Click here for PDF

Photo courtesy Exact Software North America
Manufacturing Software
Shop foreman at Custom Mold & Design (New Hope, MN) uses Exact Software’s ShopBoss scheduling tool to quickly
visualize current jobs, prioritizing and shifting the workload in real time to meet customer demand.
Fast, Accurate Decision Making
Helps Keep Shops Competitive
With advanced data management
software, shop managers get timely
information to handle factory-floor
operations more effectively
Patrick Waurzyniak
Senior Editor
D
igging for treasure has gotten easier:
Manufacturing systems hold a treasure
trove of operational data waiting to be mined
by smart shop-floor managers, who need
fast and reliable delivery of factory status
information to stay competitive. The latest
versions of shop-floor data collection and data management
systems boast more robust database architectures, better document management of CNC program files, and improved use
of shop-floor metrics, with data-sharing kiosks and electronic
touch-screen whiteboards even appearing on shop floors. And
while virtually all software developers of data management
systems boast fast or real-time data delivery today, that may
not mean the same thing to all end users.
October 2013
|
ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com
75
Manufacturing Software
Most shop-floor data management systems today are
(SQL). Some shop data management systems also are sup-
relational database management systems (RDBMS) that can
porting the eXtensible Markup Language (XML), which make
quickly and efficiently process high-volume transactional data,
it easier for machine tools and software to communicate data
and many systems also use the Structured Query Language
and is central to the data communications protocol pushed by
the MTConnect Institute (McLean, VA).
MC MACHINERY
SYSTEMS, INC.
A SUBSIDIARY OF
MITSUBISHI CORPORATION
EDM | LASER | WATERJET | MILLING | HIGH-SPEED VMC | PRESS BRAKE
AUTOMATION | CONSUMABLES | PRE-OWNED | SERVICE | FINANCING
Focusing on Job Shops
With its latest update, Exact Software
North America LLC (Minneapolis) has
added a revamped application programming interface (API) to its JobBoss Version 11.7 shop-floor data management
software that includes customer-driven
enhancements targeting custom build-
“ ”
QUICK.
ACCURATE.
AWESOME.
-JEFF BROWN
OWNER OF MIRO TOOL & MFG., INC.
VISIT US AT Fabtech
BOOTH S1719
Jeff Brown’s enthusiasm for Mitsubishi Waterjet runs deep. As the
owner of Miro Tool & Mfg., Inc. he needs a partner who understands
the big picture—and he knows that only Mitsubishi delivers the
insight, accuracy and control technology that comes from decades of
diverse machining experience. Together, they enabled the technology
that helped Miro open the door to bigger opportunities, new revenue
streams and more cost-effective production.
to-order job shops. In the Version 11.7
released to beta testing in September,
the enterprise resource planning (ERP)
software allows customers to deploy
one of two SQL versions, Microsoft SQL
Express or full Microsoft SQL Server.
“Probably 90% of our customers
today self-identify as a job shop,” David
Lechleitner, pre-sales principal, Exact
North America. “We’ve seen a shift
though in recent years, where more
companies are entering into long-term
contracts with some of their customers,
but they would still identify what they do
as custom make-to-order.”
The upgraded API and the new XML
functionality help JobBoss communicate
with other software, Lechleitner said.
“We’re upgrading our API enabling
other applications, be it design packages like SolidWorks or nesting software
for fabricators, to have a better foundation by which they can communicate to
ONE SOURCE.
ENDLESS EXPERTISE.
To learn more about what waterjet can do for your business,
visit www.mitsubishi-world.com/waterjet.
us in real time.
“What Web services allow us to do
is leverage a different level of infrastructure—less moving parts, more seamless communication back-and-forth,
using really the same technology that
MTConnect is using, which is that XML
programming language.”
76
ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com
|
October 2013
Manufacturing Software
With prior versions of JobBoss, users had the option to
Lechleitner said the package has had a mixture of Access
deploy Microsoft’s Access relational database, which has a
and SQL components, but Version 11.7 will be a 100% SQL
2-GB database size limit, he noted. Originally written in CO-
database platform. JobBoss comes in three versions—Starter,
BOL in 1984, the software later moved to the Access platform.
Professional and Enterprise Editions. The Professional and
Enterprise versions include a ShopBoss
scheduling tool for prioritizing and allocating workloads in real time based on
customer demands.
“The big reason that both we and
other solutions have moved away from
Access is really because of its underlying technology. Access was really
designed for low transactional data
sets—not a lot of activity hitting on a
literally minute-by-minute basis,” he
added. “So what SQL provides the end
user is more comfort and security, and
much less database corruption issues—
the database is rock-solid.”
