Cloud computing services are transforming many industries in ways that, decades ago, few people thought possible. Cloud computing is a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet. Data is stored, managed, processed, and accessible globally from these servers, rather than from local servers or personal computers.
For the machining industry, the cloud supplies a smarter and easier way to share knowledge and data for maximized productivity, connectivity, and mobility.
Why the Machining Industry is a poster child for leveraging “The Cloud”
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Accuracy counts when you are working in microns.
Machining is, in many cases, a finishing operation. In my experience, if you make a hole 2 microns too large, it is pretty hard to “put the material back in”. The cloud allows for large amounts of data to be easily and accurately managed, compared to in the past when it took hours of manual entry and jockeying. For example, many tool pre-setting systems can require hours of data entry just to set a tool up in the library, and can have the chance of manual error. The result of the data being stored in the cloud is more accurate information to the machine tool. Accuracy is the key to preventing your $2 million machine tool from making a mistake on a $500,000 titanium part.
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Virtual and real machining both require real-time information.
Accuracy must occur at the point the cutting tool touches the workpiece. In the past, the simulation and process planning areas worked in “theory,” while the programmers and operators worked in “reality”. The moment the cutting operation began, everyone found out which realm was more accurate. With the connectivity to the cloud, it is easier not only to access the data, but to access it up to the moment in real-time.
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Data and knowledge are required in multiple places at the same time.
Cloud services also provide the element of added mobility, offering instant access to tool lists, application knowledge, and machining strategies from multiple devices — anytime, anywhere.
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Machining is a collaborative process when done right.
Successful machine shops have long known the secret of the collective IQ. The machine shop is an ecosystem of machines, suppliers, and people. Every job is an opportunity to optimize, and most of that occurs through teamwork. Data and knowledge make organizations and teams much more powerful by extending process knowledge and connecting workflow. With the cloud, it is easier than ever before to share project information with the network that could span continents.
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Machining processes are rich in data and knowledge.
If you think your industry has Big Data, have you seen our master catalogs? To optimize machining and machining knowledge, gigabytes of expertise exist in different areas of the cloud: process planning, programming, cutting tools, machine tools, and fixturing, to name a few. This knowledge can be housed in and distributed through the cloud in a way that is easier to consume than ever before. This knowledge can dramatically improve manufacturing productivity and process efficiency for small shops to large manufacturing plants.
How NOVO Works With the Cloud
The manufacturing industry is rapidly driving art-to-part through digital transformation — connecting digital collaboration, technology, and partnerships for more productivity and efficiency. Through cloud services, NOVO delivers process knowledge and brings connectivity to the entire art-to-part process.
With NOVO, process planning is cut from hours to minutes because tedious sifting through catalogs to find part numbers is eliminated. This means a more streamlined manufacturing process and increased cost savings. NOVO works with web-based solutions such as MTConnect for data gathering and ISO 13399 for standardizing tool data.
To download the free app and start to leverage the power of NOVO’s digital machining knowledge, go to Kennametal NOVO.
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