Digitalization has become an essential undertaking in the manufacturing industry. With smart operation, jobshop-oriented companies can now also take their first steps toward digitalization, without requiring IT expertise or substantial investments.

Terms such as digitalization or Industrie 4.0 sound like some­thing that involves large-scale IT infrastructure and networking of extensive production facil­ities. With smart operation, we can help small and medium-sized companies ben­efit from modern modes of operation in production – in most cases with the help of SINUMERIK tools. It has never been so easy to integrate a machine tool into production processes.

Simple machine operation thanks to smartOperate

It begins with working on the machine: smartOperate pro­vides the operator with many new, extremely useful functions from SINUMERIK, which make machine operation simpler and more efficient. Whether milling, turning or complete machining, whether in large quantities or small batches, it makes no difference. In conjunction with SINUMERIK Operate, the OP 015 black and OP 019 black operator panels are bringing multi-touch and gesture technology into manufacturing. Quick and simple zoom and smart scroll functions increase efficiency. The user can simply move, rotate and zoom using the screen display.

Never lose sight of the machine with smartMobile

Knowing what is happening in manufacturing at all times is crucial for an optimized production. Thanks to smartMobile, operators and supervisors can always keep track of the current state of the machine tools, even when they are not standing at the machine. Operating state information such as job status, utilization and component supply can be verified on a notebook, tablet or smartphone. Individual interfaces for SINUMERIK 840D sl and 828D can also be created without the need for special programming skills and can be linked using information and data from the controller.

smartPrepare for increased machine availability

What can the operator do if the machine is already in operation and a job is being processed? Thanks to smartPrepare he or she can now use this time more efficiently. With SinuTrain the operator can prepare the next part in the meantime offline on a PC or laptop. SinuTrain makes 1:1 programming and simulation at an external workstation possible, as the software is identical to the controller. The parts programs can then be transferred to the machine. This saves time, ensures optimum utilization, and increases the availability and productivity of the machine.

Paperless production with smartIT

But how can the data be accessed on the machine? Simple: smartIT makes paperless production possible thanks to the EES (Execution from External Storage) function.

EES enables access to external storage media such as USB sticks, hard drives or networks directly from the machine. Searching for job documents is now a thing of the past: PDFs, DXF drawings and images are available directly on the control panel. Paper copies are no longer required. This saves time and minimizes errors.

If you want to experience our smart solutions for the manufacturing industry first-hand, then visit us at EMO in Milan in hall 3, stand E06/F03. Or follow all the latest from our booth on Twitter or on our blog.

>> Video smart operation with SINUMERIK