With quality holding high priority,
Exact signed a partnership agreement
in July with uniPoint (Winnepeg, MB,
Canada), a developer of quality software, under which uniPoint’s quality
management software modules will
be offered within JobBoss. “What we
Equipment and systems engineered for
robust, reliable metal processing.
found in the marketplace is that a lot of
ERP solutions would have embedded
PRAB engineers understand the goals and objectives of metal processing
manufacturers because many of our operations are just like yours.
Maximizing the value of scrap through efficient chip processing helps
support growth by adding to your competitive advantage. Processing
scrap metal and filtering and recycling coolant is the foundation of our
knowledge and experience. This is why you can rely on PRAB to be your
partner for engineering a chip processing system that guarantees the same
dependability and support you deliver to your customers.
Learn more at [email protected] or 1-800-968-7722.
www.prab.com
solutions for quality but when it comes
to nonconformance, corrective actions,
and maintenance, that’s where most
embedded solutions stop,” Lechleitner
said. JobBoss Quality by uniPoint adds
quality-specific modules for auditing,
AS9100 compliance, customer service,
supplier management, validation and
many other quality elements.
Managing Data More Effectively
Shop-floor management software
developer Cimco Americas LLC (Streamwood, IL) offers a suite of data management and collection tools including its
MySQL-based MDC-Max, a manufactur-
See us at SOUTH-TEC Booth #1231
PB013-CHIP_PROC_SYSTEMS-ME-OCT2013.indd 1
78
ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com
|
ing data collection package for real-time
9/11/2013 2:20:53 PM
October 2013
Photo courtesy Cimco Americas LLC
monitoring and analysis of shop-floor productivity. The North
American unit of Cimco A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark), Cimco
Americas also has CNC-Calc, a basic CAD/CAM program for
the shop floor, plus other applications including Edit 7, DNCMax 7 (distributed NC) software for communication of CNC
programs, and a Product Data Management (PDM) package
for managing, controlling and securely storing all productionrelated data.
Cimco’s database products come standard with MySQL,
an open-source SQL database—unless users want to upgrade
to the full SQL versions, which require a license. “MySQL is a
With Cimco’s PDM software, shops easily manage and track
the latest CAD/CAM part programs, helping to reduce
scrap and errors caused by using outdated part programs.
free database,” said Jody Romanowski, Cimco CEO. “It’s part
“To compete, machine shops have to find any way possi-
of our installation, or we can connect MS SQL, but then the
ble to make efficient use of personnel,” she said. “That means
system will be more costly because the customer will have to
eliminating work that is redundant or that can be automated,
purchase and maintain a SQL server.” In many circumstanc-
and having the data you need exactly when you need it, so
es, Cimco's software actually performs better and has lower
production is not slowed down. Our customers are looking for
administrative requirements with MySQL, which is now owned
products that will help them do more with less people, and
by Oracle, Romanowski noted.
they’re using technology to help them.”
COMPACT
HIGH-SPEED
PRECISION
Horizontal 30 Taper Machining Centers
Achieve ultimate small part productivity with the ultracompact, Horizontal Self Centers from Sugino. With
spindles up to 20,000RPM and performance rivaling 40
taper machines, these versatile workhorses maximize
cutting time and use of your shop’s floor space.
Learn more at SuginoCorp.com, or call us for details.
SUPER TECHNOLOGY
MACHINING ¦ WASHING ¦ WATER JET ¦ TOOLING
SuginoCorp.com
630-262-0518
October 2013
|
ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com
79
Manufacturing Software
Along with the MDC-Max data collection package, Cimco
trying to prevent that with our software for our customers,
offers a part program database, NC-Base, that Romanowski
by reducing scrap and mistakes, and getting the data to the
said is its most popular product. “Our DNC and the Edit soft-
people who need it more quickly and efficiently.”
ware are very widely used, but for higher-end database type
products, NC-Base is very popular. It’s an easy-to-manage
Sharing Data through Shop Kiosks
database. It’s part-program centric, and it will track all the
As access to shop-floor data proliferates through hand-
revisions for a customer that a part program goes through,
held devices, customers are also looking to push that data
while letting you associate other documentation with the part
out onto the shop floor to reach a wider audience. After
program. And of course, it has security so you can do read-
introducing its iVet app for iPhone and iPad at IMTS 2012,
only access on the shop floor.”
