ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING is the magazine devoted to industrial applications of 3D printing and digital layering technology. We cover the promise and the challenges of this technology for making functional tooling and end-use production parts.
Issue link: https://am.epubxp.com/i/667993
TECH TRENDS CATEGORY: T Trends in Additive mtadditive.com 21 provided with MTConnect as an information model to applica- tions that use OPC UA as the standard network interface (see the illustration on the previous page). As production facilities become more inter-connected, intra-connected and remotely connected, there are some attri- butes that are a bit higher in priority than others. While there could be a healthy dialogue on which are the top three, certain- ly on most top-ten lists are: 1) discoverability, 2) plug-and-play capabilities, and 3) real-time diagnostics (and as a stretch goal, self-diagnostic, self-healing capabilities). The Standards Efect on Open Architecture In keeping with a list of three concepts, it could be said that there are three key reasons to consider standards: 1) increase a solution's adoption and expansion, 2) support scalability and interoperability, and 3) reduce non value-add eforts. So how does one build a solution that is scalable, extensible and reliable that meets today's demand without ignoring or pi- geon-holing a frm into an irrelevant, obsolete market ofering? In a word you could say standards. When talking with manufacturing technology frms, oftentimes customers are not using technology solutions due to the challenge presented in incorporating those solutions with existing infrastructure, devices or management systems. The frst two key reasons to consider standards are explicitly positioned to overcome such challenges. One of the best ways to increase adoption or expansion of your product or service is to embed scalability and interoperability within your interfaces. In most cases technologies that may interact with any other given technologies do so at an interface. These interfaces most commonly can be software-based (such as translators, codecs), hardware-based (cables, ports) or application-based (software, including server and client APIs). Without community, if not industry, consensus there would be no map or guidance to develop for the interoperability interfaces whether that interface is intended for the users (e.g. client API defnitions) or for other augmenting technology solutions. This is why standards are not only crucial, but a prerequisite for an open architecture-based solution. Now, the business reason of why standards are of consequence within open architecture is that the frm can apply its resources on its market diferentiating value-add components and non-value-add elements such as redundancy in product development which signifcantly impact time-to-market. Applications in Manufacturing Given the attention paid to advancing the state of manufacturing lately it may be benefcial to identify the high potential areas for applying open architecture strategy. Some of these areas are around: 1. Expanding device inter operability, 2. Increasing production visibility, 3. Dynamic scalability, and 4. Increasing functionality and tasking within machining centers. Device interoperability is especially efective when produc- tion requires multiple technologies to complete a workpiece. Further enabling machine-to-machine connectivity has the opportunity to drive productivity by becoming more automat- ed and improving real-time technology collaboration. Whenever standardized interfaces are present within open architectures the data structures and schema can be commonly defned, and thus can be more efcient in delivering shopfoor data. This provides a data-centric production environment that better enables optimized production life cycles, improved health monitoring and ultimately higher productivity. Another area open architecture impacts is that of enabling a platform to better support the dynamic scaling of capabilities and capacity. When manufacturing technologies have a more plug-and-play capability this allows efcient and efective means of including more (or diferent) capabilities as well as fexing to meet increased demand. Many integration challenges are in the language barriers alone, so a more open communica- tion interface from communication protocols, data dictionaries and other information models is necessary. Some manufacturing technologies have become a proving ground for successful open architecture strategies. Recent- ly, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies, the winner of the inaugural International Additive Manufacturing Award (IAMA) in 2015, demonstrated the beneft of relying on industrial stan- dards to keep a more open architecture available for customers to integrate their additive manufacturing capabilities into existing machining centers. Another example has been controller manufacturers like Power Automation/ImpactIQ, B&R; Automation and others who have provided more access to their APIs to better enable customization for their customers. Much more could be said about open architectures, but hopefully this sets the stage for improved internal discussions as to what architectures and standards should be required, implemented or otherwise supported. For more information about additive technologies, contact Tim Shinbara at tshinbara@AMTonline.org or 703-827-5243.