The landscape of manufacturing has evolved significantly from the days of basic cutting tools. Nowadays, customers expect top-notch tools made from high-quality materials, with minimal margin for error. The focus has shifted towards achieving an end-to-end process that encompasses everything from sourcing the best materials to delivering an exceptional customer experience. This transformation heavily relies on interconnected machines and devices. As the expectations for cutting tools continue to evolve, the types of CNC machines employed can make or break a company’s position in the competitive toolmaking industry.
In the future, smart factories will require both software and hardware solutions. You might have come across everyday objects like toasters that can detect when we’re running out of bread or devices that anticipate our need for servicing before we even realize it. These are the exciting applications of the Internet of Things (IoT). However, the advantages of IoT are not limited to these consumer-oriented examples; they can significantly benefit manufacturing facilities as well. IoT enables factories to predict when a machine requires servicing, monitor its performance, and detect low stock levels. In fact, factories can even integrate IoT-connected devices like a USB-connected sandwich press in the lunchroom, bringing convenience to the workplace.
This is where software plays a crucial role. Smart factories seeking the benefits of IoT must prioritize connectivity. Machines must have access to software that connects them to an internal network, enabling seamless interaction across the entire system. In some cases, it may even be beneficial to connect these machines to larger networks that leverage customer and supplier information, resulting in streamlined processes.
Software also brings other impactful benefits. For instance, our latest product introduced advanced features to cutting tools, allowing for more intricate cutting tool geometries. Different industries have varying requirements; for example, aerospace and power generation utilize both hard and soft materials, necessitating different cutter geometries for machining. Through software, we have incorporated new geometries to manufacture specialized cutters tailored to these specific processes.
Moreover, having the right software is crucial for enabling different types of CNC machines to communicate with one another. In the past, machines utilizing different protocols or from different manufacturers often struggled to interact with internal systems within the factory. By implementing software on these machines, they can transmit data to a central location, where it can be distributed in a format understandable by every machine and person involved.
Interestingly, a significant portion of the machines currently in use (approximately 95%) are ten years old or less. This presents an advantage to your factory as these machines can often be upgraded with the latest software and compatible accessories for automation. Retrofits offer an opportunity to avoid wholesale machine replacements. Instead, updating machines one by one allows for uninterrupted factory operations with minimal downtime and cost, ensuring a seamless customer engagement experience.
Functionality in CNC machines is constantly improving and expanding. While CNC machines are not akin to phones that can fit in your pocket or fold up, they continue to evolve. Machines of the same size as those installed fifteen years ago now offer enhanced capabilities. For instance, CNC milling machines have progressed from four-axis to six-axis and have incorporated spiralling into their repertoire. As machines improve, so do their cutting processes and productivity, delivering faster, more precise, and easier-to-monitor operations.
It’s important to approach the transition one step at a time. Upgrade or replace machines strategically to achieve quick wins and swiftly enhance your factory’s capabilities in a cost-effective manner.
Closed-loop manufacturing is on the horizon, whether you embrace it or not. When upgrading or replacing your CNC machines, it’s essential to consider the business advantages you aim to achieve. In the realm of smart factories, competition revolves not only around range and precision but also specialization, customer experience, and time to market. CNC machines that facilitate build-to-order processes enable reduced