Liberating islands of manufacturing data

Manufacturing equipment suppliers have produced a mind-boggling array of systems for capturing manufacturing data. Available measurement tools include hand gages, surface measurement tools, comparators, portable arms and coordinate measuring machines of all sizes equipped with a variety of sensors, vision and multisensor systems, on-machine gaging systems and laser trackers.

And modern measurement tools produce reliable digital results. That alone dramatically reduces the potential for human error. In addition, the variety of tools available helps end users devise cost-effective measurement solutions that efficiently collect the types of data they need to verify process integrity in various phases of manufacturing.

As a result, data is ubiquitous throughout manufacturing operations of all sizes. That’s good, because what has been measured can be evaluated, controlled and refined. Unfortunately, this isn’t happening as often as it should be because the vast majority of this data resides within or near the device that collected it.

As a result, the data is readily available only to the people collecting it. Sure, the data is available upon request. But how long will it take to receive? What format will it be delivered in? And if the delivered data format is not what’s needed, does the recipient have the nerve to ask the data “owner” to send it again in a different format? Probably not.

While frustrating and wasteful, this “islands of information” problem has been solved in other applications, from retail banking service delivery to consumer and commercial product order status tracking. Many of the hardware and software solutions are well understood, thoroughly tested and readily available. They don’t even cost much and manufacturers may have some of them in place already.

The following is a short list of the most important tools needed to liberate those islands of manufacturing data, enabling access for everyone who needs it. This resolves critical issues involving the dimensional integrity of machined parts.

1. A powerful, open database.