Does anyone have familiarity with networking CNCs?
I've got about a dozen different types of these, that I want to network. However, they're not so simple like relay/PLC systems where I can just wire in Digital/Analog IO.
How do I put these on a network? Or at least some sort of interface? Should I just wire out it's motor signals in parallel so I can at least know when it's just running?
This is for datalogging operation/malfunctions/alarms
just buy 12 ring doorbells and place the camera so it can see the panel. It'll be the most cost effective solution.
See that HMI? It has alarm logging, Remote Desktop, HTTP server and even a second network port on board. Might want to go from there
This was just a stock photo I found, the others aren't so simple.
Most of them are just Windows PC's running CNC Software
>Most of them are just Windows PC's running CNC Software
Too unspecific, software info and your needs required.
If the PC is somewhat recent you can get mtconnect data with python and save it in a usable format.
Winmax also stores log files on the PC (directly in a folder on C: at least for older ones). A simple script could automatically copy these to some FTP or whatever location on your central logging server daily and you go from there. It has all the statuses and shit so you only need some script to interpret it, more difficult but gives you more data than mtconnect. I did a project like this for a sheet metal working firm years ago this way.
I'm GUESSING if it's PC-based, there's an ethernet port somewhere. You might be able to network the thing and pull up the data from the application, itself. A USB to Ethernet converter is another possibility, if it has a USB port.
what in the goddamn is the network gonna achieve other than letting you break them all at once?
Datalogging
>youvmight be able to network the thing and pull up the data from the application itself
That's true, but also tricky. I guess it would need to be SQL based data transferral or something of the sort, if I'm lucky enough to where the program has it.
I've also read about MTCONNECT but I doubt half the CNCs have it
>networking CNCs
oh god why would you do that
OEE
He probably thinks he could replace operators by doing this
Check if the machines are OPC compatible.
Usually any type of HMI-panel is.
Currently implementing OPC-router in our factory and its fricking amazing, just werks man.
any new NC control system will have OPC UA, if you're not in an absolute shithole of a country.
>establish some ethernet connection
>make sure the LAN settings are good to go
>test connection with UnifiedAutomation UaExpert for all the machines
>note the relevant nodeids you want to check
>setup an InfluxDB on some PC
>add Telegraf OPC UA plugin
>connect to OPC UA servers on CNC machines
>configure Telegraf to collect the specific nodeids
>set up some visualization and alarm showing with InfluxDB or Grafana
>???
>done
everybody who has the slightest idea would provide us with makes and types of the CNC control systems goddamnit.
Thanks anon. I've worked with OPC UA on other types of control systems, CNCs are new for me.
Hurco VM10i is one of them. Actually, quite a few of them, not sure they support OPC UA but I'll look through the manual
Actually, it looks like Hurco doesn't support OPC UA, but it does support MTConnect!
Which is more complicated but a lot of scada software have MTConnect interface packages, so may as well be OPC UA
Really I'm mostly just helping a client get efficiency data, but with all these nodes i can get a whole lot more logged/visualized
Visit the Practical Machinist forums. They're for professionals and someone or many someones there will likely have solved your problem in style.
You should be aware that this is how companies get ransomwared. All its gonna take is some dipshit bringing a flashdrive in so he can watch movies on the HMI and suddenly the company is out millions of dollars because every single machine is disabled.
Just pitch that to management and have a contractor deal with it. Theyll build you a nice secure network, with OEE data like you want if you spend enough.
This, and unless the so-called efficiency data is valid it's a waste of time and effort. Networking CNC machinery that does not require it for production in this era of nation-state backed malware targeting industrial systems is questionable.
It's called the IoT 4.0 grandpas (Internet of things 4.0)
You may be out of the loop, but it's the next step in the automation evolution and companies that fail to tap into this resource are primed to fail in the next 5 years as they're outproduced and out efficiencied by companies that are actually looking forward.
Think Tesla, BYD, Microsoft
lol. lmao even.
How will you outproduce when your whole network is pwned and instead of being marginally faster than your competition, your whole production line is dead?
>zoomers who "invented" cable tv, taxi and motel will now "invent" the assembly line
Okay boomer, its a big fail that your plant isn’t on industry 5.0 yet. If you don’t have every machine texting the plant manager and pulling the maintenance manager away from his family for downtimes over 5 minutes, i dont know how you get any work done at all!
You spouted buzzwords. Now describe what specific data in OPs use case measured in what manner will yield useful information or frick off because you have no clue.
Production rate per hour of parts which meet specs is easily determined on the output end. Machine activity is just numbers and does not tell you if the actual parts met spec, which you would know if you ever machined anything. Cycle time is already inferred from the programming.
This is a case where valid metrics must be determined and where use of invalid metrics can easily be worse than useless. (Except for management consultants hired to unfrick Bubba's mess, which paid my father nicely.)
Datalogging malfunctions (the kind that show up as data) and alarms have some use but only comprise a minority of shit that can affect production. If such a small number of machines are to be networked they'd best be airgapped and before that even happens that network must be secured against idiots with thumb drives and other malware vectors. That business is not going to replace vulnerable components because that's a cost center with considerable downtime.
Ask industrial control techs how much ancient shit they see every day which will be used until the heat death of the universe.
Memes aside, OP here
It's all going to be on LAN. With no ties to the internet, I wont allow any controls from the central scada, and for some machines may only use digital inputs for monitoring in some cases, for the CNCs, MTConnect for data.
It's still in early stages, and as a contractor I hope to take the precautions necessary, as I don't believe any machinery should be connected to the internet anyway, as a safety precaution
I'm going to structure the metrics, a lot of work on my end, but consolidate it, and have available for viewing only for site operators. I'm not entirely sure how much this will help the company, but it's what they want. I may install software to prevent USB use by operators, or some sort of passwords needed.
There are these wifi input modules, I may use for many of the machines, maybe even some CNCs that in the worst case scenario hackers could only emulate some statuses.
Mainly a jumping off point, something tells me the client isn't the most informed of the ramifications of networking things, hope to guide in a less risky direction and develop some productive data points/POSSIBLY preventative maintenance or scheduling of certain things.
It's a lot of little machines, so possibly could help with that, and alarm logging/etc. Personally, seems like a lot of work with diminishing returns, but who am I to complain?
Restricting USB use to approved staff and using only a select pool of those which are not used for other purposes is free and wise.
When I set up my bros shop with USB drip feed units or Gotek USB ports which connect to machine floppy headers I got him to stick to several flash drives segregated by machine but those devices lack user permissions (two run DOS) so restricting who is permitted to use them is the best they can do. That's the owner, his wife and their CAD guru.
Preventive maintenance during off hours won't frick production flow and organizing it with basic checklists is easy. That's a good way to be a hero since bosses hate downtime.
If they don't track insert and other tooling consumption that's a key area to economize. Some shops even have tool and hardware dispensing machines because constantly manning a tool room is basically a whole job. Look up "tool vending systems" etc. Reducing consumable waste and theft saves serious money.
Don't do it's homework for it.
What machines?
What controls?
To many of you frickers like to try and DIY shit then you call me (OEM Apps) and I have to unfrick stuff. The job is to work with you on stuff, so reach out before you start fricking with parameters for the love of frick.
Remember to create images of your machines before all these changes and store them somewhere not connected to anything. preferably offsite.
be sure to regularly back up any company data in a similar fashion.