Page 12 - MetalForming April 2009

Software for Manufacturing
Production-Monitoring Software
Captures Welding Data for Remote Review
The Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, OH, released the newest version of its Production Monitoring 2 software, which enables remote review of critical weld data. Working in tandem with any networked Lincoln Electric Power Wave power source, the soft- ware allows engineers and executives to stay connected with the shop floor from any- where in the world, helping to ensure that welding systems are working properly and problems are identified quickly and efficiently.
The software, available at no cost to Power Wave owners, adds a new web brows- er-based user interface; a data-management system through Microsoft SQL server express; and support for Lincoln Electric’s True Energy data. These enhanced fea- tures offer customers additional tools to help ensure increased uptimes and productivity. In addition to monitoring weld data, it allows for storing and sharing of files, mon- itoring production tasks, setting weld limits and tolerances, and tracking consum- able inventory. Welding-machine faults also can be logged and e-mailed, while diag- nostic troubleshooting can be performed from a remote location.
By integrating digital technology to networked welding equipment, key personnel are able to perform the following functions from anywhere:
• View the status of multiple Power Wave welding power sources;
• Pinpoint work-shift problems and evaluate production cycle and output using work-shift timers and production reports;
• Manage and set tolerance for each of 32 unique weld profiles;
• E-mail data to multiple users to provide information on specific events and poten- tial or real-time problems;
• Automatically track wire usage and provide notification to minimize downtime for consumable replacement; and
• Generate power-source performance reports.
Lincoln Electric Co.: 888/355-3213; www.lincolnelectric.com
JobBoss 11 Enhanced to Help Manufacturers Ship Jobs On Time and On Budget
Exact Software, Middleton, MA, introduces JobBoss 11, developed to let manu- facturers meet tight, ever-changing deadlines while increasing customer satisfaction. The updated software provides the ability to more accurately schedule and resched- ule jobs, as well as reallocate resources and workcenters.
Exact JobBoss 11:
• Provides customers with projected delivery during the quoting process;
• Manages workcenter capacity down to the shift level and override by date;
• Finite-schedules bottleneck workcenters, allowing better management of work flow; • Drives the shop schedule based on material availability;
• Uses “what-if” capabilities to study the impact on workcenter loads and deliv-
ery schedules; and
• Provides immediate visibility into scheduled late jobs, missed deliveries and starts,
unapproved jobs, jobs over estimates and jobs waiting on materials.
In addition, ShopBoss Advanced Scheduler, available with JobBoss 11, includes an interactive dashboard designed and built for the production scheduler. The dash- board provides visibility into scheduled late jobs, missed job starts, jobs running over estimates and jobs waiting on materials, allowing the scheduler to immediately address
issues needing attention.
Exact Software: 800/777-4334; www.exactamerica.com/jobboss
Real-Time Machinery Performance Reporting
ProductionAce, from Production Process, Londonderry, NH, features real- time performance reporting from all types of manufacturing equipment, including machinery without remote communications. Windows software col- lects information from machine data transducers (MDTs), one installed on each machine. Instead of a serial data interface, MDTs utilize electrical sig- nals that operate the machine.
The system provides real-time, web- enabled monitoring of machine overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), sta- tus, yield, utilization, rate and cycle time.
Production Process: 603/434-2300; www.productionprocess.com
Software Quickly
Determines
Blank Shapes
Forming Technologies Inc. (FTI), Oakville, Ontario, Canada, (U.S. offices in Madison Heights, MI) has unveiled FastForm MultiStage, software for quick- ly determining sheetmetal blank shapes. It uses a hybrid analysis approach (finite- increment technology) that combines the ability to rapidly determine blank shapes with the detailed process analy- sis of incremental solvers, thus reportedly running one to two orders of magnitude faster than traditional explicit and implic- it incremental solvers.
The new software is suited for layout of multistage forming processes, accord- ing to FTI officials, noting that many users manufacture components in multiple forming operations, where design of flanges and extrusions becomes critical. These types of applications, as well as trim-line development and quoting for multistage operations, company offi- cials add, are ideal fits for FastForm MultiStage.
Forming Technologies Inc.: 248/542-1128; www.forming.com
10 METALFORMING / APRIL 2009
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