Manufacturing relies on CNC code. Fast, reliable data transfer is an essential aspect of a successful and profitable production line. Yet ensuring that accurate, fully traceable CNC code is transmitted to machine tools can often be the last thing manufacturers think about in the CAD/CAM equation. Code is all too often put aside and misplaced. Manufacturing Control Solutions (MCS) makes it much easier for businesses to manage all their manufacturing-related information by providing complete traceability for the life-cycle of any piece of NC code. As Phil Gill, Manager of MCS, explains:
“If manufacturers have optimised CNC code to produce a component in the shortest cycle time, it makes sense to use the most efficient way of getting that code to the machine, ready for production to start.”
MCS specialises in providing solutions for the management of NC files, while also measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of plant and machine tools. This all helps to maximise productivity and enable NC code to be transferred more quickly. Phil Gill adds:
“There’s much more to MCS than transferring the code into machine tools. Whether CNC machines are old or new, they each have unique requirements when it comes to receiving machining programs. While older machines will use RS232 ports, newer ones may have Ethernet or network-based communications built into the controls. Because MCS contains some unique software, it treats all machines the same; it’s loaded into the control system and the operator uses the softkeys on the screen to drive it, making it very simple to get a file from the network into the machine without the need for disks or USB keys. Full support for FTP, SMB and NFS protocols ensures a standard process for managing all NC-related files, no matter what type of machine control needs to be connected.”
As soon as the code goes from the network into the machine tool, MCS is functioning in the background, logging everything that is happening, ensuring full traceability of every line of code throughout its life cycle. Phil says:
“This includes when the code is first produced, when it was made available to production, when it went to a machine for the first time, and if and when it was modified. It means the logbook inside the system has everything fully detailed. This feature has proved to be vital for companies working with DIN EN ISO 13485 Standards or ISO 9001 and the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to provide specific information about code for compliance audits and checks.”
As Phil points out, MCS also logically organises NC part programs working with smart IDs that can be linked to ERP or work-order-related procedures:
“Standardising procedure reduces the effort and time required to manage critical production-related data”.
To find out more about how MCS can help you, please get in touch.