement. "With TDM appCom, we have developed a ready-to-use application for professional machine data acquisition. Data from a wide variety of machines is centrally recorded in a browser-based solution and presented visually," Gruber continues, "this means that machine data can be validated and forms the basis for process optimization."
24/7 monitoring of machine data - an overview at all times
Another important aspect of machine data acquisition is the monitoring of relevant process data in real time. Machine expert Gruber explains: "Productivity, program runtimes, the detection of program versions and, above all, alarm messages are crucial for a smooth production process." This is where companies lack transparency. In many businesses, process flows and data are recorded manually. However, the documentation of the data is a weak point, as it is usually done manually and with a time delay. This can falsify the relevant actual data of the machine and may fail to provide exact key figures on the actual machine performance.
With the TDM appCom browser-based software solution, which records, bundles and evaluates machine data independently of operators, production managers can easily analyze and visualize their production data while production is ongoing. This gives them a quick and easy overview of machine statuses, evaluations or faults. It doesn't matter whether the production systems are 30 years old or the latest models. The use of the specialized MDA software offers a flexible and manufacturer-independent solution for connecting a wide range of machines. TDM appCom communicates via the respective interface with control systems from Siemens, Fanuc, Heidenhain, OPC-UA and MT-Connect. No additional hardware or workstation installation is required.
Advantages for the shopfloor with digital machine data acquisition
"After a test installation of TDM appCom, users are often surprised. Firstly, at how easy it is to install, and secondly, at how quickly they achieve the desired transparency on the shopfloor," says Markus Gruber, describing a frequent reaction from customers. Their production processes can now be checked and examined in real time. They can easily evaluate machine downtimes and receive instant feedback on reasons for malfunctions via e-mail around the clock if required. By analyzing their own process data, users of the system are able to continuously improve their manufacturing process and boost production performance. By automatically determining key figures such as OEE, they ensure that their company's competitiveness targets are met.
