ANCA’s AIMS Selected as Finalist for 2024 Manufacturing Leadership Council Awards

The Manufacturing Leadership Council (MLC) is the digital transformation division of the National Association of Manufacturers and, as part of its mission, annually seeks world-class manufacturing companies and key individuals who contribute to the technology. 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of this premier awards program.

On June 5, 2024, various companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to the digital manufacturing transformation in America will be recognized and winners named throughout 9 categories. Among the finalists for the prestigious Engineering and Production Technology award is the ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS), a recently developed, fully automated grinding, gauging and materials handling system with workflow monitoring, full tracking and data management capability. It allows shops and production departments to achieve a lights-out manufacturing ecosystem in coordination with company control protocols. ANCA is an acknowledged global leader in this technology.

The ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS) offers an open ecosystem that aims to connect, automate and create all steps in the production of cutting tools for a broad spectrum of industrial applications, including automotive, medical, aerospace, electronics and woodworking.

Manufacturing processes controlled by AIMS achieve higher machine utilization while maintaining consistently high tool quality. Thanks to sophisticated tool measurement and compensation strategies, scrap is reduced and costs per tool are significantly lowered. Comprehensive reporting and intelligent insights supported by machine learning provide complete visibility into all aspects of operations.

AIMS is designed as an open system and allows the integration of third-party machines and workstations, plus AGV’s for material transport.

AIMS Connect
Connects all operations that are carried out to manufacture cutting tools. The central AIMS server controls compliance with the processes that a tool passes through during its manufacture. It checks whether the various process steps are being carried out and takes action if the process is not being executed to preset standards. An information system guides employees to carry out manual process steps.

AIMS Automate
Automation of connected operations through the use of robots such as AMR for transfer or cobots for palletizing tools. A self-optimizing job scheduler ensures an ideal supply of pallets to the machines or provides individual tools for measurement.

AIMS Create
Create individual and customized workflow for the tool, based on linked operations. Workflows and processes can be described and stored with ISA-95 compliant recipes. Job orders are transferred to production via the link to recipes and the creation of work requests. Work cells, work units and assets are managed just as easily as grinding programs and grinding wheels. AIMS Create provides the cockpit for creating processes. Thanks to the state-of-the-art web application, this can be done on almost all smart devices and computers.

ANCA president for North America, Russell Riddiford, comments, “ANCA is very proud to be in the running for this award from the MLC. We support the digital transformation effort in both our machine building and motion control operations, as we seek to provide our customers the machines and software needed to move their companies in this exciting new direction, within industries of all kinds.”

The 2024 MLC Awards feature nine categories to recognize company achievements in AI and Machine Learning; Collaborative Ecosystems; Digital Network Connectivity; Digital Supply Chains; Engineering and Production Technology (the category in which AIMS is a finalist); Enterprise Integration and Technology; Operational Excellence; Sustainability and Circular Economy; plus Transformational Business Cultures. Additionally, individuals are entered into the Transformation Leadership and Next-Generation Leadership categories. The finalists represent a cross-section of industries, comprising global multi-nationals and start-up companies. The awards are judged by distinguished individuals from across many industrial sectors.

ANCA is based in Melbourne, Australia with its North American headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, where it operates a full tech center, including machines and training for its customers.

machines.anca.com

ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines. It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil, Korea and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide.

ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.

The ANCA Automated Manufacturing System (AIMS) has been named a finalist for the MLC Awards. AIMS is a highly integrated, advanced automation system that brings together machining, metrology and materials handling for a lights-out production of tools used in myriad industries.