Abbassian: Shop-floor networking, or DNC software, establishes a gateway from the numerous CNCs, PLCs, touch probes, gages, bar code readers, and other shop-floor devices to the corporate network. The benefits to the shop floor are nearly identical to office PCs. Today, we take for granted that every PC in a business will be part of a corporate network. Even at home multiple PCs are networked together. The benefits either at the office or home include file sharing, printer sharing, Internet access, email, and database access. It's no different on the shop floor. What is different is that Ethernet, the hardware connection that is universal in the office and at home, has only recently entered the shop floor. The bulk of the existing CNCs, PLCs and other shop-floor devices have RS-232 ports, not Ethernet ports. This simple fact drives the need for shop-floor networking and communications software that understands RS-232 and Ethernet-based communications. Once the shop-floor network is in place, several manufacturing-specific benefits are available including file sharing, printer sharing, e-mail access, and database access. With file sharing, machinists can push a few buttons on their CNCs and remotely request the appropriate CNC programs, fixture offsets, and tool offsets from a file server. Edits to CNC programs can be easily saved back to the file server again by the machinist, and touch probe data can be automatically collected stored on the file server. All of these benefits and more can only be accomplished after successfully implementing a modern shop-floor networking and communications system.Abbassian: With one customer, we are tracking and monitoring every rivet on airplane exteriors. This process has specific challenges because the average cycle time is only three seconds. With another customer, we're tracking and monitoring the torque and number of revolutions for every nut and bolt used while assembling a turbocharger. This data is recorded per serial number for every turbocharger made. By monitoring every serial number during the production process, in process confirmation back to the traveler database ensures that every turbo is assembled correctly because every operation is tracked. Should errors occur, the assembly line is automatically halted and notification of the problem and resolution is given to shop-floor personnet in real-time. Online access over the Internet allows engineering staff in the US to monitor production in Mexico in real-time.
ME: Some shop-floor automation packages, like Predator's, include tool crib management. How critical is tool crib management for shops today?
Abbassian: For most shops, tooling cost is an unmanaged cost. Most shops have inventory control problems and tool management problems for the following reasons: re-using existing tooling is not done often enough because nobody knows the status and location of every tool, cutter, and insert, so new tooling is ordered; standardized tooling and kitting is not used in enough situations; multiple personnel with authority to purchase tooling; and tool consumption can vary by machine, part, and machinist. Problems also occur when production stops because of lack of tooling, excessive shipping, and premium prices are paid for tooling; best practices with tooling and materials and parts are not recorded or referenced; tool rework and repair is not recorded or referenced; physical tool inventories are often not performed. All of these problems are solved by successfully implementing a modern tool crib management system.
ME: How has the Internet changed the process of data collection for manufacturing?
Abbassian: The Internet allows manufacturers access to real-time production status, reports, and charts from any PC. For example, small shops can monitor their machines from home. Medium-sized manufacturers with engineering in one location can monitor manufacturing in a second location. Large manufacturers with multiple plants around the world can monitor overall production, or drill-down to a plant, a department, a cell, or even a machine, as necessary. Combining manufacturing data collection (MDC) with the Internet enables progressive companies to leverage the trends in outsourced manufacturing, industry consolidation, just-in-time, and lean manufacturing to the next logical level. MDC builds a knowledge base of your actual manufacturing capabilities. With the Internet, this production knowledge base is available anywhere in real-time.
