Flexible manufacturing is a modern approach that emphasises adaptability , responsiveness and customisation in the production process .
to become smart integrating into the ‘ cloud ’ for data analysis to enable seamless reconfiguration . As a result , this changed how manufacturing companies evaluated the capital investment of machines , as the emphasis switched from being on the life cycle of the product , to the life cycle of a machine .
After all , it is not financially viable to buy new machinery every 18 months . Not only it is a significant upfront cost , but it also takes around two years to get the machine sealed and delivered ready for use .
Variable product flow
Traditionally , a production line would have a continuous flow of
product , often referred to as a continuous production process or continuous flow manufacturing . This approach is characterised by the steady and uninterrupted movement of products along the production line , with each station performing a specific operation in a sequential manner .
Yet , the introduction of flexible track systems is enabling production lines to have a variable flow of product . Flexible track systems consist of modular units that can be easily connected or rearranged to form different production lines or workstations , ensuring quick reconfiguration to accommodate various product types or changes in production requirements .
These systems , such as Beckhoff ’ s TwinCAT software platform , combine the advantages of flexible manufacturing with the efficiency of continuous production , achieving greater adaptability and responsiveness to changing demands while maintaining high throughput and efficiency .
Laying down the foundation for modular production , the TwinCAT software-based approach integrates Programmable Logic Controller ( PLC ), motion control , robotics , vision , Human-Machine Interface ( HMI ), cloud connectivity and other functionalities into a single software environment . And , as Industrial PCs ( IPCs ) increase in power , the TwinCAT platform allows for further integration .
By reducing the number of components , such software is designed to allow original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs ) to enable modular production and start their flexible manufacturing process .
In fact , we believe that PC based automation is a move away from the traditional fixed PLCs , enabling the easy integration of robotics , vision and machine learning applications that were once unimaginable .
For more information about Beckhoff ’ s TwinCAT and other modular automation software platforms , visit www . beckhoff . com .
FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk 9