Moxa brings cloud-based CNC monitoring to Tech Manufacturing

Photo: Moxa.

Tech Manufacturing, a Pennsylvania-based supplier of machined metal parts for aerospace clients, looked to Moxa for smarter operation and real-time machine performance data.

“We needed a better understanding of how our machines were actually performing for us in real-time. Live and historical machine performance data would also help us identify technical or process issues that were detrimental to productivity,” said Jerry Halley, Chief Engineer, Tech Manufacturing.

Tech Manufacturing selected Shop Floor Automations to assist with a cloud-based CNC monitoring system. Each of Tech Manufacturing’s CNC machines were connected to the existing local area network, so no additional IT infrastructure was required.

For legacy machines that did not have a readily available Ethernet port, Shop Floor Automations provided an easy-to-deploy solution that was developed based on Moxa NPort W2150A and W2250A wireless device servers that permit communications software to access serial and Ethernet devices over the wireless LAN.

Being wireless, the device servers required far fewer cables and lets users roam between several access points. As such, the servers offered a solution for devices that are frequently moved from place to place, as is the case in many factory settings.

“Getting our CNC machines connected and monitored has made it much easier for us to deliver on our clients’ build-to-print orders with maximum efficiency and minimum lead time. It is a lot easier to get connected than a lot of people may realize,” said Halley.

With the local network connected to the internet, CNC machine performance data at Tech Manufacturing can now be viewed and analyzed by cloud-based software such as Scytec DataXchange or Predator Machine Data Collection. Key performance metrics are organized on a visual dashboard so the company’s owners and machine operators are able to see how productive each cell is performing, down to the machine level.