Software for machine tools

However, how can you hold your own in the future "Internet of Things" if all components will come with a piece of software and the control system will be migrated to the cloud? The AMB International Exhibition for Metal Working, which runs from 13th until 17th September in Stuttgart, will provide the answers to this. In Hall 4 in particular, the manufacturers of software, engineering, control and drive systems will show us solutions for Industry 4.0.

Each year, Bitkom, the inter-trade organisation for software manufacturers, asks its members what is important in the sector. The result for 2016: IT security, cloud computing and then Industry 4.0 in third place, closely followed by big data and the Internet of Things. "This involves data and networking," explained Bitkom's Chief Economist, Dr Axel Pols, recently in an interview. "We are in the midst of a comprehensive digital transformation." And the consequence for companies? Digitalisation increases the efficiency of business processes but also means that business models change and new business models arise. This may present problems for mechanical engineers who are used to working with steel.

The VDW German Machine Tool Builders' Association (Hall 5, Stand A12) wants to use various initiatives to help its members with this. For example, just a couple of days ago, they presented a comprehensive standard that can be applied flexibly and using which robots and other tool-delivery systems can be easily integrated into a production system. "With this, we are, for the first time, setting a standard that will apply globally to interfaces in automated production systems," says a delighted Dr Hartmuth Müller, Chairman of the VDW working group "Interface between machine tools and automation".

The production of machine tools is becoming digital
Digitalisation changes the entire value chain, from the design of the products, the engineering, starting up machines and systems, right through to production, maintenance and repairs. Siemens AG (Hall 4, Stand C12) developed their "Digital Enterprise Software Suite" for this and it has four core elements: Industrial software and automation portfolio, industrial communication, security, and services. The company is merging the virtual world with the real world to form one networked "ecosystem". What are the advantages of this for the machine tool manufacturer? They should benefit from the integration of all of the data from

development, test and production procedures across the entire product life cycle. Mechanical engineers should therefore be able to cater to the individual needs of their customers more specifically than before, and develop new, digital business models.

Zimmer & Kreim GmbH & Co. KG (Hall 7, Stand D78) wants to see the data flow. This manufacturer of eroding machines, handling systems and software solutions is unveiling its "Alphamoduli" process software. With this software, the company is primarily targeting mould makers, who often have very different process sequences and, as a result, place different requirements on such software. This company is the only manufacturer to offer a cross-technology and cross-process solution for all operations in tool construction and mould-making.

Global access to tool data
The software manufacturer TDM Systems GmbH is also focusing on the unrestricted flow of data. This specialist in tool data management, which is itself positioned at the interface between the manufacturing sector and the commercial sector, has unveied its "TDM next generation" at the AMB.

It combines the well-known TDM software with the new, Internet-based Global Line range. What are the advantages for the customer? Both systems run in parallel and are free of redundancies; investment in existing modules remains protected. With Global Line, users can take their first steps in the direction of Industry 4.0, without having to give up their tried-and-tested software. Thanks to the tier 3 architecture, users can access centrally hosted data and applications from across the world almost in real time.

Dualis GmbH IT Solution unveiled comprehensive solutions for the production and logistics chain in the metal-processing industry. Examples include the Ganttplan planning tool, the Visual Components 3D simulation platform and product bundles such as APplus solutions, which help to optimise the processes before, during and after production procedures.

A few stands down from there, Spring Technologies GmbH is promising nothing short of a revolution of the CAM process with their Ncsimul Solutions platform. With their modules, they want to offer flexible NC programming for all machines, high-performance simulation and optimisation, DIN-compliant tool management as well as DNC and monitoring for a perfect overview of the machine's status. General Manager Herbert Schönle: "Thanks to intelligent optimisation, we can usually reduce the planned machining time for a workpiece on the machine by up to 20 per cent while, at the same time, increasing the tool life and minimising a number of non-productive service tasks in the production environment."

Adaptive sensor technology in networked production environments
With "task-specific software modules and the collaborative use of data", Isra Vision AG (Hall 5, Stand D32) wants to begin a new era of industry automation: "Touch & Automate" is already providing a glimpse "beyond Industry 4.0". The reason? "The future-oriented system architecture makes it possible to use wirelessly connected sensor networks and, thanks to task-specific software modules, the systems are highly adaptable." The sensors communicate with a database and with each other via WLAN. Any data that is obtained is then available across all processes so that this data can be used collaboratively.

With Toolinspect, MCU GmbH & Co. KG (Hall 3, Stand C08) will demonstrate what process monitoring is capable of these days. The analysis of processes and the process optimisation that is derived from this are becoming increasingly important. One example is the MZA Analyse Condition Monitoring. A Setac sensor records acceleration values and speeds from machines in three axles and processes them. The values that are determined can then be directly transferred to the Toolinspect tool-monitoring system and evaluated there based on the specific process.

In spite of the significance of the software: Manfred Maier, COO of Gebr. Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH (Hall 5, Stand B55), does not want to estimate the future share of the added value for a machine tool that software will actually hold. What is clear is that the degree to which added value is dependent on software-supported functions and properties is increasing across all sectors.

Following the comprehensive networking, a new control architecture would therefore also emerge: "In future, only production-relevant functions will be carried out on the machine whereas, up until now, only process data that is evaluated by the control system on a situational basis has been permanently transferred to network computers in order to analyse it more intensively, with more of an emphasis on the user and, if required, in real-time." The control system could dedicate itself to its actual job and make the machine more productive. Additional, higher-quality information from the machine's status analysis in the network would also increase the stability of the ongoing processes. "However, the crucial factor remains – the software only supports and optimises a machine's production processes."