A close look at the shop floor reveals that the drive for end-to-end digitalisation seems to be much stronger there than in the office or in development. This comes as no surprise, as the pursuit of end-to-end process design has a long tradition in manufacturing. It is the answer to the skills shortage and serves to counter cost pressures through increased efficiency.

BERG Spanntechnik from Bielefeld had decided to introduce a digital process network with a central COSCOM data platform, with the aim of linking its isolated IT solutions in production into a powerful whole. All production information is now clearly presented on a single user interface, where data from various applications – including the Esprit Edge CAD/CAM system and the tool presetting device from neighbouring company HAIMER – is summarised at a glance or with a single click, tailored to the task at hand. On-site visualisation of production data is provided via COSCOM InfoPOINT terminals located in the immediate vicinity of the turning and milling machining centres.

Reliable, innovative pallet clamping

BERG is renowned for its low-profile clamping heads and zero-point clamping systems. These are designed as an interface between the machine table and the pallet, making them particularly suitable for automated pallet changing. The aim of these designs is always to generate high holding force with minimal applied force. The company specialises in the design and high-precision manufacture of modular clamping systems for all standard interfaces in gear and motor spindles.

Another component of the product portfolio is rotary unions for the transfer of media such as cooling lubricants, air or hydraulic oils. BERG’s machine park comprises a total of 18 turning and milling centres and grinding machines, some of which are operated in two shifts by a workforce of over 30.

A modern building complex houses a total of 5,000 m² of production space. It is worth mentioning that the company is particularly proud of the tight manufacturing tolerances of ±1 µm for each set of four zero-point clamping systems manufactured together – that’s a feat few others can match!

BERG Spanntechnik designs and manufactures modular clamping systems for forming and machining centres, which are used at a wide variety of stationary and rotating interfaces. The entire machine tool industry sources its supplies from this leading company.

At the forefront – including in digitalisation

The installation of the COSCOM ECO-System was a major step for BERG. The DNC service previously used from DLoG could no longer be installed following the switch to modern computer and IT systems. Support had been discontinued after the supplier was taken over by a larger company. The tool management system previously in use was also causing problems. A mandatory tool management upgrade from the manufacturer would have cost about the same as buying a new system.

“Our experience meant we had no choice but to look for alternatives! That’s when we came across the possibilities offered by satellite connections with a central platform, or rather the modular solution from COSCOM Computer in Ebersberg near Munich. We quickly realised how far this would take us. And COSCOM’s promise of long-term support proved to us once again that we had made exactly the right decision,” recalls Oliver Oberkoch (CAM programming/production planning). Together with Dirk Deppe (mechanical production foreman), he has been overseeing the COSCOM implementation ever since. Dirk Deppe adds: “We knew we were embarking on a new, longer journey towards digitalisation and that we had a lot of work ahead of us. But we were glad to know that we would only have to deal with a single point of contact.”

After all, data had to be reconciled internally and interface issues clarified with the suppliers already working with the company. “It would have been really difficult for us to manage that on our own,” recalls the mechanical production foreman. Ingo Kolberg, Senior Sales Manager at COSCOM, also looks back on that time: “On our advice, BERG did not simply want to replace their tool management system with another one. After all, we had put forward the argument that it would be a huge advantage to use future-proof processes and data – such as production information, the machine fleet, NC programmes, tool management and production-relevant ERP information – in a controlled manner via a central data platform. Our focus was on the complete item reference for the production order, from the NC programme right through to machining – in other words, the entire process chain.” And what was promised was delivered: “Everything has now been resolved perfectly. For any given item, all relevant process information is displayed centrally in a single digital production data sheet,” says Oliver Oberkoch enthusiastically.

Everything revolves around the central COSCOM ECO-System

COSCOM’s new process network connects the in-house system landscape with its ‘satellites’ on the shop floor. The central data hub is COSCOM’s FactoryDIRECTOR VM (Virtual Machining), in which all production information is stored in a structured manner. This includes product master and work plan data from the ERP system. BERG uses APplus as its leading ERP system. All data and information generated on the shop floor is now assigned in the central database to the versioned production item and the specific work sequence (operation) of the work plan. FactoryDIRECTOR VM also serves as the operational hub for the integrated application systems, such as the ESPRIT Edge CAD/CAM system, the virtual machines, the turning-milling machining centres and the HAIMER tool presetter. The visualisation of production data takes place at the point of interest via InfoPOINT VM directly on the machine tools.

Working together at one table

The integration of the satellite systems was no walk in the park. Rather, it required active management – incidentally, a core competence COSCOM has developed over many years. “To ensure that all systems work together in a coordinated manner, many interests must be aligned and consolidated,” explains Ingo Kolberg. A powerful team comprises the internal project management and shop floor users at BERG, as well as system providers such as APplus, Pimpel (ESPRIT CAD/CAM system) and HAIMER Microset (HAIMER tool presetting device). Taking the lead in process integration is very important, because “whilst many system providers want to sell their tools, they do not employ their own process integrators,” notes the COSCOM employee.

Many satisfied customers and integration partners are proof, built up over the years, that COSCOM has earned its spurs as a “conductor”. “Renowned system, tool and machine suppliers are now asking us how they should make their data available so that it can be used optimally for shop floor digitalisation. We use modern REST services and other modern communication channels during integration to effectively integrate these systems,” emphasises Ingo Kolberg. The Ebersberg-based company now maintains an intensive dialogue not only with CAD/CAM suppliers: “They have their interfaces certified by us. However, when talking to the customer, we don’t discuss interfaces, but rather the benefits of the new process integration in achieving the defined digitalisation goals,” clarifies the long-standing employee.

