Digging into data mining: Drilling Performance

Technology for automated data collection and analysis isn’t new and sounds like something that would have broad appeal in a machining industry bombarded by talk of the industrial internet of things and Industry 4.0. Thus far, however, many shops have taken a pass on the tech.

This may be a costly mistake judging by the advertised capabilities of the latest data collection and analysis products. Product developers say they can improve machining operations, boost productivity and provide timely notification of problems, among other things that would be welcome at any shop.

One such product is FASData software from Fanuc America Corp. in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Working with Fanuc CNCs, FASData allows users to collect and analyze shop floor data. Key process and maintenance information can be viewed on a simple dashboard. Displayed data includes machine status (up or down), alarm information, cycle time and part count. Collected data can be stored for later analysis or passed along in real time to other software programs.

Redax users enter a web address that brings up the system’s dashboard on any type of display. Image courtesy of Anca

FASData is installed on a single computer — for example, a desktop or a small-business server — connected to a shop’s network. Data is viewed on webpages shown by a variety of displaying devices, including PC screens, phones and tablets.

In many cases, complicated analytics isn’t required to produce valuable information, said CNC Engineering Manager Paul Webster of Fanuc America.

“Probably 80% of the issues in shops are relatively straightforward, (like) you had an alarm on your machine for 10 minutes before somebody realized it,” he said. “(An alarm) is a simple thing for software like this to pick up. The same with production data. Maybe the feed rate override is turned down to 50% because an operator doesn’t want to run it at 100%. There are hundreds of examples of data that a simple dashboard, simple analytics, simple reporting can pull out to identify maintenance problems or slowdowns in your production process.”

Grinder Networking

Similar to FASData is Redax software, which is used to network grinding machines to send and receive data. Developed by Melbourne, Australia-based Anca Pty Ltd., Redax allows users to view, analyze, manage and generate reports on production and maintenance data from all machines at a shop. (Anca Inc. is in Wixom, Michigan.) Data is accessible anytime, even when machines are shut down, using any web browser on a desktop computer, mobile phone or tablet, as well as a monitor on a shop floor. Shop personnel also can receive email or text message notifications when machines are down so immediate action can be taken.

On a screen, Redax users see at a glance how all their grinding machines are operating. Displayed data includes machine availability, uptime and time spent in setup. Redax also collects information that lets users calculate overall equipment effectiveness, a common measurement of how well a manufacturing operation is performing compared with its full potential.

By showing which machines at a shop are most productive, Redax makes it possible for shops to identify their best operators.

“Then they can get those operators to train the others so they can have best practices on their whole site,” said Global Marketing Manager Lucas Hale of Anca.

Redax comes in on-site and cloud versions. The on-premises package consists of an Intel minicomputer with a Redax 2.0 server pre-installed for plug-and-play connectivity to a shop’s network.

At an automotive parts plant, manually checking holes for chips is time-consuming. Image courtesy of Bosch Rexroth

Hale said some machine shops had a hard time installing the first version of Redax, which was strictly software.

“Small and medium-size shops typically don’t have in-house IT or the skill sets needed to set up a server and install the software, and they struggled to find someone locally who could do it cost-effectively for them,” he said. “So now we provide a turnkey solution that they just plug in to a socket to connect to their network.”

Those who opt for the other version of Redax install software that allows them to connect all their machines to the cloud. This makes their machine and production data available anytime and anywhere.

“If you’re outside of your business network,” Hale said, “you can still pull out your phone and check what’s happening on your machines.”

To receive preventive maintenance advice, users of the cloud version also could let Anca’s service engineers access machine data. But because an insufficient number of shops have opted for the cloud version thus far, he said this service hasn’t been launched fully.

Although it offers more capabilities, the cloud version of Redax has been less popular than the on-premises option. The reason is concern about data security, Hale said, despite the fact that Anca’s cloud provider employs sophisticated security measures.

“Opening up their networks to the outside world is something a lot of companies aren’t comfortable doing,” he said.

Not Connecting