TrackMyMachines (TMM) is a simple and easy to use machine monitoring system that installs in less than five minutes on any machine that draws electrical current when it’s productive. Once the machine monitoring system is installed manufacturers can instantly see whether their machines are running and more importantly, when they’re not.
The company is also starting to offer energy monitoring for each machine tool using it hardware. It’s important for the future of manufacturing that companies understand which machines are drawing unnecessary power so they can reduce their consumption and, in turn, their impact on the environment.
It sounds simple, but knowing how your machine is running without needing to go out on the shop floor is still something that’s not been available to all manufacturers yet. With TMM manufacturers can understand what their real machine availability is, and why it might not be as great as they’d like.
Find out more about the product here.
What types of machines are compatible with the TMM monitoring system?
Any machinery that draws current when it’s being productive can be monitored with TMM. TMM use simple current sensors connected to WiFi and Ethernet enabled hardware that communicates directly back to the TMM cloud.
TMM is also starting to help manufacturers understand their energy usage with this hardware too.
What challenges are manufacturers currently facing which TrackMyMachines can help solve?
More productivity is being expected of the same machinery and personnel than was expected before. There’s companies like Cosworth pushing the boundaries of production uptime, hitting almost 90%, then some manufacturers struggle to utilise their machines by more than ten per cent.
Especially right now in the uncertain economic climate, there simply aren’t the budgets to increase machine capacity with asset investments. Instead there’s hidden capacity on the shop floor that could be unlocked.
Check out this article for more information.
How does TrackMyMachines help improve productivity on the shop floor?
For most CNC manufacturers productivity is measured in spindle uptime. When your spindle is turning you’re adding value to the material. Any other time is probably not value-add. There could also be some productivity lost in bad toolpaths and wasted tool changes.
With TMM you can track exactly when your machine spindles are running. When machines are down operators can input reasons for downtime.
Using this information manufacturers can decide things like:
- Which machines require cycle optimisation
- Workholding investment to reduce setup times
- Production scheduling changes to make best use of automation
- How good their lights-out shift is and when machines stop
What differentiates TrackMyMachines from other machine monitoring solutions?
There’s probably no easier way to get instant machine monitoring than with TMM. There’s lots of other features too that make us the most effective option for smaller facilities. We don’t need to integrate with your machine controls, and can work with a machine that’s 50 years old or brand new.
Why offer energy monitoring alongside machine monitoring?
If machine monitoring is about measuring your production process, then energy monitoring is about measuring your energy consumption. TMM can use the exact same device we’ve already installed for machine monitoring to do the energy monitoring, all it requires is one extra sensor to attach to the total power into the machine.
With this simple setup TMM can show , for example, which machines are drawing power on idle, and how much roughly can be saved by simply switching them off. It’s amazing how much machinery, like air compressors, is left to run without thought to the environmental impact, not to mention the impact on the company’s bottom line.
Engineers have been working on reducing waste for decades, but it’s easy to forget that that electricity used to keep hydraulics on and air pressurised in an empty factory at 3.00am is pure waste. The industry has to do something about that, and the first step is measuring it and making it known.
Check out this technical article for more information.
How easy is it to install and integrate a manufacturing system with existing machinery? What makes it so quick and easy?
The TMM Connect hardware just needs a WiFi or Ethernet connection, 24v from the machine cabinet or external source and a current sensor. The current sensor is non-invasive and requires no rewiring of the machine tool to install. The hardest thing is normally opening the machine cabinet!
Is TrackMyMachines offering interoperability with other software and systems?
TMM is working on implementing interactions with ERP and MES systems.
What are the pricing details and service plans offered?
TMM is £45 per machine per month, all hardware is free.
Is TrackMyMachines suitable for all sizes of manufacturers in all sectors?
We’re a great solution for anyone who wants every single one of their machines production monitored, not just the new ones.
What appetite for solutions like TrackMyMachines’ are you seeing within manufacturing. How is adoption growing?
In the past few years the early adopters have been the ones taking this technology and supercharging their production. But recently TMM has seen enquiries from more mainstream CNC facilities looking to explore this kind of system.
Once TrackMyMachines has helped manufacturers monitor their machines, are there services to also help them take action?
One brand new feature TMM is rolling out is a recommendation system. It has been trialled with close customers with some encouraging results. This gives tailored insights to customers based on their real data.
How do you envision TrackMyMachines evolving in the next few years?
More features are planned to help solve the challenges that new clients bring. TMM is always open to suggestions and in constant contact with customers, so it’s really up to me the manufacturing engineers, operators and production managers using the system.
What importance do events like Smart Manufacturing Week play for TrackMyMachines?
Events are a great way to get exposure for a business like mine. The brand isn’t so well known so these start to put it on the map. They’re definitely a part of my marketing strategy, but have to play a role alongside less capital-intensive marketing like growing a technical blog, sending newsletters and posting to social media.
How did you find Smart Manufacturing Week 2024?
This year the event was busy! TMM had a bigger space and some dedicated graphics which were really helpful to draw attention to the small hobbyist CNC machine which gets brought to all events. It really helps to illustrate the point that TMM can be used with anything!
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