Check out the comprehensive, integrated, connected and mobile process that delivers unrivalled productivity and quality gains, Hall 25 - Booth G27

SPRING Technologies, vendor of solutions that enhance the productivity of NC machines, will be at EMO 2013, the world’s n°1 trade show dedicated to the machining of metals and machine-tools, in Hanover from September 16 – 21, 2013. SPRING Technologies will be demonstrating a complete,
real machining cycle on a FANUC Robodrill 5-axis machine, connected to flagship solutions for tool management, technical documentation, NC and DNC simulation review, and machine status monitoring on Panasonic’s fully-rugged touch tablet.

Why has it become so hard to innovate in machining productivity?

Today, more than ever before, machined parts have to address multiple standards in an increasingly stringent regulatory framework, while manufacturers have to hit the efficiency sweet spot at the first time of asking. NC machines have had to adapt to this demand, becoming increasingly complex. To compound the difficulty, energy and raw materials costs have risen spectacularly in recent years.

This places a premium on minimizing scrap from machining operations, avoiding shocks, tool
breakage, collisions, machine downtime and ensuring operator safety… To get on top of so
much complexity and maintain Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) at the highest possible levels, programmers and machine operators need technological tools and a broad range of skills in areas like turning/milling, table rotation, and cutting conditions.

In most workshops there is a shortage of computers close to the machines, and in such cases, the hardware is often obsolete, missing out on state-of-the-art technologies that deliver
productivity gains. At their best, workshop operators get to share a computer, forcing them to make endless round trips to attend their machine and lose valuable seconds worth
thousands of dollars.

SPRING, Panasonic and FANUC: state-of-the-art technologies serving the workshop and delivering unrivalled productivity and quality gains

SPRING Technologies is driving forward its NCEXPERIENCE^© vision with a live demonstration of its flagship solutions for machining simulation (NCSIMUL Machine 9 and NCSIMUL Player 9), tool management (NCSIMUL Tool), and DNC/machine status monitoring (NCSIMUL DNC), implemented on Panasonic’s fully-rugged professional tablet, connected to FANUC Robodrill machine-tools.

Here is a preview of the leading-edge technologies showcased on booth G27, Hall 25 at EMO:

• Panasonic’s unrestricted mobility: the Toughpad FZ-G1 embodies over ten years’ experience in the development of rugged computers for professionals on the move. With 8-hour stand-alone operation (optionally extended to 16 hours with a marathon battery), a magnesium chassis and elastomer edges, the fully rugged tablet is optimally protected for a full day’s work in the field, with resistance to bad weather, water, and dust.The Toughpad is the result of the Panasonic-SPRING Technologies partnership, and is now an integral part of the NCSIMUL SOLUTIONS offering.
   
• High-performance FANUC machining: FANUC’s a D21MiA5 Robodrill is a complete CNC machining center offering unrivalled quality and precision, and very high hourly output. Its optimal acceleration and deceleration control enable efficient machining and shorter cycles. It delivers more than 40% energy savings with reduced weight and mass, pneumatic power supply, implements smart control technology and has an excess energy recovery system. 

• SPRING’s integrated machining process: the NCSIMUL SOLUTIONS range is now accessible and mobile to anyone involved in the production process, throughout the workshop. It is fully connected with production devices (machine-tools and NC,  measurement benches, etc.). For example, access to documentation in the machining environment and real machine operation display are automated, eliminating the need to download documentation as a separate task.

NCSIMUL SOLUTIONS: new product and feature highlights

• NCSIMUL Tool 2.4.0, the new version of the tool management solution enabling operators to select the best available tool and optimal cutting conditions. The new version delivers a range of new functionalities:
  • BLUM laser module upgrade: warns the operator and enforces measurement on the measuring bench for tools not measured by the machine laser
  • Customized parametric profile management module: this module can also be used to create a revolution profile based on an ACNU script
  • Enhanced parameter setup of tool size constraints: can be used to optimize the use of tool magazine usage by analyzing the physical tool envelopes
  • MMI: improved search operation to simplify family selection, interactively view parameters, and more powerful search function…

• NCSIMUL Machine 9: brings users a unique high-performance NC simulation experience, based on leading-edge technology standards:
  • Brand new ergonomics: all windows can now be dynamically customized and hidden. Context-sensitive icons are more intuitive. Rapid access bar for greater productivity
  • Enhanced performance: new algorithms enable fourfold performance gains

• The fully stand-alone Toughpad implementation of NCSIMUL Player 9 offers multiple advantages: operators can now access and display a realistic 3D simulation of their machine tools in the workshop, as well as tool libraries, and technical documentation (instruction sheets, etc.), on a robust, ergonomic touch tablet.

• NCSIMUL DNC, a new module, enables NC program life cycle management on all types of NC machines, and real-time monitoring of machine status:
  • Unrivalled ease of use for Process Engineers and workshop personnel managing NC machine
  • Comprehensive NC program management with full event traceability, linked
    to program life cycle (versions, status, certification, etc.)
  • Machine status reports generated manually or automatically. Native support for the OPC international standard for PLC connectivity. This enables real-time machine status monitoring (production, failure, stoppages, setup, etc.)