Improving CNC Machine Value and Accelerating Business Transformations

As replacing manual control mechanisms with computer, numerical control (CNC) improves processing; digitalization is valuable tool for the operators of lathes, stamping machines, and other machine tools. Indeed, digitalizing cutting, drilling, and stamping processes delivers numerous advantages. These advantages include improved precision, faster processing speeds, and enhanced mass production capacities. Similarly, new technology, such as AI and IoT, enables the retrieval of equipment status and production information from CNC machines. This data can be sent to the cloud for analysis to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), reduce operational costs, and empower digital transformation.  

The company in this particular case decided to develop a CNC machine remote monitoring management solution aimed at improving after sales service and efficiency. This system reduces the labor, resource, and time costs associated with maintenance. Likewise, retrieving info through IoT then troubleshooting through a cloud diagnosis station helps address client issues quickly. It also reduces the need for engineers and travel. In addition, customers may upload approved machine information to big data analytics and data model training programs. Doing so helps produce preventive maintenance suggestions. These solutions enable the sounding of equipment failure alarms, avoid unexpected downtime, and provide value-added services. In sum, using these solutions is a giant step towards digital transformation.  

Solutions

The two parties worked together to develop the CNC machine monitoring solution in just two weeks. Advantech provided the high-performance EIS-S230 as the on-premises edge cloud server. When combined with Advantech's DeviceOn/iEdge data integration and edge intelligence industrial app, the compact EIS-D620 becomes a highly integrated software/hardware solution. Advantech's IoT solutions help customers integrate applications quickly using the new DeviceOn/iEdge data integration and edge intelligence industrial app. This app provides diverse add-on and application interfaces for data transferring and visualization. When combined with K8’s highly adaptable structure, this app eases data connections and helps clients create backstage management platforms.   

Advantech’s palm-sized EIS-D620 is a compact edge server that provides data gateway functions. It automatically translates onsite OPC-UA machine data into MQTT format using the Advantech WISE-Agent tool. It then sends this data to the EIS-S230 edge cloud server for management and analysis. This data paired with other business information for added benefits. Using K8S's Grafana visualization platform and Advantech's ready-to-use dashboard template enables clients to create an onsite edge/cloud dashboards quickly.   

After this, a Syntec management model is available as a microservice built into the K8S software. This facilitates the checking of machine or production data (such as equipment availability, production rate, and work order searching). In addition, clients can quickly build custom dashboards with specified content by dragging and dropping panels according to their requirements. This improves factory personnel control and management capacities.   

Benefits

• Powerful data visualization features enable swift dashboard creation in the cloud or at the edge to fulfill diverse information requirements for relevant staff
• Data transferring capabilities convert onsite data formats and connect to cloud for remote CNC machine monitoring, remote health diagnosis, and real-time troubleshooting   
• Flexible connection solution helps clients receive equipment data for value-added services and streamlined maintenance operations    
• Facilitates business transformation and digitization