Remote monitoring of machines - Scout

The MES-type system allows remote monitoring of machine tool operations. It works with the most popular CNC controls on the market: Fanuc, Heidenhain, Siemens and Mitsubishi. It automatically provides reliable knowledge of the operation of every machine and operator in the company.

Remote access to the machine allows:

Real-time verification of the production status / program of the machine tool,
Easy data analysis and optimization of production work,
24/7 online access to machine information, including archived data,
Access to a clear description of possible errors, which reduces machine downtime,
Configuration of SMS and email alerts to reduce equipment failure rates.

Contact us via the contact form or email: kontakt@tbitech.pl to receive a 30-day free trial.

How does the Scout system work?

For CNC or PLC machines, Scout retrieves data via LAN, without electrical interference. From conventional machines, signals are taken via an I/O module.

Key features:

Real-time machine monitoring – provides actual machine data: work or idle, currently executed program, current speed, override value, any PLC data, etc.
Labor statistics – gives insight into machine productivity and how it has broken down over time. The data can be summed by any process parameter (e.g., machine status, program, etc.).
Timeline – allows you to conveniently and quickly see how the machines worked over a selected period of time.
Historical data – records all data received from machines and gives access to them in a convenient tabular view.
Reports – with reports (weekly or from a selected period), you can immediately see the most important statistics of working, idle and offline times of all machines in one place.
Desktop preview – allows you to view the desktop window of connected machines and informs you, among other things. About the period of inactivity of the machine and about possible errors – ALARM.
List of errors / alerts – provides a clear description of possible errors, which reduces machine downtime. It allows you to fix many faults on your own, without having to call for service.
Scheduling – determining assumed downtimes (e.g., due to holidays or maintenance), assigning employees to work shifts or work orders.
Notifications – the ability to define notifications (email) when any condition occurs while receiving data from machines.

Implementation of the system

The Scout system can be used as a cloud-based application (Software-as-a-Service) or on a client server.

SaaS (cloud access)

No need to maintain and administer IT resources
Interim payment
No or very low implementation costs
Access to the system possible from anywhere using secure HTTPS (SSL) protocol
Application always in the latest version.

On-premises (on the client’s server):

The data is completely in the possession of the customer.
One-time payment.
The client’s IT department fully controls application updates and server access.
Free trial period in the cloud.

Scout, and the type of control on a CNC machine

Data from the machines is received by Scout’s toolkit: Scout Configuration Tools (SCT). SCT is installed on a customer-designated server/PC located on the customer’s LAN. SCT receives data from the machines and forwards it to the Scout server, located either in the cloud or on the client’s server.

Scout software is compatible with many controls, m. in. Those on which TBI machines work. However, it is worth remembering that in order to take full advantage of the program’s capabilities, you need to have the appropriate options running in streaming:

Heidenhain

Required connection of the machine to the LAN.
TNC530 and older: required to enable TNCOpt or External Access on the machine.
TNC620/640: additionally required to enable option 18 – the customer must contact the machine manufacturer or Heidenhain.

Available data:

machine status: Execution mode (AUTOMATIC, MDI, MANUAL…), Program Status (STARTED, STOPPED…).
name (path) of the executed program
alerts (texts, numbers)
F, S + override speeds
tool number
if necessary, you can try to read other parameters of the machine

Siemens (840D SL, 828D)

Required connection of the machine to the LAN.
Required activation of the OPC UA: Access MyMachine / OPC UA (6FC5800-0AP67-0YB0) option in the list:
Select menu – Startup – Licenses – Overview.
Customer buys option from Siemens, cost: approx. 450 eur.
The option is not available for the 840D.

Available data: full set of data from NC and/or PLC issued by OPC UA, such as:

machine information (ID)
mode
program status
name, path to program
current tool
alarm
F speeds
ability to read practically any parameters from NC

Fanuc

Required connection of the machine to the LAN.
The parameter setting is required: System – Embed – Focas2 -Port Number TCP to the value 8193.

Available data (for one or more spindles):

machine ID number
machine status: Run, Aut, T/M Mode, Motion, MTSB….
Number of parts produced (part count based on M30)
alerts (texts, numbers)
name, number of the program being executed
tool number
F, S + override speeds
Additional parameters as needed: e.g. auto operation time (par. 6751), cutting time (par. 6753), one auto operation time (par. 6767) and others

Remote monitoring of machines – Scout