E-Sharp News August 2013

Link your ANCA machine to your ERP order processing system, streamlining tool order processing outside the machine

 

For the first time, ANCA is demonstrating a new system of tool processing that will further increase the productivity of your ANCA machine. This system links your ANCA machine to your ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) order processing system, streamlining tool order processing outside the machine.

Reducing grinding cycle time is one strategy for increasing profits made from your ANCA machine. But actions taken outside the machine can also have an equally important impact. Receiving, processing and despatching customer orders takes time, labour and money. Streamlining these processes not only reduces costs, but increases your throughput and reduces lead times to your customer – particularly those ordering tools in small batch sizes.

 

ANCA’s Flexible Grinding Cell achieves this with:  

• Integration of ERP generated customer orders to your ANCA machine grinding programs
   
• Barcode scanning of job card to create grinding file
   
• Linking of the grinding file with the customer tool via RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip
   
• Total flexibility in the order of tools being loaded – no need to program individual pockets in the pallet
   
• Ergonomically designed processing station that can serve multiple machines
   
• Standard ANCA robot loaders used on GX, MX and TX machines

Results you will enjoy

• Efficient, faster processing of customer orders – both single tool batch and mixed tool types 
   
• Reduced lead time to your customers
   
• Eliminate time wasted on sorting various incoming tools into common groups - process customer orders as soon as they come in
• Easily allow high priority jobs to jump to the front of the queue without interrupting machine operation
• One order processing station can serve multiple machines
   
• Zero down time switching from one tool type/size to another with clever work holding and wheel pack preparation
   
• Traceability of ground customer tools to the ERP job card eliminates processing errors
   

How the System works in 6 easy steps...

1. Inward new order presented with job card from your ERP

2. Scan job card to automatically create tool grind file (TOM)

3. Unground tool into carrier and update RFID chip with grind file details

4. Tools in carrier are transported to tool grinder. Loader reads RFID to call correct grind file

5. Rescan RFID for finished tool to return it to correct tool job box

6. Finished tool in box with job card despatched to customer

 

Practical Application for Small Batch Production of:

• Drills
• Punches
• Endmills
• Tool regrinding
• Taps, etc

 

2 August 2013