Expanding the Digital Machining Ecosystem

Automation developer Siemens Digital Industries reported that, along with two partners, it is expanding the “machine tool industry ecosystem” it is defining, to offer intelligent machining applications for CNC users. New extensions from DMG Mori and Renishaw contribute to the scalability and high flexibility of the Siemens Xcelerator open digital business platform, while adding value to the Siemens network functions.

Tool monitoring for closed-loop manufacturing

The Siemens Xcelerator offering from Renishaw consists of a solution for measuring and monitoring the condition of tools. The basic system is already offered by DMG Mori.

The solution is based on a Renishaw high-precision laser system for tool measurement and the edge-based analysis software Analyze MyWorkpiece /Monitor from Siemens. The condition monitoring capability makes it possible to validate tool wear automatically, and to replace worn tools in an effective way.

Thanks to data evaluation, this solution also ensures that the manufacturing process is traceable. The fast tool inspection by optical scanning reduces manual intervention and therefore disruptions within the manufacturing process. The data-driven analysis approach ensures process traceability – thereby closing the loop for quality assurance and production planning.

Scalable, end-to-end digital twin for machining

High-precision machine tool builder DMG Mori is expanding the “end-to-end digital twin” machining functionality if offers through the Siemens Xcelerator Marketplace. Solutions for digital-twinning the control system, machine, and workpiece make it possible to optimize machining processes well ahead of production. And, Siemens’ digital native CNC Sinumerik One includes a tailored digital twin for the user – regardless of the shop floor or CAM applications.

For example, machine operators on the shop floor can purchase a digital twin package that allows them to create a simple NC program on the PC and thus carry out a collision check without using the machine.

Alternatively, a CAM user can create sophisticated parts in a CAD environment and perform a quick initial validation of the program. With DMG Mori’s scalable digital twin offerings, customers can individually determine the scope of the required simulation and purchase the corresponding packages.

The DMG Mori digital twin for machine tool machining helps to avoid programming errors that cause rejects and damage to the actual machine. It can ramp up production up to 40 percent faster, significantly reducing the energy consumption of the real machine. Even new processes can be set up digitally while the machine is in operation. It also helps to reduce unproductive machine times, such as test machining, by as much as 75 percent. This is because the testing and running-in of programs is transferred from the actual machine to the virtual world.

Learn more at xcelerator.siemens.com