Enter operating data

Machine data acquisition: the foundation for continuing optimization

Industrial companies can absolutely not do without machine data acquisition, known as MDA. It is based on the systematic collection of important data and makes it available for further processing and storage. The information collected in this way is an important basis for further optimization of machine utilization. Machine data acquisition therefore helps to track down faults and downtime. It also provides information on setup times and production quantities. Thanks to MDA a detailed analysis of machine utilization is also possible at any time

Goals of machine data acquisition

Machine data acquisition has one essential goal: It creates transparency and thus offers you the opportunity to increase your production volume and optimize production processes. It also helps you to increase the efficiency of your business by improving machine utilization. Every machine outage costs your company money and can become a challenge to competitiveness in the medium term. This makes it all the more important to know what potential your machines have. With good machine data acquisition, you can improve data quality on the one hand and significantly reduce manual effort on the other.

What information is relevant to MDA?

Machine data acquisition is generally set up in such a way that it records and stores very different data in order to ensure rapid further processing. On the one hand, production and reject quantities naturally play a role here, but on the other hand, machine running time and capacity utilization are also taken into account. Furthermore, machine data acquisition permits to provide information on energy and material consumption. This is also crucial for the further optimization and economic design of all processes. We provide you with the right solutions for MDA so that your associated costs remain manageable.

Example: Reading in the operating data of a CNC milling machine

The running times and material consumption of a CNC machine are to be recorded in a database on a central server. In addition, the shift supervisor should be informed when the machine’s material depot is exhausted.

Web-IO Digital as a solution for your MDA

The floating contacts for machine run, material replenishment and depot filling were connected with the inputs of a Web-IO 12+12 Digital. The existing database application was extended by the facility of directly retrieving signal states and counter readings of the Web-IO via TCP / IP sockets. An alarm is configured in the Web-IO that sends an e-mail to the service personnel if the material depot needs to be filled.

How do I configure a Web-IO for MDA?

	1. The required outputs of the CNC machine were connected to digital outputs of a Web-IO.
	2. The Web-IO was plugged into a free Ethernet port and connected to a power supply.
	3. The Web-IO was assigned an IP address.
	4. An alarm was installed via the browser. If no material is available, this alarm automatically sends an e-mail to the service personnel.
	5. The database application of the company was extended so as to indicate states and counter readings of the inputs of the Web-IO directly via TCP / IP sockets.

Use IO and serial interfaces for machine data acquisition

By using a Web-IO with additional serial device server functionality, the serial programming interface of the CNC machine could be accessed via the network. If this interface is integrated as a virtual COM port on the PC of the person responsible by using the W&T COM Port Redirector, he or she could conveniently import new programs from their desk.

Go to Data sheet for Web-IO Digital 12x InOut