In many workshops, machines from different manufacturers and technologies are often used for sheet metal processing, which can make it difficult to maintain an overview. Not so with Lantek’s "Machine Connectivity" technology. It understands all machines, connects them into a network, and allows for coordinated control. The key tools for Machine Connectivity are Live WOS and the cloud-based Control Panel app.
To understand the significance of this for sheet metal fabrication, a quick look back is helpful. Originally, the nesting results from Lantek Expert CAD/CAM software were sent as CNC files to machines and printed on paper, allowing operators to have all the necessary information on parts and plates. Once processing was complete, the new status was recorded in the production management system through Lantek MES Workshop Manager. Then came Lantek MES WOS: installed on a computer or tablet at the machine, it displayed to operators the nesting plan assigned by the production manager, including all relevant details. After processing, the operator would update the status, which was then reported back to the system via the software.
Machines Report Production Status Themselves
With the Machine Connectivity technology, Lantek takes automation a step further. Now, MES Live WOS can monitor the activities of all machines in the workshop. The integration mechanism allows the machines to report their production status automatically. Once Lantek MES Live WOS is activated, the control buttons "Play," "Pause," and "Stop" are disabled because the software takes over the task of reporting job completion, including feedback to the production management system (Lantek MES Manager) once a job is finished.
"Machine Connectivity is a signal converter that reads the control states of machines, interprets them, and transforms them into measurable information," explains Lukasz Marks, Product Manager of Lantek MES. "Ideally, the machine interface uses the standardized OPC-UA format, meaning it conforms to the unified Open Platform Communications standard, or we find another way for Live WOS to interpret its signals."
The full benefits of Machine Connectivity become apparent with the Lantek Control Panel app. This cloud-based application runs on the Lantek 360 software platform. In real-time and via the cloud, it receives data from all machines involved in the cutting process through Lantek Live WOS, presenting the information in a clear and organized manner on a desktop PC or mobile device, such as a tablet. "On the Control Panel interface, I can see the live status of all machines, which nesting plans are currently being processed, and not just a long list of CNC codes," explains Marks. "I can also jump into the tile of the next nesting plan and see which job the machine is scheduled to work on next."
MES Live WOS and Control Panel for Comprehensive Oversight
The display shows a detailed visualization of all machine information in real-time, including the current status of every machine, their workload, and available capacity across the entire workshop. It also displays warnings or operational changes, enabling users to respond quickly in case of issues, avoid errors and cost overruns, and redirect jobs to other machines if one is down.
Using Machine Connectivity, Lantek MES Live WOS and Lantek Control Panel provide managers with a comprehensive overview of everything happening in the workshop, no matter where they are. This allows for effective monitoring and control of cutting processes, optimizing machine capacity utilization, and improving decision-making based on reliable real-time data.
Lantek’s Control Panel demonstrates the benefits of Machine Connectivity technology: the app receives real-time data from all machines via Lantek Live WOS and presents them in clear, easy-to-read formats.
Thanks to Lantek MES Live WOS, activity monitoring of all machines in the workshop is possible through the Lantek Control Panel.
