Flexibility is another trend shaping most industries. It is a result of increasing demands for a wide range of more customized product variants. "Lot size 1" is the ultimate goal. To be able to realize diverse projects in production efficiently, it is advisable for a manufacturer to have a set of versatile means of production that ensure smooth production transition between different projects. Additionally, a high degree of automation, a good selection of technologies and the capability to process various sizes of workpieces are required. In line with the abovementioned trends, MicroStep's cutting machines are designed to be actively integrated into centrally managed production systems by automating the material flow (e.g. via feeding/lifting equipment and conveyors) and by software that enables the machines to communicate with different applications of the production management system, such as stock-, orderand part databases as well as with external ERP systems. The goal is for the machine to be able to quickly adapt to different cutting/processing requirements, increase work efficiency, optimize the production process and minimize costs and risks - the whole production should be fast, smooth and transparent, monitored (at first) from the corporate network.
An example of such project is a modular combination of cutting/marking machines and an automatic pallet exchange system with a storage tower, which is successfully running at one of MicroStep's Dutch customers - the maritime service provider Neptune Shipyards. The system significantly reduces manipulation time and allows for expansion with other cutting machines and storage towers in the future. The automation is in loading of particular pallets with pre-loaded plates into two cutting machines automatically and unloading of the pallets back to the storage tower after the cutting/marking processes are finished. The prerequisite for such automated material handling is the ability of the machine to automatically measure the location and rotation of the plate on the table by a plate edge detection sensor. Integration of a CAPP software is also recommended as it allows to automatically load cutting plans generated for thecurrently loaded material and to initiate the cutting process automatically, if required. MicroStep supplies its own production management software under the name Machine Production Management. Thanks to the automation, technologies that do not require the over sight of an operator(e.g. inkjet marking) may run completely without supervision - all the plates that are loaded in the storage tower can be marked automatically during the night. In case of a forced interruption of the process, the machine will notify the operator via an e-mail or text message.
