A new version of the OPC UA for Machine Tools Companion Specification is now available. The joint working group of the OPC Foundation is supported by the VDW (German Machine Tools Manufacturers’ Association) and has produced a supplement that makes it possible to integrate existing inventory systems. The collection of important operating data and KPIs gives rise to further advantages.

Dr Wilfried Schäfer, executive director of the VDW, is pleased with the progress: “The update of the specification for machine tools sees us pass a further important milestone. This will make the use of the Companion Specifications even more attractive in the future and ensure greater acceptance among industry clients. We hope to provide demonstrations at upcoming trade fairs. Our umati connectivity initiative showcases the open data exchange in a tangible form and naturally plays an important role in this.”

Numerous OPC UA Companion Specifications for machine and plant engineering are currently in development. They enable open interface standards based on OPC UA to be used between machines, devices and software. Just under 50 such specifications are already available or are currently under development. However, before the exchange of data via existing interfaces or systems can be translated into new, open standards, it is becoming clear that future-proof technologies such as OPC UA must first be broadly established on the market. This applies in particular to shop-floor and machine data collection. In most cases, however, customers apply their own in-house standards, which is an obstacle to widespread standardisation.

The new extension of the OPC UA for Machine Tools Companion Specification addresses this dilemma. The first version concentrated on the global monitoring of machine tool status, whereas the focus of the next step, version 1.01.1, is on collecting important operating data and KPIs.
The update is available at https://umati.org/ua4mt

Comez International, a specialist in crochet warp knitting machinery technology, is using Dassault Systèmes’ digital planning and scheduling solutions to improve its production efficiency and competitiveness. Comez deployed Delmia Ortems applications to digitalise its manufacturing planning and improve the measurability, predictability and continuity of production processes.

With real-time data updates in a collaborative digital environment, Comez has a global view of all production elements, including machine tools, work orders, set-up and working hours. The company can quickly make decisions regarding the allocation and distribution of resources to fulfil orders and meet deadlines and product lead times, while reducing repetition and wasted time.

Since deploying Delmia Ortems applications, Comez has reduced forecast errors by 30%, production delays by 27% and set-up times by 20%, as well as increased production by 8%.

“We needed to become more efficient, effective and offer reliable and practical management planning,” says Paolo Malnati, general manager at Comez International. “We found the ideal partner in Dassault Systèmes, and their Delmia Ortems applications have helped immensely. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we had an unexpected and extremely important need: to double production for our mask-making machines. We had to quickly convert our production equipment to produce double the quantity in a very short amount of time. Without Delmia Ortems, this planning would not have been possible.”

Philippe Bartissol, vice president – industrial equipment industry, at Dassault Systèmes, adds: “Comez is able to meet the needs of its customers and boost its competitiveness by using Delmia Ortems to increase management capacity, strategic collaboration, productivity, visibility and agility.”

For further information
www.3ds.com

Hypertherm has announced a major version update to ProNest 2023, the company’s advanced CADCAM nesting software for automated profiling. The release contains a collection of new features and ongoing enhancements designed to help customers improve their operational efficiency while reducing non-value-added tasks.

ProNest 2023 includes full functionality for PlateSaver, a SureCut technology that combines the arc stability of X-Definition plasma with specialised software parameters to increase material utilisation when cutting mild steel. In addition, the latest ProNest contains enhancements to Production Manager, a web-based module that seamlessly integrates with Hypertherm’s Edge Connect CNC to capture real-time machine data automatically.

Further improvements include the ability to edit production times for completed nests, set job status changes and search for nests by customer. There is also a feature that merges XPR set-ups. The software will now automatically detect and merge changes made to the process parameters or bevel spreadsheets into a new set-up during installation. Customers can choose to use their existing customisations or the latest factory cut charts.

Finally, the software is even easier to use. Changes to the user interface include a new welcome screen and customisable ribbon. The welcome screen contains an informative dashboard that highlights training videos, application tips and other valuable resources, while the ribbon allows users to add, remove and rearrange tabs. Customers can save different ribbon configurations and easily switch between them as needed, to best fit their workflow.

Tom Stillwell, product marketing manager – CADCAM software products, says: “Our software developers have focused on reducing the waste inherent in most cutting operations. Features like PlateSaver do this by maximising the number of parts on a plate so customers have to buy fewer plates and waste less metal.”

For further information
www.hypertherm.com

Machine tool manufacturer WaldrichSiegen is defined by two words: accuracy and performance. The company specialises in large machine tools and its customers are mainly manufacturers of heavy marine engines, crankshafts and turbine rotors, all of whom are increasingly demanding. That is why WaldrichSiegen has invested in future-oriented technologies such as Vericut simulation, G-code verification and optimisation software.

With the production simulation of NC data, WaldrichSiegen recreates the real machining situation with a “virtual processing machine on the desk”.
The company not only uses Vericut simulation software to streamline its own manufacturing processes, but that of its customers too. Indeed, the company wants to use digital transformation and its integral elements, such as the digital twin in Vericut, to develop new fields of activity and provide customers with real added value.

Timo Hees, application technician at WaldrichSiegen, says: “When a customer orders a machine we often carry out studies upstream so that we can determine and evaluate subsequent machining times at an early stage. It’s well thought out and well done: we simulate the customer’s machining in Vericut to demonstrate the cutting and process times for the parts, even before the actual machine is installed at the customer’s premises. This makes it possible to make valid business decisions at all levels. Vericut is an integral part of the project. The machine is then made available to the customer with the kinematics developed in collaboration and tested by WaldrichSiegen. This is the only way to guarantee that all functions can be performed appropriately, so that the customer can already perform their own simulation and check internally in Vericut if everything is in line with what they had planned.”

For further information
www.cgtech.co.uk

PTC has launched the ninth version of its Creo CAD software with the promise of helping engineers deliver their best product designs in less time. Creo 9 includes core enhancements and advanced features that encourage innovation with emerging features, such as generative design, real-time simulation and additive manufacturing.

Brian Thompson, divisional vice president and general manager of Creo at PTC, says: “We made core improvements like the divide surface capability and stronger design intent management to benefit our users, while also focusing on advanced technologies that transform product design – including simulation, generative design and additive manufacturing. Finally, to better support our users, we’ve strengthened Creo’s ergonomics capabilities.”

Investments across the core modelling environment focus on usability and productivity, including updates to the model tree to make it faster to structure, document and understand design intent. In addition, advanced multi-physics from Ansys have been integrated into the Creo simulation portfolio, while new generative design technology adds important new capabilities that empower engineers to define optimisation studies with designed-in safety factors and natural frequency limits.

There is continued investment in model-based product design, especially in surface finishing and welds, so users can include specialised downstream manufacturing information right on the model, for better efficiency and communication.

Creo 9 also includes expanded ergonomic tools that help designers recognise the uniqueness of users, while helping ensure products comply with health, safety and workplace standards. Using the new vision field analysis capability, engineers can analyse users’ line of sight and field of view when driving or using equipment.

Last but not least, Creo 9 delivers improved control over stochastic and formula-based lattices and user-defined support structures for advanced additive manufacturing use cases.

For further information
www.ptc.com/en/products/creo