Product category:
Software, off-line programming, CAM, for metal cutting machine tools
News Release from: Seiki Systems | Subject: Accumulative OEE software package
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 19 April 2005
OEE package suits low volume CNC machine
users
An affordable OEE software package for low volume or batch production CNC machine users provides a standard measurement in order to determine the effectiveness of a machine or production process.
Seiki Systems, the Brighton-based specialist in manufacturing software, has developed an affordable software package Accumulative Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) for low volume or batch production CNC machine users that provides a standard measurement in order to determine the effectiveness of a machine or production process As a result unplanned downtime can be controlled, production losses determined and quality performance monitored
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 13 Feb 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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The idea of OEE originated in the high volume manufacturing environments such as the automotive sector to measure performance, efficiency, plant availability and quality.
This concept has now been developed by Seiki Systems for application in the medium to small OEM and subcontract type businesses taking in market research to provide the type of factual information required by the sector.
As a result, users can now gauge the level of wastage and filter out the masses of management information that could cloud an issue to determine the source of production losses.
Further reading
Wireless DNC avoids cabling, adds flexibility
A totally independent method of communicating between the control systems of CNC machine tools and a centralised remote PC has been developed for distribution and control of machining programs.
Software ensures program control and traceability
Software enables strict control and traceability of computer programs transferred to CNC machine tools and processing equipment, thus assuring users full compliance with quality standards.
Software gives dynamic real time production status
Software packages that give a dynamic live display of production status provide CNC machine tools users with total control and awareness in 'real time' of what is happening on the shopfloor.
It is also a very effective tool that provides a means to determine for instance, the effects of a certain product or process being loaded to a particular piece of production machinery.
Says David Trowell, general manager of Seiki Systems: "We have taken a proven method of monitoring the effectiveness of production in a high volume production area and deployed the concept for use in general manufacturing".
"This provides smaller companies with the ability to make decisions based on factual occurrences and fully consider how the impact of changes made in one area, for instance, can influence others." Accumulative OEE uses data recorded through each CNC machine tool and has been made so flexible that management reports can be created relative to all machines connected into the system.
This can be applied to selected or targeted machines, to multiple or even individual jobs or works order numbers and can be collated over a selected period or several periods of time.
The Seiki Systems OEE system is based on access to logged records obtained from the machine tool to provide true, up to the minute data which is then displayed in a tree cascade structure.
This structure depicts an easy to access coloured bar chart to accommodate jobs run on single or groups of machines.
It is able to calculate values or ratios for the availability or productivity of equipment or, for instance good parts produced, in order that anomalies can be quickly identified by management.
A prime example is the viewing of a works order which can then be broken down in cascade format to show the various jobs that are required to be produced.
Alternatively, it is possible to view via shifts or machines, to determine machine utilisation or the highest or lowest effectiveness of production levels.
A customise facility enables a user to configure the system to particular requirements for instance, to show a specific machine shop or section, a working shift, a single machine or cell, a particular job, works order, or even an operator.
Calculations to define availability are based on ratios of the total time taken divided by the recorded time when the machine is working on the job in question which includes tool setting, loading and unloading of parts.
Productivity is taken as the total time divided by the actual time taken to make only good parts.
To determine quality level, the Seiki Systems Accumulative OEE divides the total parts produced by the number of good parts recorded.
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