Intelligent Shop Floor Interface for Operator Feedback

Spectrum CNC Technologies™ (Corona, CA) has released SmartTouch™, an intelligent interface that provides machine operators with easy touch screen access to Multi-DNC™ files and serves as a feedback loop for job status information. Operators can report parts counts, downtime reasons and much more, using customizable ‘one-touch’ buttons that make feedback fast and easy. SmartTouch supports both Multi-DNC and Machine Monitoring applications on the shop floor. Based on a rugged shop-tested touch screen, the SmartTouch can be configured to support individual job status feedback from operators, as well as electronic parts counts. All shop floor DNC files and functions, as well as customized monitoring feedback, are accessed through SmartTouch.

SmartTouch serves as a shop floor interface for Multi-DNC software that couples with state-of-the-art communication hardware networks, CNC machine tools, and robots to provide machine communications and control. It supports CNC communications for uploading, downloading and dripfeeding. Multi-DNC manages CNC programs, offsets, parameters and can automatically capture probe data. The software includes a secure edit function, backplotter and file compare features. SmartTouch also serves as an operator feedback interface for Multi-MDC Machine Monitoring, a browser based real-time machine monitoring system that automatically collects machine output data to an MS-SQL database. Real-time dashboards and production reports display shop floor manufacturing data that includes OEE, cycle, alarm, spindle, tool usage, idle, setup, teardown, machine downtime and more. SmartTouch provides easy, one-touch Reasons feedback for associated machine status reporting. These Reasons feedback buttons can be customized to individual shop processes:

• Monitor – cycle, spindle, waiting, idle, alarm and parts count.
• Graphical Production Dashboard – tells you what your machines are doing, right now. Each user can customize their Production Dashboard view with up to 76 different items, such as part name, CNC operator, cycle, alarm, parts count and OEE.
• History Reports – track OEE, machine utilization, cycle time vs. downtime, parts count, tool history and more.
• Production Details Report – displays machine and spindle utilization, cycle time vs. downtime, per cycle detail, parts count and downtime reasons.
• Andon Dashboard – shows real-time machine status.
• Parts Count – stay on target by receiving real-time alerts if a machine or work cell is over/under its projected parts count.
• Escalating Alerts – email or text alerts are automatically sent based on user defined parameters. For example, if a machine is not in cycle for X minutes that could trigger an alert. If the same machine is still not in cycle after an additional X minutes, subsequent alerts can be sent.
• Production Summary report – shows times for cycle, spindle, idle, alarms and parts count, plus OEE.
• Alarm History – shows how many alarms have occurred, when and the total time lost in alarm.
• Tool History – reports on tool usage per part.

SmartTouch, Multi-DNC software and the Multi-MDC Machine Monitoring application are all connected to the shop floor via a wireless and wired network made possible by WiBox communication hardware that provides shop owners the flexibility to easily network all of their machines, add or remove machines, or reconfigure their shop floor without the need to run cable. “This is the interface that truly brings together Multi-DNC and Monitoring for the machine operator and getting management connected with the shop floor,” said Toni Novak, the president of Spectrum CNC Technologies. “If a shop is committed to continuous improvement, it is imperative they involve and consider file management, machine data and operator feedback.”

Spectrum CNC Technologies, 130 Industrial Way # A, Corona, CA 92882, 951-549-0755, www.multi-dnc.com.