7 Must-Have Features of Machine Monitoring Systems
Today’s systems provide real-time monitoring of production equipment, anytime and anywhere, while also supporting connection to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines, legacy machines, industrial robots and production lines. You can evaluate the state of your machines on dashboards, a timeline, or on an interactive shop floor layout using a traditional Windows application or a modern Web client.
The monitoring of most modern CNC machines is simple — just connect the network cable to the appropriate port on the machine controls (a list of supported CNC controls is available on the website and from authorized dealers) and configure it to transmit data. In this case, you automatically receive not only information about the state of the machine (cycle, downtime, alarm), but also a large amount of data regarding the cutting process: numerical control (NC) program number, coordinates, speed, feed, tool number, etc.; as well as many system variables: temperature, spindle load, alarm number, etc.
To connect to any other piece of equipment, you can use a wide range of hardware products (including a proprietary TVV monitoring terminal and various sensors) as well as third-party products (Android tablet computers and MOXA network equipment).
TVV terminals and tablet computers help an operator to work more efficiently — they are used to specify the reasons for downtime (setup, no tools, no jobs, no work pieces, etc.), which are used to notify (SMS and email) the corresponding specialists and production departments. The terminal displays information that is useful for completing a job: order, documentation (setup sheets and drawings), machine status, number of machined parts; a NC program is selected for transfer to the machine. Optionally, a barcode scanner can be connected to register the operator and technological operations, specifying the reasons of downtime.
Data from each machine is transmitted (24/7) and stored on a server. Many tools are available to users to get an objective view of production efficiency and its bottlenecks. You can choose from more than 100 predefined reports (OEE, KPI, reasons for downtime, machined parts, alarms, defects, etc.), including tabular data and diagrams, or use the report generator, which generates analytics in accordance to selected criteria.
The main functions available are: load monitoring, state and operating modes of equipment, identification and classification of downtime reasons, assisting operators in the performance of production tasks, notifying specialists and production departments regarding accidents and unplanned downtime, compiling analytical reports on the operation of equipment and production efficiency.
All of this results in an increase of equipment usage efficiency by up to 15% due to the prompt notification of specialists and production departments regarding machine downtime and their motivation to solve the problem as soon as possible, thus reducing unplanned downtime and, due to the transparency of the process, increasing the overall production culture.
Here’s a checklist of must-have features of the real-time machine monitoring and manufacturing data collection system:
DNC Communication & NC Program Management
The machine monitoring system shall offer users convenient and reliable tools for storing and transferring NC programs to CNC machines. Using the optional module, you can create directories for storing NC programs on a server, associate the NC files with certain parts and machines, generate statistics on the use of NC programs and automatically compare the NC file executed on the machine with the original NC file stored on the server. The machine operator gets access to the database of NC programs through the interface of the TVV terminal or through a mobile device and can quickly load the desired NC program into the CNC control via the local network.
DNC Communication & NC Program Management allows fast transfer of NC programs to CNC machines, an archive of NC programs with access rights differentiation, monitoring the relevance of NC program files and the history of their changes, NC program execution control and comparison of the active NC program in a machine with the original version in the server archive. This results in the reduction of downtime associated with the setup, search and transfer of NC programs by up to 20%.
Production Control
Often an enterprise needs software to synchronize, coordinate, analyze and optimize production output. MES systems (Manufacturing Execution System), which are designed to do these tasks, usually offer an excessively wide functionality and their implementation takes a lot of time and resources. Considering the needs of our customers in an easy-to-use and inexpensive module for planning and controlling production at the shop floor level, there should be Production Control.
The optional Production Control module provides planning and control over the execution of work at the level of route sheets and job schedules; it contains a part cutting log, allows you to track the execution of technological operations, adjust and approve KPI by the quantity and quality of manufactured parts and identify deviations from planned indicators. The module easily adapts to the specifics of various industries and, if desired, can be integrated with an MES or ERP system.
Production Control allows creating route sheets and job schedules, module data is used to calculate OEE, control of technological operations, identification of scrap parts, creating progress reports for the production process, which results in optimization of technological processes, determination of actual production capacity, a reduction in production costs and an increase in overall production efficiency by up to 5%.
Vibration Monitoring & Diagnostics
Another unique function for its class of systems is designed for vibration monitoring. The optional Vibration Monitoring & Diagnostics module allows for the use of special sensors and devices installed on the CNC machine to measure the parameters characterizing the technical condition of the CNC machine’s mechanical components, compare the obtained values with the acceptable values and notify the user if the vibration parameter values exceed the set thresholds.
Vibration Monitoring & Diagnostics allows diagnostics of the CNC machine’s mechanical parts for the early detection of defects, ensuring maintenance planning and repair work, control of machine operating modes, the ability to turn off the CNC machine in emergency conditions and the ability to prevent collision of moving machine parts. This result is an increase in the efficiency of equipment usage by up to 8% due to a decrease in downtime associated with breakdowns of mechanical components.
Power Consumption Monitoring
Investments in production are not limited to the cost of buying CNC machines. The energy consumption of industrial equipment is also a significant cost to the enterprise and the machine continues to consume electricity even during downtime. The Power Consumption Monitoring module collects and aggregates data on energy costs in the various modes and conditions of the machine, allowing you to analyze the quality indicators of the power supply system and technological operations in terms of their energy efficiency.
The continuous power consumption monitoring of each CNC machine, calculation of key energy efficiency indicators, display of energy consumption values in tabular or graphical form results in a reduction in electricity spending by up to 3% by identifying the main sources of electricity loss and planning electricity consumption at its actual cost.
Video Monitoring
An important component in ensuring overall safety, maintaining equipment and controlling the work of personnel in any modern plant is a video surveillance system. It allows you to track the sources of problems and protect the business, providing the ability to control the actions of the warehouse and industrial premises personnel, reducing the likelihood of erroneous, dishonest or malicious actions. Given the specifics of working on CNC machines and the situations that arise around them, there are inexpensive and easily scalable video monitoring applications available. The Video Monitoring module allows you to use IP cameras in real time to monitor what is happening on the shop floor or to receive video for a selected time interval.
Real-time video surveillance of your shop floor and video from the archive for a selected time interval allows an increase in the efficiency of equipment usage by up to 3% by increasing the culture of production and reducing the search time for causes of problems with machines.
API connection for external ERP, CAD/CAM/PDM, MES and BI systems
A machine monitoring system is an important, though not the only, element of digital production; the creation of which requires a seamless exchange of data between many different enterprise information systems. For integration with ERP, MES, CAD/CAM, PDM and BI, you can use the Application Programming Interface (API) — a set of methods for accessing the functionality and data of a software product.
The ability exists to exchange data with third-party engineering and production software, obtaining information about orders and scheduled jobs from MES and data transfer on the status of machines and process execution to MES and BI; among main functions of today’s machine monitoring systems.
Computerized Maintenance
Automated support for maintenance and repair work helps to reduce repair time and increase the durability of production equipment. The Computerized Maintenance module is usually in demand at large enterprises and includes two sub-modules: “Dispatching” and “Maintenance”. The first is used by service departments in their operations to ensure the organizational and technical readiness of equipment and to generate reports. The second one supports planning processes, coordination and control of repair and maintenance work, automated accounting of equipment operating times and provides preventive maintenance for machine tools.
Computerized Maintenance allows planning, coordination and control of maintenance and repairs, control over the consumption of spare parts and materials, getting detailed fault information, documenting service operations and interaction with external service organizations. This results in an increase in equipment utilization efficiency by up to 10% due to reduced downtime caused by equipment breakdowns, as well as the optimization of company maintenance.
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