Mazak Factories Unveil Smart Manufacturing Vision
The plants are fully integrating machines, cells and devices, using MTConnect for process control and operation monitoring.
Posted: November 28, 2014
Yamazaki Mazak (Aichi, Japan), recently announced its new forward-thinking iSMART Factory concept. A dynamic, ongoing and limitless concept, the next-generation iSMART Factory represents the company’s all-encompassing manufacturing vision and will eventually designate all ten of its manufacturing operations as iSMART Factories, the first being the Oguchi factory in Japan and now the Mazak Corporation (Florence, KY) North American factory in Florence.
The iSMART Factory uses advanced manufacturing cells and systems together with full digital integration to achieve free-flow data sharing in terms of process control and operation monitoring. In the iSMART Factory, the MTConnect® open communications protocol works with process support software and provides connectivity and the capability to monitor then harvest data from all the different production floor machines, cells, devices and processes.
Through PCs and portable electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets, both management and manufacturing easily access the same real-time manufacturing data to improve overall productivity efficiency and responsiveness to customer/market changes.
“For us, iSMART Factory is a vision the complete digital integration of the factory with state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, automation and advanced manufacturing practices. The name establishes a philosophy a credo of sorts for us that is unique to our operations, but symbolizes our commitment toward the ultimate smart factory,” said Brian Papke, the president of Mazak Corporation.
“While the name is new, our U.S. factory has long demonstrated a commitment to growth and technological advancement, with a critical part of that strategy being such factors as plant-wide connectivity, automation and optimized production flow, he continued. “Benefits have and continue to be significant increases in machine utilization, shorter throughput times, and elimination of non-value added operations, Production-On-Demand capability and more efficient part machining.”
In the Kentucky plant, full simultaneous 5-axis, Multi-Tasking and DONE IN ONE® machining technologies, advanced automation that allows for different machines within the same cell and innovative machining systems highlight North American iSMART Factory operations. Also under the iSMART Factory umbrella in Kentucky, a fully automated paint line provides the versatility to completely change over from one color to the next very quickly and will be digitally monitored through the same technology.
Additionally, all the various manufacturing systems in the plant are designed for fast changeovers and allow for producing in small lot sizes and with a higher mix of components. The systems are also all integrated to the MTConnect standard, and further advances in 2015 will incorporate the factory floor data with the company’s ERP system.
The company is a leader in the design and manufacture of productivity-improving machine tool solutions. Committed to being a partner to customers with innovative technology, its world-class facility in Florence produces over 100 models of turning centers, Multi-Tasking machines and vertical machining centers, including 5-axis models.
Continuously investing in manufacturing technology allows the Kentucky plant to be the most advanced and efficient machine tool builder, providing high-quality and reliable products through its “Production-On-Demand” manufacturing practice. Mazak maintains eight Technology Centers across North America to provide local hands-on applications, service and sales support to its customers.
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