ERP software developer Henning Industrial Software (Hud-
Having the right part program at the right time cuts down
son, OH) has added the Visual EstiTrack Shop Kiosk for dis-
on errors and improves quality, she added. “What’s always
playing ERP information more freely on large LCD monitors
been a big driving factor for us and those systems is to elimi-
on the shop floor, noted Rich Henning, president, Henning
nate errors. When we go in, a lot of times the data isn’t orga-
Industrial Software.
nized very well. It’s fairly common for somebody to go grab a
“We’re seeing more people who want to share key
file and in it is an old print, or it’s an old NC program they find
performance data with their staff to provide timely feedback
on some drive somewhere—they run that and it ends up not
on how well they’re doing,” Henning said. “Traditionally
being the current version or the most accurate version. We’re
this type of information sharing has been through posting
Photo courtesy Shop Floor Automations Inc.
factors. Until fairly recently, however, the costs for machine
tool data collection have been prohibitive, with only larger
manufacturing operations able to easily afford them. “It’s critical that manufacturers focus on things in real time,” said Greg
Scytec’s cloud-based low-cost shop-floor monitoring
system offers users real-time views of factory equipment
operational status.
Mercurio, president, Shop Floor Automations Inc. (La Mesa,
CA), a manufacturing integrator for collection and management solutions from Predator Software and Scytec Systems.
Since last year, shops looking to lower data collection and
paper reports on a bulletin board in public areas. Our new
monitoring costs have been using the Scytec Consulting Inc.
electronic Shop Kiosk provides shops an alternative to post-
(Greenwood, CO) cloud-based data monitoring system that
ing paper reports. It provides an electronic and interactive
Shop Floor Automations distributes. “We’re the sales, service
dissemination method for content via a touchscreen LCD
and support partner for them, which includes demonstrations
using a modern, tiled Windows 8 interface.”
and on-site visits,” Mercurio said. “The difference in this approach is it’s a ‘try before you buy.’”
Real-Time Analysis is Key
To be competitive, manufacturing operations must collect
Some years ago, it was commonplace to pay $2000–
$3000 per machine for shop monitoring, Mercurio said, but
and analyze factory-floor data in real time in order to more ef-
with the Scytec cloud-based alternative, it costs shops a frac-
fectively gage overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and other
tion of those prices. “For the medium-sized to smaller shops,
Behind every great tool
there’s a great idea
The tool:
Dihart REAMAX® TS
Modular precision reaming system
Manufacturing Software
typically 50–100 users or less, the reality is they don’t have
that type of money,” Mercurio said. “With this system, the cost
is much lower up-front.”
The Predator MDC (Manufacturing Data Collection) suite
of machine data monitoring, collection and analysis software
features real-time performance with reports, charts and
dashboards. The software suite tracks key manufacturing
metrics such as OEE, cycle time, idle time, setup time, and
machine downtime. Available as Predator MDC, MDC Express
or Enterprise editions, the package is based on open-architecture client-server database standards with users selecting
from either Microsoft Access or Microsoft Server or Oracle. In
August, Predator released an update of its PDM application,
adding performance improvements for users viewing vault
data and increasing the maximum number of vault items.
“Productivity, reliability and revision control have been
and will continue to be the hallmarks of modern shop floor
DNC networking and communication software,” said Jim
Abbassian, president, Predator Software Inc. (Portland,
OR). “MDC or Manufacturing Data Collection and machine
monitoring provide actual shop-floor metrics that feed back
into improved scheduling and improved ROI on shop floor
utilization and management. PDM has traditionally been
used on engineering drawings, but lately we have developed
manufacturing-based document management that addresses
the requirements of CNC program management and manu-
The idea:
Incorporating micro-adjustable reaming heads and
holders into a Plug’n Ream tool system.
facturing shop-floor document management.” ME
Want More Information?
Why it’s great:
• Expandable head compensates for wear.
• Plug’n Ream system with DAH Zero®, ABS® or
straight shank holders.
• Head can be changed within the machine in
seconds.
Cimco Americas LLC
Ph: 888-DNC-7858
Web site: www.cimco.com
Exact Software North America LLC
Ph: 800-777-4334
Web site: www.exact.com
Learn more about this and other great ideas.
Go to www.komet.com/greatideas
or scan this QR code.
Henning Industrial Software
Ph: 330-650-4212
Web site: www.henningsoftware.com
Predator Software Inc.
Ph: 503-292-7151
Web site: www.predator-software.com
Shop Floor Automations Inc.
Ph: 619-461-4000
Web site: www.shopfloorautomations.com
www.komet.com
800-656-6381
TOOLS PLUS IDEAS
82
ManufacturingEngineeringMedia.com
|
October 2013