Siemens is working with machine tool builder TRAK Machine Tools to allow manufacturers to program, simulate and validate CNC production before a new machine arrives, in an effort to shorten the time between installation and productive machining.
The initiative, called Meet at the Machine, brings together Siemens’ engineering software and automation technology with machine-builder expertise. Its first application is aimed at a familiar problem for manufacturers buying new equipment: production preparation often starts only once the machine has been installed.
Under the new approach, programming, simulation and virtual validation can take place while the machine is still being built. The intention is to have production processes prepared before the physical equipment is powered up, creating a digital workflow from engineering through to machining.
Siemens said the approach could reduce ramp-up time by up to 50%, although it did not provide details of the projects or measurements behind the figure.
“Manufacturing truth has always ultimately been at the machine,” said Mark Hindsbo, Head of Operations Software at Siemens. “By bringing together engineering software, automation hardware and machine expertise, we enable our customers and users to be productive faster, accelerate return on investment and reduce ramp-up time by up to 50 percent.”
The initiative is being developed with TRAK Machine Tools as its first machine-building partner. Siemens said the wider programme would allow it to work with machine builders on integrated solutions targeting specific manufacturing challenges.
For manufacturers, the immediate change is less about the introduction of another piece of software or automation hardware than when those tools are used. By moving programming and validation into the period before machine delivery, Siemens and TRAK are attempting to remove some of the delay between taking delivery of a machine and making the first production parts.
“When our customers invest in a new machine, their goal is to achieve productivity and business results as quickly as possible,” said Steve Pinto, president of TRAK Machine Tools. “Meet at the Machine creates a new model for collaboration focused on customer outcomes, and we are proud to be the first partner helping bring this vision to life.”
The initiative also reflects a broader push to connect engineering data with production rather than treating machine installation as the point at which manufacturing preparation begins. Siemens said the framework is intended to link engineering, programming, virtual validation and execution through a continuous digital thread.
The company plans to extend Meet at the Machine through further collaborations with machine builders, although it has not yet disclosed the next applications or partners.
