Automate your machine tools
APC: a plug & play solution for your measuring equipment, machine tools and CAM software
With APC (Automated Process Control) produce differently.
Thanks to Ellistat's APC module and our machine learning algorithms, you can set up your machine tools in a single piece and obtain better quality results than with a traditional SPC or manual correction.
Once the offsets have been calculated by the APC, they are sent directly to the machine to create a closed loop.
Our assets
Connection to measuring equipment :
- Automatically import measurement data into Ellistat regardless of the communication protocol (USB, Bluetooth, RS232, .txt files, etc.) to avoid manual input errors.
Use of CAD files :
- Recover 3D files of your parts to automatically configure the APC module
Connection to CNC machines :
- Send the calculated corrections directly to the machine program, whatever the brand of control (Fanuc, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Mazak, Heidenhain, Okuma...).
How does it work?
2 theses in progress and 10 years of research have enabled us to develop machine learning algorithms for APC. Whatever the complexity of the part, whether turning, milling or combined, Ellistat's APC module automatically adjusts each machine tool (CNC). Thanks to this tool, the process is corrected as accurately as possible to limit process drift, and the system learns from its own corrections to improve over time.
APC is therefore unquestionably at the heart of Industry 4.0, combining the need to automate machine set-up with the need to improve production quality.
Machine tool automation
becomes reality
Your gains
Scrap
Set-up times, machine stoppages
Save €20k / machine / year
Our key features
Connection to CNC machines :
- Send the calculated corrections directly to the machine program, whatever the brand of control (Fanuc, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Mazak, Heidenhain, Okuma, Tornos, Beckhoff...).
Automatic calculation of correctors :
- The APC automates the setting process: the setter produces a part on a machine, measures it and the Ellistat algorithm automatically calculates the corrections to be applied to the machine.
- The process is corrected as accurately as possible to limit drift, and the system learns from these corrections to improve over time.
Configuration from CAD and CAM files :
- Simplified APC configuration. Dimensional information is read from the part's CAD files. Machining mode information is imported directly from CAM files.
- The APC is accessible to both large and small production runs, because the set-up time is so short.
Real-time SPC :
- Real-time generation and updating of control charts (X-bar, R, P, NP, etc.)
- Creating and displaying histograms in real time
- Instant detection of drifts and anomalies
- Alerts and notifications in the event of non-compliance
Calculating and monitoring capability indicators :
- Calculation of Cp, Cpk, Pp, Ppk indices
- Capability index trend monitoring
- Analysis of process capability to meet specifications
Customisable SPC report :
- Creation of control reports with customisable templates
- Exporting reports in different formats
- Integration of graphs and statistical data in reports
Compliance with standards :
- Complies with ISO 9001, ISO 9100 and ISO 13485 standards
- Compliance with FDA CFR 21 part 11 requirements
Integration with existing systems:
- Accessible on Premise / on Cloud, full web technology
- API for integration with MES, ERP and other production management systems
- Import and export data viaCSV files, etc.
Intuitive user interface :
- Customisable dashboards
- Clear, intuitive display of control data
- Accessibility via different devices (PCs, tablets, smartphones)
Our methodology: a pilot project!
5 days of support
Weekly monitoring by our project managers
Your feedback
The implementation of Ellistat APC in our factory has enabled us to move towards Industry 4.0 and to make a smooth change towards a better organisation of our production workshop. The APC module is very ergonomic and easy to use, which enabled us to deploy the solution quickly. Today, six months after deploying the software in our workshops, we are seeing a reduction in production rejects and a reduction in the costs incurred by machine adjustments. For the first parts processed with Ellistat, we have gone from a Ppk < 1 to a Ppk ≈ 1.4 and it is now possible to set up our machines in 1 part. The software has convinced all the people working with the APC, according to them: "Despite the fact that Ellistat has changed the way we set up and control our machines, it's nice to no longer have the stress of making a mistake when calculating offsets, whether when setting up or when changing tools. What's more, we can really see the improvements in quality and comfort in the field.
Equipping our workshops with Automated Process Control via Ellistat has radically changed the way we set up and control our machines. We have been able to develop a new culture of variability control that is more dynamic and efficient, with tangible results in terms of quality and productivity. Production staff are working much more comfortably, and we can easily envisage greater complexity - the possibilities are enormous!
At our Melisey site, the APC is interfaced with LISI's MES and corrections are transferred directly to the multispindles. Implementation is fast and the software intuitive. It surprised the LISI team with its ability to make the manufacturing process autonomous. Adjustment used to require several iterations that consumed several parts to reach the required level. Now, a single part is enough. The reduction in set-up time achieved by using APC represents approximately 75%. In January 2021, the scrap rate fell from 3.5% to less than 0.1%. This is because the algorithm auto-corrects the machine tool in near-real time as soon as it deviates, resulting in a reduction in the scrap rate of around 95 %. At the beginning of 2021, the APC solution will be deployed on around twenty CNC machines of different makes and generations. Deployment will be rapid, requiring little equipment or investment.
All you have to do is measure the part and enter the data into the APC, which automatically makes all the corrections in one go. This makes the work of the employees much easier. Before APC, if the drift remained within tolerance, the setter had two options: re-centre the dimension or leave it within the acceptable limit. With APC, the dimension is always centred. We've achieved our quality objective and improved our productivity by reducing set-up time by around 50% and the company's overall scrap rate by around 30%.
With the implementation of the APC on our multispindle lathes, we have obtained very convincing gains on several levels: reduced machine downtime, an improved OEE and a very clear reduction in the scrap rate. What's more, our scrap rate has fallen from 4% to 1.5% and we can space out inspection times because the software guarantees us stability in machine variability.