“The conversations at IMTS have changed from spindle speeds and traverse rates to how to deliver pertinent information so job shops and manufacturers can better manage their assets,” commented Marlow Knabach, executive VP, National Engineering, DMG Mori USA. “To start the conversation, exhibitors in the Metal Cutting Pavilion at IMTS will demonstrate smart machines with the ability to monitor critical elements, such as spindle bearing temperature, spindle vibration, ball screw temperature, coolant level and tool wear to identify potential sources of downtime before they occur.”
“Lean companies need smarter approaches, and connecting with the exhibitors in the Metalcutting Pavilion exhibitors in the Metal Cutting Pavilion at IMTS 2018 will help them develop new strategies for more efficient part manufacturing,” said Peter R. Eelman, vice president – Exhibitions & Business Development at AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, which owns and produces IMTS.
In addition to connectivity, Eelman says that technology highlights from the Metal Cutting Pavilion exhibitors at IMTS 2018 include more collaboration between CNC and automation providers, more process integration to create multi-tasking machines and more powerful software and user-friendly CNC controls.
Achieving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) rates greater than 80% in job shops is a greater challenge compared to higher volume manufacturing. Traditionally, job shops could not take advantage of software-based systems for automation and process monitoring or Ethernet based communication protocols because the cost and complexity were too prohibitive.
“Communication protocols and software-based systems process monitoring enable considerable cost and time reductions in total system operation,” said Paul Gray, Ph.D., manager for path planning, Front-end Design and R&D at Hurco. “Smaller job shops and those with high-mix, low volume parts who attend IMTS 2018 will find that the benefits of intelligent machining and automation are within their reach.”
Mr Knabach added: “The return on investment for machine monitoring is so pronounced that I would challenge anyone if they could not obtain a return on investment within one year.” ROI happens quickly because monitoring usually reveals an OEE much lower than expected. “Understanding utilisation rates, causes of common alarms and premature tool wear and so much more are available with a connection, especially since the growth of devices compliant with the MTConnect standard.” For companies who are not prepared for a cloud-based operation or cannot do so because of industry regulations (e.g., defense contractors), he notes that connected machines, devices and systems can operate entirely behind a company firewall.
In addition to Industry 4.0 machine and device monitoring demonstrations (likely numbering in the hundreds at IMTS 2018), exhibitors will show how enhanced data exchange is essential for intelligent manufacturing. One example would include a CNC, a robot for automated part loading/unloading and a CMM, all connected to create a closed-loop system that automatically updates tool offsets. Easy part change-over is another.
“Automation integration used to be more expensive and difficult because you had simple I/O connections and needed to reprogram a PLC when changing parts,” says Gray. “CNC manufacturers and automation providers have been working together to provide seamless integration between the CNC control and the robot control. With software systems talking with each other over an Ethernet connection, users can now bundle all aspects of the job together. We’ve created a new level of flexibility and simplicity in part change-over in production cells.”
Hurco will demonstrate automation integration as part of its 50th anniversary celebration at IMTS 2018. A collaborative robot will 3D scan visitors’ faces, generate a solid model from that data to create a tool path and then either a 5-axis CNC will cut the head from cylindrical aluminium stock or a 3-axis CNC will cut the form into a brass coin. Both CNCs will be connected to fully automated robot systems that are coordinated by a centralized job management system.
IMTS 2018 www.imts.com
