Ellistat announces ELLIFAO, a major innovation in its APC softwarewhich will revolutionize the world of machining. French industry is facing the major challenges of reindustrialization and adaptation to climate change, as well as the disappearance of many technical skills. Speed of transformation will be one of the keys to the success of French industry. The digitization of industrial processes will considerably accelerate this transformation. By digitizing the entire machining production chain, Ellistat gives manufacturers the means to meet these challenges.
Developed over thirteen years ago and marketed since 2017, the innovative APC -Automated Process Control- software solution aims to transform the way machining machine tools are set up. Indeed, APC makes it possible to control the variability of production processes by automating the setting of machine tools, whatever the machine -turning, 3- to 5-axis and combined machining- and the complexity of the part. The solution takes into account all the dimensions and offsets of a process to calculate the best fit. Machine learning algorithms automatically calculate the correctors to be applied to the machine, based on the measurement of a part. As a result, for each production run, the first machined part systematically complies with the required tolerances and is centered.
In recent years, the APC has won several innovation awards at industry trade fairs, and Ellistat has amply demonstrated, notably through customer testimonials, the benefits generated by using the APC: a 90% reduction in scrap rate, a 75% reduction in set-up time, and average savings of around €20K per piloted machine tool per year.
Drastic reduction in configuration time per part: from 3h to 15min with ELLIFAO
Until now, however, this solution was not ideal, in terms of profitability, for automating a large machine park, because APC configuration remained complex and time-consuming for new parts. Indeed, it was necessary to parameterize the APC by indicating which surfaces were machined by which tool.
With the innovative ELLIFAO module, the APC is now able to calculate offsets directly from the part's CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) file, considerably reducing set-up time. Toolpath settings are fully automatic.
Davy Pillet, CEO of Ellistat: " This innovation aims to bridge the latest digital divide by integrating the use of part manufacturing data into the existing modules of our APC software solution. Configuration time is now around 15 minutes per part, compared with 3 hours previously. It's a revolution that will enable our customers and all industrial machinists to deploy APC on all the machines in their production unit(s), including small production runs. "
ELLISTAT constantly strives to anticipate or provide operational, high value-added solutions to the industrial problems encountered by its customers. And beyond the R&D aspect, the team attaches particular importance to the accessibility, ergonomics, ease of use and deployment of its software solutions.
The manager explains: " Just as in the 3D printing industry, where the 3D design file is used to directly configure the production machine, With APC's ELLIFAO module, we are able to digitally link the closed loop existing in production with design and industrialization information, thus creating a digital continuity of information. I believe that this new technology will profoundly change the way parts are machined in France and around the world.
Research & Development: Ellistat team overcomes scientific hurdles to develop ELLIFAO
The challenge was not an easy one, but Ellistat succeeded in overcoming the complex scientific hurdles that have made the company the undisputed leader in its field. The multiplicity of CAM standards and the interaction between measurement and manufacturing made ELLIFAO a real technological challenge.
Initial tests with CAM software publishers and then with customers began in 2021, on both turning and milling machines. Customers include a prestigious, world-renowned Swiss watchmaking company, which uses APC on a daily basis, has supported and accompanied Ellistat in the development of the solution for many years, and tests new developments. To date, Ellistat's solution is available for Alphacam CAM users, and can be rapidly integrated with the market's leading CAM software such as TopSolid.
