MDC
Manufacturing Data Collection, a crucial element of industry 4.0

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Transparency with manufacturing data collection
The collection of machine and production data is the basic element to increase productivity, to fasten capacity planning and to plan maintenance. The OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency)
is calculated in real-time and shows the productivity and the utilization of a machine as well as the quality performance.

The shop floor at a glance

We offer a local or cloud-based data platform (Quinx Manufacturing Information Platform) where production and manufacturing data are collected, processed, evaluated and visualised. You decide what you want to do with the collected manufacturing data. Your existing systems have full access to the data at all times.

Detailed view of a machine

Detail view with OEE, MTTR, MTBF and runtime diagram

Why the manufacturing data collection system from Quinx?

  • machine runtime in real time

    The status of the machine is either collected by an IO module or read out from the nc control via an interface.

  • Key Performance Indicators

    Analysis and display of KPIs e.g. OEE

  • Web-based terminal

    Automatically acquired data can be supplemented manually via a PDA terminal. At the same time, the web-based frontend serves as an information display.

  • Standardized interfaces to third-party systems

    Third party systems (ERP, BI tools etc.) can both, read and play back data from and to the MDC.

  • Alarming

    Threshold values can be defined in the system. If a threshold value is reached, the MDC 4000 automatically sends a message to a defined receiver group. This can be an e-mail or an SMS.

  • Web-Frontend

    You can see the condition of the systems on every device, whether PC, tablet or mobile phone. If you like, even from home. Since the data is sensitive, it is stored on a local server in the company. Fast and reliable access to this data is important for further expansion in the context of Industry 4.0.

MDE 4000 Monitor 2.0

MDC 4000 monitor 2.0 (web-based)

The purpose of manufacturing data collection MDC 4000

Today, a machine 'knows' which order it is currently processing, how quickly it is producing and what malfunctions are occurring. Therefore the machine data collection from Quinx AG collects data in realtime, process them and makes them to the relevant person. For this reason, the MDC 4000 serves many other applications: ERP, TPM, CAQ, energy management etc.

CNC machine hermle


What does an MDC cost?

With the calculation tool you can calculate online the price of the MDC for your own factory.
Calculator

Manufacturing data collection in the production process

For the plant manager, the manufacturing data acquisition solution MDC 4000 is an important control instrument. Wherever he is, he can see the current status of each system. For example, the OEE is continuously updated and shows the overall system effectiveness. The MDC 4000 facilitates multi-machine operation and unmanned operation. This is because, depending on the event, it automatically alerts the relevant persons by SMS or e-mail.

Solid decision bases with production data directly from the production line!

Transparency

Various reports and analyses provide reliable and transparent information about the last weeks and months. Therefore the MDC 4000 machine monitoring system is the ideal tool for increasing productivity.


Realistic production planning

The MDC System 4000 can be combined with the JOBDISPO production planning software. In other words the planner sees in real time whether the machine is running and which order is currently being processed.


Manufacturing data for 3rd party systems

The machine data collection software MDC 4000 is an open system. While the production data is stored in a Microsoft SQL database. And it can be easily integrated into an ERP system. This enables a post calculation of orders based on real machine running times.


Well-known companies already rely on the figures from the MDC 4000 today: SRM AG, Cadence Aerospace, ATI Allvac, Trumpf or Hittech Prontor GmbH.

Customer's benefit

  • Reliable, accurate data in real time

  • Reduction of downtimes, higher production line availability and better utilization

  • Optimized and focused use of staff because the machine reports via SMS or e-mail when the operator has to intervene.

  • Consistent traceability and documentation

ERP, BI-Tools, Reporting

Production data must be available to different systems. Therefore, the MDC 4000 has an interface for third party systems. Evaluations can be made in the MDC 4000, in a business intelligence tool such as QlikSense or with a reporting solution such as Crystal Reports. The allocation of the production data to the order data takes place via the interface between MDC and ERP (SAP, Navision, inERP, proAlpha, Infor etc.).

Machine interfaces - a matter of experience

Machine without network interface

Information such as "machine running" or the number of pieces produced can be collected most cost-effectively via an IO module.

With an M command in the NC program a signal output can be activated. In this way pieces can be countet. The signal outputs are connected to the inputs of an IO module. The IO module has several digital 24V inputs, some of them can be configured as counters. In addition, the IO module has an Ethernet interface and delivers the data to a central server. In principle, this is a cost-effective and simple solution for all machine and the machine is not directly connected to the company network.


Machine with network interface

For about 15 years, most machines tools have been equipped with a network interface. Unfortunately it is by no way that machine data can simply be obtained via this interface. The machine tool and cnc control manufacturers must explicitly offer this possibility. Or in other words, the buyer of such machines often has to buy this explicitly as an option.


Sometimes a quick look at the purchase contract or a call to the supplier is sufficient to know whether the existing machine offers this option. But beyond that, it can also be tested on site with the right tools.


Since almost no machine and no control are the same, the machine connection is largely a matter of experience. A competent MDC provider is characterised by the fact that he gets the required data from the machine with as little effort as possible.


Already at the time of purchase, make sure that the machine has a defined interface for data exchange! Preferably, it should be OPC UA. OPC UA is common and seems to be establishing itself as the standard for both, cnc machine tool manufacturers and MDC providers.


OPC UA, MTConnect, MQTT, FOCAS2, Euromap etc.

A standard interface such as OPC UA, MTConnect or MQTT facilitates the direct readout of data from a controller. A wide variety of data can be recorded and evaluated:


  • Execution state
  • Controller mode
  • Machine on stand-by
  • Part count
  • Spindle RPM
  • Spindle override (%)
  • Feed rate
  • Feed rate override (%)
  • Tool number
  • Program number
  • Program comment
  • Etc.

Quinx AG can directly connect machine tools. With simple on-site tests, we check where this is possible without the support of the machine manufacturer. Interested?


IT security

In the case of direct integration of systems into the company LAN, particular attention must be paid to IT security. Machine controls usually have no virus protection. They are generally poorly protected or not protected at all against attacks. Quinx AG supports various approaches to protecting the controllers. Contact us for further information!


Mazak: Do you have to pay for MTConnect?

Most Mazak machines give out data without MTConnect. As long as you only need the following data, we can read it without the MTConnect adapter:


  • Status
  • Active Program Name
  • Part Count
  • Active Tool
  • Feed Override
  • Spindel Override
  • Last Active Alarm Message

Web-based MDC terminal

The employee is kept up to date via the web-based mdc terminal. Documents can be called up at the mdc terminal. It shows the next planned operation for his machine, the last stamps, the warehouse stock and much more. The mdc terminal can be very easily configured to customer specifications.

Runtime diagrams

MDC 4000 runtime diagrams