You probably already know that the CNC machine data from your WiBox has only been accessible in the Multi-DNC software. Now, however, there’s an innovative, easy-to-use app that makes it fast and simple to get CNC machine data from WiBox into any smart manufacturing system. Manufacturing plants that bought WiBox use it to see CNC machine status information in the Multi-DNC software. Wiring the WiBox to the CNC machine cost them time and money, but it was a good strategy that provided much-needed access to the CNC equipment data. Until recently, it was difficult to use the CNC data from WiBox in smart manufacturing software, which is beyond its original scope.
A few companies have delayed putting in smart manufacturing apps like an OEE system or MES, because they couldn’t get the CNC machine data over to the system. That roadblock made the investment not worth it. Many more companies, however, are already using one or several smart manufacturing applications, but have excluded some of their CNC machine tools. Their reasoning was that it’s been too difficult, time consuming, and expensive to get the CNC machine data over to the smart manufacturing app.
For example, when a plant can convert the CNC machine data captured by WiBox into nearly any protocol needed by smart manufacturing apps on the market today, the company can use the smart manufacturing apps to improve on-time delivery, enable more product sales, or boost profitability as they:
Apogean™ by On Time Edge is innovative, lightweight software to use your CNC machine data captured by WiBox for smart manufacturing systems. Apogean is a low-cost, easy-to-implement method to use the same data points with any smart manufacturing system you have now, or any your company might want to try in the future.
Apogean lets you use the same CNC machine data points captured by WiBox to provide CNC machine status to any system that speaks industry-standard protocols like MTConnect, OPC UA, MQTT, or GraphQL. As a result, you can use the smart manufacturing applications to perform machine monitoring, track and trace, scheduling, workforce management, and advanced AI.
The Apogean software runs on any Windows PC (we recommend an inexpensive edge PC, about $100 USD), that can hang or sit in the CNC machine control cabinet. You can also use the edge PC as a Web UI for future smart manufacturing systems, or to collect additional CNC machine data beyond the eight digital inputs on WiBox.
On Time Edge has a free trial of Apogean so you can try it yourself. Here’s how:
When you connect WiBox to Apogean, it will not impact your existing Multi-DNC connection. The WiBox will communicate with both the Multi-DNC software and the local edge PC running Apogean. It’s what WiBox was designed to do – perform data collection while still communicating for Multi-DNC.
You can expand and capture additional data with Apogean. One method is to use DPRINT to insert additional information into the GCode, so Apogean can monitor using the DPRINT port. Apogean turns the information via DPRINT into meaningful data for your smart manufacturing systems that need MTConnect, OPC UA, MQTT and/or GraphQL. For example, you could insert the part program name. Or you could insert a DPRINT statement about the program completion status. The Apogean free trial includes several examples to help you explore and get started.
Yes, you can use an edge PC running Apogean software to collect CNC machine data directly from many brands and types of CNC machines. Apogean (running on an edge PC that’s connected to the machine by serial cable or ethernet cable) can collect and distribute any data that’s available in your CNC machine controller. Check out the list of CNC machine data you can collect using Apogean.
Some modern machines are capable of communicating via MTConnect or OPC UA natively. Our team of controls engineers and smart manufacturing data experts can help you determine which machines are capable and how to use the data. In some cases, you don’t need Apogean software; some machines can communicate data directly to smart manufacturing systems. Our goal is to help you use the best and most cost-efficient method to collect CNC machine data from each machine.
On Time Edge is the exclusive support organization for WiBox hardware, previously sold and distributed by Spectrum CNC Technologies. If you need help with WiBox, or want to get even more out of your WiBox, our controls engineers and smart manufacturing data experts are the only WiBox authorized support team in the U.S. and globally.