New Software Boosts Productivity in Connected Manufacturing
TRUMPF’s Oseon software allows users to fully automate the flow of materials on the production floor without linking it to a large-scale storage system.
Posted: November 29, 2022
High-tech company TRUMPF presented a new software package for production scheduling and control to North America at the FABTECH 2022 trade show in Atlanta in November. Companies can use the new “Oseon” software to create significantly leaner production processes and make major gains in productivity.
The software includes a range of new options for managing the transportation of materials in a flexible and automated fashion. Oseon also offers production workers a clear display of all relevant production data directly within their work environment.
“Oseon once again demonstrates TRUMPF’s market leading position as a solution provider for digitally connected manufacturing,” says TRUMPF Inc. Software Solutions Sales Manager Claudio Santopietro. “As well as reducing downtime and non-productive time, the software also makes a better use of machine capacity, makes life easier for employees and results in productivity gains. And the software is easy to deploy in any sector thanks to its open interfaces.”
Smooth flow of materials even without large-scale storage
The software allows users to fully automate the flow of materials on the shop floor, potentially eliminating the need to invest in a large-scale storage system. “Oseon lets users synchronize material flow with their production schedule, so they can respond even faster and more flexibly to unexpected events such as rush orders, as well as processing more orders in less time,” says Santopietro. Once the user has loaded their production schedule into Oseon, the software takes over the task of managing many of the factory’s logistics processes. Oseon receives continuous process data updates from all the production machinery. In addition to the data from the production schedule and machines, the software also holds information on batches, material stocks, the locations of each cart and trolley, and the parts that are required on the shop floor.
Constantly keep track of orders
The TRUMPF developers rely on a combination of barcodes and smart docking stations to efficiently manage the flow of materials. Each pallet transported by cart or trolley has a barcode. After placing the machined parts on the pallet, the worker scans this barcode with a hand-held scanner, thereby “wedding” the pallet to that particular batch. Next, the worker pushes the cart into a special docking station developed by TRUMPF that includes various built-in sensors. Alternatively, this journey can be made autonomously by an automated guided vehicle (AGV) controlled by Oseon. As soon as the cart has successfully docked (manually or by the AGV), the docking station sends all the information to Oseon. Now the software has all the data it needs to efficiently organize the transportation of the materials.
Smart software
As well as automatically selecting the right sequence for transporting materials, Oseon also automatically sends transportation orders to free AGVs or to the carriers. In this way, it ensures that the materials are always in the right place at the right time. If the company receives an urgent order, Oseon can easily adapt to the new situation by modifying the material transportation schedule. This minimizes the non-productive time of waiting for a machine to be unloaded or for more raw materials to become available.
information they need on their current job within a single program. That reduces mistakes and saves time. Image by TRUMPF.
Paperless support without switching between formats
Oseon also makes life easier for production workers. Using a tablet, they can see all the relevant information on a job without leaving their work environment. “Production often comes to a halt because the workers don’t have the information they need on the current job. In normal circumstances, it’s a hassle to search for the relevant routing slip or look up the details in the production scheduling program. But with Oseon, all the data they need is immediately and clearly visible on the screen. That prevents mistakes being made and saves time,” says Santopietro. Oseon also lets workers simply tap their tablet screen to get user-friendly instructions on every step in the manufacturing process. The software guides them through all the upcoming tasks, from loading the machine with raw materials to removing the finished parts. Thanks to its intuitive, user-friendly interface, Oseon helps new workers quickly get down to work.
Accessible to any company thanks to open interfaces
Oseon is a great choice for any sheet-metal fabricator looking to boost the competitiveness of their production activities. The software can be used on shop floors where digital connectivity is still in its infancy as well as in fully-fledged smart factories, and it delivers real benefits whatever the size of the company. Thanks to its open interfaces, the software is also suitable for users who want to integrate machines from other suppliers into their fully networked production in addition to TRUMPF machines.
About TRUMPF
TRUMPF is a high-tech company offering manufacturing solutions in the fields of machine tools and laser technology. The company drives digital connectivity in the manufacturing through consulting, platform products and software. TRUMPF is a technology and market leader in highly versatile machine tools for sheet metal processing and in the field of industrial lasers. In 2021/22, the company employed some 16,500 people and generated sales of about 4.2 billion euros. With more than 80 subsidiaries, the TRUMPF Group is represented in nearly every European country as well as in North America, South America and Asia.
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