Making Precision Machines Smart
Published on : Monday 30-11--0001
For the smart factory of the future is already a reality and no part of the manufacturing ecosystem – from raw material supplies to the maintenance of the machines and traceability of the finished products – monitoring is the key to success in the digital era. At the recently concluded TMTS 2018 – the Taiwan International Machine Tool Show in Taichung – exhibitors were proudly flaunting the various attributes of their machines that make them Industry 4.0 complaint.
Already a major machine tool manufacturing country with a global footprint, Taiwan has actively exhorted its machine tool industry to upgrade from ‘precision machinery’ to ‘smart machinery’. The academic and research institutes also work together with the industry as best partners this endeavour. Through this joining of forces, comprehensive solutions are developed to provide innovative, customised and intelligent solutions. The idea is to move towards smart components, single-machine intelligence, compounding, intelligence of the entire line, and intelligence of the whole plant.
A round of the four halls of the TMTS 2018 show and talking to a cross section of the exhibitors indicated the extent of the progress made in this ‘smartification’ process.
Smart Wheel Automation by FEMCO Pix FEMCO1&2
FEMCO, one of Taiwan’s largest machine tool makers, showcased its Smart Alloy Wheel Automation cell at TMTS 2018. The cell comprises machines, vision system, clamping systems, engineering and automation, measuring, cleaning and laser marking, with links for after-sales service. The machining has option of vertical (double/single turret) or horizontal solution. The highlight of this cell is the AVM, a real-time inspection system, which captures important quality parameters that need to be controlled. The AVM offers various benefits including data collection, data analysis, and yield & machine status, which can be used for machine optimisation. Laser marking machines engrave QR-code on each work pieces for easy recall, which can be used to trace the process and quality details of that particular wheel.
FEMCO also displayed the CNC Horizontal Boring & Milling Machine (BMC-110R1), which features a facing plate on a U-axis that can do drilling, milling, tapping and boring. It uses an independent power drive system to lead the U-axis to do turning. It also uses less tools but with a higher accuracy, and can adapt the ATC. The BMC-110R1 is designed for complex process, suitable for manufacturing small connecting pipes and valves.
FFG – Smart Machines & Intelligent Automation Pix FFG1&2
FFG (Fair Friend Group) is the world’s 3rd largest machine tools group, comprising 98 companies with manufacturing facilities in 10 countries. It has 37 brands including the home grown Feeler, Leadwell, Equitop and ECOCA and acquired marquee brands like Boeringer, MAG, Rambaudi and Jobs, among others.
Among the highlights at the FFG booth were the Feeler five-axis machining centre U-800 and the supersonic machine QMP-23U. The U-800 with its U-shaped structure of the base and column significantly increases structural rigidity and accuracy, and is ideal for machining titanium in aerospace, or suitable for the 3C industries. The QMP-23Uuses ultrasonic tools to improve tool life and cutting efficiency. It is suitable for special process requirements of brittle and hard materials, super alloys and composite materials, including Inconel, sapphire, titanium, ceramics, glass, etc.
FFG also exhibited a PC-based flexible smart machine controlled intelligent automation production line – a customised smartphone protection cover machining system, integrating intelligent technologies such as robots, internet of things, CPS, etc., with the mechanical system. This has transformed many traditional production lines into intelligent production lines, establishing corresponding technology between the controller product and the IoT.
TTGroup – Intelligent Software for Smart Manufacturing Pix Tongtai1&2
The TTGroup is one of Taiwan’s largest global machine tools groups comprising 6 leading brands – Tongtai, APEC, Honor Seiki and Quick-tech – all based in Taiwan, France based PCI-SCEMM and Austria based Anger Machining GmbH. The six companies share technologies and resources, experience and use cases building up horizontal integration to offer total solutions, especially in automotive and aerospace which accounts for 60% of the business.
The group demonstrated several popular models, of which 4 were from Tongtai – VTX-5 tapping centre, VP-8 vertical machining centre, TD-2000YBC multi-tasking turning centre and SH-4000P horizontal machining centre – as well as automotive and aerospace manufacturing solutions at TMTS 2018. The highlight for the show was the SH-4000P, which adopts a three-point machine bed and is developed for machining aluminium alloy parts, for which it is equipped with a 15,000 rpm built-in spindle, 37 kW power and 250 Nm torque. The Tongtai Line Management or TLM powered by intelligent software provides customers a solution to monitor their equipment on a smartphone or computer anytime, anyplace and the statistical analysis reports are instantly available to understand the production status and optimise production efficiency.
Other machines on display included the Honor Seiki VL?46A, a high-speed vertical lathe that combines high efficiency, high cutting force, high precision and high stability. Though APEC did not have a machine on display, it showcased large-scale aerospace workpieces which perfectly demonstrate its strength of aerospace processing solutions.
(Industrial Automation was invited by TMBA – the organisers of TMTS 2018, to visit the show)
Captions
Pix1: It is all about innovation and intelligent and flexible manufacturing.
FEMCO1&2: FEMCO showcased its Smart Alloy Wheel Automation cell at TMTS 2018.
FFG1&2: The Feeler five-axis machining centre U-800, and Andy Hung, Sales Manager.
Tongtai1&2: Young visitors at the Tongtai booth, and the SH-4000P – highlight of the booth.