Against a backdrop of increasing automation that is vital to companies, the M400 connected to Automated Process Control (APC) enables the bar-turning industry to migrate to Industry 4.0 while preserving their measurement know-how.
Results: improved ergonomics, reduced set-up times and increased productivity.
The bar-turning industry is not always seen as avant garde and industry 4.0. Indeed, the bar turning industry is faced with the complexity of checking the conformity of very thin, very long or very small parts. This often makes it impossible to use automatic 100% measuring equipment. As a result, the bar turner's workstation is often covered with an assembly of various automatic and manual devices. They are designed to measure all the critical characteristics of a part.
Today, against a backdrop of ever-increasing automation, Ellistat has sought to make the measuring station in the bar-turning industry compatible with Industry 4.0. But, without fundamentally changing the way it works. As a reminder, the French company develops innovative software solutions aimed at operational excellence in all stages of production.
An innovative solution, the fruit of collaboration between Ellistat and Métro, to enable the bar-turning industry to become 4.0
In collaboration with French company Metro (74)Ellistat has developed the "M400 connected APC" solution. Using a simple touch-screen display unit, it connects all the measuring equipment at the workstation. It also calculates tool corrections and sends them directly to the machine tool.
Davy Pillet, CEO of Ellistat: " M400 connected APC is the the first measuring and data acquisition device to be able to communicate directly with machine tools. Until now, this required a PC with intermediate software. However, in a workshop environment, PCs are neither suitable nor desired by bar turners.. By integrating the APC directly on the M400 at the workstation, the bar-turning industry is migrating to Industry 4.0 while maintaining their measurement process on the shop floor. "
APC (Automated Process Control)
APC (Automated Process Control) is Ellistat's flagship software solution. It is the result of ten years' development and has been on the market since 2017. APC enables CNC machine tools to be controlled automatically from the measurement of a single part. The benefits have already been widely demonstrated: 90% reduction in scrap rate and 75% reduction in machine set-up time. This innovation is already widely used in the bar-turning industry, enabling it to move towards Industry 4.0.
The M400
Concerning the M400, this is a multi-dimensional industrial display, widely used in the world of precision measurement and the bar-turning industry. It has been developed by Métro. This French company has been based in Haute-Savoie for almost 40 years, and has a worldwide presence.
The M400 can be used to connect different types of measuring equipment (sensors, comparators, micrometers, etc.). It also displays dimensions and evaluates measurements. Thanks to its intuitive menus and user-friendly interface, the system can be quickly mastered by any operator. Its solid aluminum housing makes it extremely robust. Even in the toughest industrial environments.
What's more, this embedded electronics system with its proprietary operating system offers other advantages, such as very low power consumption compared with a PC. Last but not least, it is virus-free and offers flawless security when connected to the corporate network.
The bar turner's workstation becomes the machine tool control center
Davy Pillet explains: " With the M400 connected to APC, the bar turner's workstation is no longer a simple measurement recording chamber. It becomes the machine tool control center. It can therefore be used to control all the bar turner's machines without fundamentally changing the way he operates.. "
In this way, Ellistat offers an avant-garde technological solution. The solution meets Industry 4.0 requirements for the bar turning industry. But also improves the efficiency, safety and connectivity of bar turning operations. The digitization of instruments via the M400 Connected APC paves the way for a new era in production process management. This innovation positions bar-turning manufacturers at the forefront of the world stage.
The M400 Connected APC has been available since the beginning of January 2024. All manufacturers with measuring equipment in France and abroad can use the M400 connecté APC. In France, Métro distributes the product. The rest of the world will be able to purchase the product via Métro's worldwide network of distributors.
