Streamline Production with Standardized Processes

Many of life’s tasks involve far too much redundancy to allow for efficiency. This issue may never be more apparent than to a patient in a healthcare facility, where incompatible information systems typically require repetitive completion of similar forms. In an effort to make sure all bases are covered, manufacturing operations often fall into similar traps of redundancy.

To alleviate this overlap in communications for the manufacturing community, the MTConnect standardized protocol was developed for CNC machines and other manufacturing equipment. This connectivity tool is, essentially, a common translator based on Internet standards that enable CNC and non-CNC machine tools and other shopfloor equipment to communicate with each other’s software, along with that of a central production monitoring system.

“Shopfloor Data and the Future of Manufacturing” provides a look into one company (LNS America) that has embraced the concept of data sharing in an effort to help shops get the most value from their CNC machines and optimize the efficiency of their operations. Its lines of bar feeders, chip and coolant management systems, and workholding devices are designed to communicate with the CNC machine tools with which they work. The company’s e-Connect multi-functional Ethernet communications platform interfaces with the overall manufacturing control system.

As these few examples demonstrate, enabling the various machines and peripherals within a manufacturing facility to communicate with one another can have important benefits beyond simply gathering data for reporting purposes and receiving trouble messages and maintenance alerts. While these functions are important, the ability to optimize machine performance, reduce labor costs, maximize material usage and minimize inventories can significantly improve productivity and profitability.