John Turner from FAC&T talked about the legacy machine integration challenge. A call for more MTConnect Legacy Connection devices was emphatically made. The Tipping Point for MTConnect will be related to this last few inches of connection into the machine tool. Right now the following connection types are:
Native Type Machine (20-30% of Machines)
Translation Type Machines (10-20% of Machines)Native Type Machine (20-30% of Machines)
- easiest to implement
- machine tool builder - product source and support
- Limited Hardware/Software Issues
- control Builder or 3rd party - product source
- Hardware Issues - Communication Board on Control, PC to Host Adapter/Agents
- Software Issues - No Commercial Adapter/Agent Available, Software confguration to data source
- Works with any machine
- 3rd Party - Product Source & Support
- Power Line Monitoring and I/O Interface Types Available
- Technical Issues
- Installation & Wiring (I/O Type)
- Power Profile Learning (Power Line Type)
- Shops want a guide to determine how their machine can connect to a network using MTConnect?
- What information can I get from the shop floor and can O get the data I need from my machine?
- Most requested information
- Process Visualization/Production Dashboard
- Machine/Spindle Utilization
- Maintenance
- Tooling
- Data logging
- Part program ID, operator ID and part ID
- Machine Data sheet
- Add space to capture "Work Area (Machining cell)" associated with a machine
- Add space to capture "MTConnect connection Type" for a Machine
- Add space to Factory/Site to support Multi-Site Operations
- Add space to capture Controller or HMI Operating System versions
- Overall Readability/Effectiveness of the Guide
- Improve readability by rearranging sections and tailoring language to the audience
- Add recommendations on what to monitor, perhaps based on what has been learned in the field
- Include data types used by each of the known software solutions
Pat Walsh, VP of the NTMA, called for an easy to install "MTConnect Starter Kit" made available to the National Tool Manufacturing Association 1000 members. We need a standardized kit for machines using MTConnect to a dashboard. Looking at October 24-28, 2012 at the NTMA Conference and then again at the MFG Meeting March 5-10, 2013.
The kit must be easy to install, work on a wide range of machines, attractively priced and scalable.
What do the NTMA membership want to see on the dashboard?
Pat responded -> is it running, parts count, what part is running, machine utilization, etc...
Implementation Note
Nexas Networks is focused on economical MTConnect shop floor connectivity but we have added in embedded DNC. Our Nexas DCAM ideas that run under the DNC engine enable very low cost MTConnect implementations which may be perfect for the NTMA starter kit idea. The software will be the differentiator in the end, but the price has to be economical and let the software application vendors need to compete for the final sale to the NTMA member.
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