For BERG, the integration offers the advantage of optimising set-up times by creating digital twins of the tools. The aim is to increase tool reuse by knowing in which CNC programme the tool has already been used for another item. It is possible to communicate with ToolDIRECTOR VM directly from the CAM programme to swap tools if necessary.

Further highlights of the COSCOM ECO-System include new possibilities within the intelligent process network, e.g. using the CAM system to carry out a bidirectional exchange of information ‘backwards’ if the tools have been changed in the CNC programme that has already run.

The integration efforts are also bearing fruit in other areas: the ESPRIT CAD/CAM system can be launched directly from the COSCOM ECO-System with the manufacturing information etc. When the CAM system is closed, all tools used during the programming process are automatically documented and stored transparently. This is a matter of configuring the COSCOM ECO-System, the use of which BERG is currently expanding and integrating further. It requires a high level of expertise to transform tool data into a process-ready digital twin. And this must be demonstrated time and again, because the interfaces of the integration partners change from time to time. COSCOM therefore provides professional project management for process integration. The COSCOM office in Dortmund also has a highly qualified integration team.

Everything neat and tidy

Shop floor digitalisation is making remarkable progress at BERG. More than 5,000 items have now been created, with around 15,000 CNC programmes and more than 1,000 digital twins of tools available. “Due to the lack of an overview, we used to create duplicate tools, for example by managing the same tool via two different master data records,” recalls Dirk Deppe. That no longer happens. The use of the name generator within the COSCOM ECO-System also ensures clarity. This mechanism automatically increments the designations of the tools/names. These references are to be transferred to the ERP system at a later stage and stored there in tables. There’s no doubt about it: things are moving at lightning speed. Another example: COSCOM was recently updated, and the current interface to APplus has now been released. The team responsible for the ERP system will subsequently put this through its paces and implement it.

Cost optimisation in tool usage

The data flow from the ERP system to the COSCOM ECO system is already working perfectly. “However, we still need to check whether the data flow back is correct too, because much more shop floor-relevant data can be created in COSCOM than is possible in the ERP,” explains Oliver Oberkoch. Ultimately, additional data should be able to be transferred to APplus via COSCOM’s warehouse functionality, which is yet to be implemented.

The COSCOM warehouse modules, complementing ToolDIRECTOR VM, enable direct communication. Tracking the storage location and inventory management of tool components and complete tools, identifying potential missing parts and thereby increasing availability, makes tool logistics consistently transparent.

The connection to the process-managing ERP system completes the tool logistics process. Ingo Kolberg explains: “ToolDIRECTOR VM features a comprehensive usage history. This function allows you to see in which items, in which CAM/NC programmes, with which tool components, on which machine, etc., specific tools were used for production. This reveals which lists of top-performing and underperforming tools were used and with what results. The insights gained from this end-to-end process expertise can be utilised economically in the future, for example in conjunction with the ERP system. This enables detailed analyses to be carried out regarding consumption, procurement and actual cost evaluations!”

High acceptance among production staff

Oliver Oberkoch praises what has been achieved so far: “All activities are consolidated in a single user interface. Staff no longer have to search for information across five different systems. This has minimised the training effort.” Initially, there were reservations among production staff regarding the new working environment, but these have given way to widespread acceptance. The reason: “The operators have realised that the COSCOM system is really good – in fact, it’s even better than what we used to do. ‘Linked’ information can also be stored in the info sheet or used for shift handover, e.g. problems that have occurred repeatedly when calling up a CAM programme,” says Oliver Oberkoch.

At a glance – The COSCOM ECO-System at Berg & Co. GmbH Clamping Technology

The challenge:

• New tool management and DNC integration following the transition to a modern IT infrastructure
• A reliable digitalisation partner with years of experience
• Paperless information and graphical visualisation on-site at the machines
• Central database for production and tool information as well as
• tool presetting and set-up centre
• Error-free NC programme and audit-proof change management
• Integration of the process-leading ERP system APplus
• Standardisation of drawing and NC programme management
• Reliable design and reuse of processes
• Verification of NC programme productivity

The solution:

• No more communication via version-dependent, outdated interfaces with satellite systems and ERP systems, but via modern REST services
• ToolDIRECTOR VM for comprehensive new tool management processes,
• a more modular system concept to enhance digital readiness
• FactoryDIRECTOR VM as the central platform on the shop floor, implementation of an end-to-end digitalisation
• Single-source-of-truth approach and digital thread (integration of all
• satellite systems) on the shop floor
• On-site data visualisation with InfoPOINT VM directly at the NC machines
• Scalable, future-proof technology ecosystem including professional project management for system integration

The result:

• 100% error-free flow of information to the turning and milling machining centres
• and back again
• Consistent data provision; acceptance has delighted staff of all ages
• Set-up sheets accessible at the click of a mouse significantly speed up the creation of production documentation
• Via InfoPOINT VM, 100% up-to-date tool lists, clamping plans and NC programmes are accessible at the machines
• Opportunity for operators to provide feedback on their machining tasks
• Bidirectional integration with the APplus ERP system sustainably enhances
• information quality on the business side
• Multiple setups of the same tools are no longer possible
• Reduction in set-up and non-productive times
• End-to-end change tracking for error-free NC programmes

Source | COSCOM