Tomorrow's metal cutting factory, today

Keywords Automation

Recent visitors to the Yamazaki Machinery factory at Worcester will have seen a pilot of the full scale cyber factory which Yamazaki Mazak has constructed at its Oguchi factory in Japan. Producing components for Mazak machine tools, the Oguchi "cyber factory" represents a quantum leap in productivity. Through total factory integration components are produced on a large number and wide range of machines in absolute minimum process times. Total factory integration has substantially reduced work in progress, thereby permitting faster response to market requirements and shortening lead times.

The basis of the "cyber factory" is the new Mazatrol "Fusion 640" machine tool control system (Plate 1).

 Plate 1 The Mazak cyber factory

With an industrial PC fused to the CNC system, Mazatrol Fusion 640 is easily integrated into a network using standard Windows 95 software. Additionally,since a standard Ethernet interface is utilised, virtually no time is required for communications to and from every machine on an intranet or Internet network.

Networking

Networking is an essential factor in the success of the Mazak cyber factory which functions without paper and without the large numbers of indirect staff necessary to provide high speed communication between departments. Networking also ensures that all employees in all departments are working with the same data.

Using Mazak's CAMWARE software, machining programs are prepared in offices,away from the production area.

Automatic, constant status monitoring enables entry of data such as material delivery, workpiece status and automatic rescheduling, in the event of materials not being delivered on time.

Raw material delivered on schedule

Materials handling is wire guided AGVs delivering raw material on schedule to the machines and placing work in progress into an automatic storage and retrieval system.

The process in each area determines what level and type of environmental control is applied - from clean rooms used for spindle bearing assembly to the machining area in which the temperature is maintained to within ± 2°C. Emissions held at absolute minimum ensure an environmentally friendly atmosphere throughout.

In the pilot cyber factory at Worcester, where a production centre has been constructed, visitors see how machining programs are prepared away from the production area. Also in the pilot cyber factory is the office of such as the manufacturing director, allowing visitors to see how manufacturing is remotely monitored, how a "constant status monitor" is maintained over material delivery and workpiece progress, and how access is gained to the weekly machining data report, all from an external PC.

For further information, please contact Les Pratt, Yamazaki Machinery UK Limited, Badgeworth Drive, Worcester WR4 9NF. Tel: +44 (0) 1905 755755; Fax: +44(0) 1905 755001; E-mail: ipratt1@yamazaki.co.uk