MTConnect

Last updated
MTConnect
MTConnect Logo.jpg
Year created:2008
Created by: AMT, UCB, GT
Governing Body:MTConnect Institute
Website: mtconnect.org

MTConnect is a manufacturing technical standard to retrieve process information from numerically controlled machine tools. As explained by a member of the team that developed it, [1] "This standard specifies the open-source, royalty-free communications protocol based on XML and HTTP Internet technology for real-time data sharing between shopfloor equipment such as machine tools and computer systems. MTConnect provides a common vocabulary with standardized definitions for the meaning of data that machine tools generate, making the data interpretable by software applications." [1] A simple, real-world example of how this tool is used to improve shop management is given by the same author. [1]

Contents

History

The initiative began as a result of lectures given by David Edstrom of Sun Microsystems and David Patterson, professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) at the 2006 annual meeting of the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT). [2] The two lectures promoted an open communication standard to enable Internet connectivity to manufacturing equipment. [3] Initial development was carried out by a joint effort between the UCB Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) department, the UCB Mechanical Engineering (ME) department (both in the College of Engineering) and the Georgia Institute of Technology, [4] using input from industry representatives. The resulting standard is available under royalty-free licensing terms. [5]

Description

MTConnect is a protocol designed for the exchange of data between shop floor equipment and software applications used for monitoring and data analysis. MTConnect is referred to as a read-only standard, meaning that it only defines the extraction (reading) of data from control devices, not the writing of data to a control device. Freely available, open standards are used for all aspects of MTConnect. Data from shop floor devices is presented in XML format, and is retrieved from information providers, called Agents, using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) as the underlying transport protocol. MTConnect provides a RESTful interface, which means the interface is stateless. No session must be established to retrieve data from an MTConnect Agent, and no logon or logoff sequence is required (unless overlying security protocols are added which do). Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is recommended for discovery services.

Version 1.0 was released in December 2008. [6]

The first public demonstration of MTConnect occurred at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) held in Chicago, Illinois September 2008. [7] There, 25 industrial equipment manufacturers networked their machinery control systems, providing process information that could be retrieved from any web-enabled client connected to the network. [8]

Subsequent demonstrations occurred at EMO (the European machine tool show) in Milan, Italy in October 2009, [9] and the 2010 IMTS in Chicago. [10]

Standard

The MTConnect standard has three sections. The first section provides information on the protocol and structure of the XML documents via XML schemas. The second section specifies the machine tool components and the description of the available data. The third and last section specifies the organization of the data streams that can be provided from a manufacturing device. The MTConnect Institute is considering adding a fourth section to support mobile assets that include tools and work-holdings. [11]

MTConnect took an incremental approach to defining the requirements for manufacturing device communications. It did not exhaustively define every possible piece of data an application can collect from a manufacturing device, but it works forward from business and research objectives to define the required elements to meet those needs. The standard catalogued important components and data items for metal cutting devices. MTConnect provides an extensible XML schema to allow implementors to add custom data to meet their specific needs, while providing as much commonality as possible.

On September 16, 2010, The MTConnect Institute and the OPC Foundation announced cooperation between the respective organizations. [12]

Applications

CPS for Manufacturing.png

The maintenance cost and losses in productivity with unplanned downtime for machine tool components such as spindle bearings and ball screws could be reduced if one could proactively take action prior to failure. In addition, cutting tools and inserts are expensive to replace when they are still in good condition, but replacing the tools too late can be costly due to scrap and re-work. The proposed health monitoring application will use MTConnect to extract controller data and pattern recognition algorithms to assess the health condition of the spindle and machine tool axes. The health assessment approach is based on running a routine program each shift in which the most recent data patterns are compared to the baseline data patterns. An online tool condition monitoring module is also proposed and uses controller data such as the spindle motor current, with other add on sensors (vibration, acoustic emission) to accurately estimate and predict tool wear. With the added transparency of the machine tool health information, one can take proactive actions before significant downtime or productivity losses occur.

Related Research Articles

SCADA is a control system architecture comprising computers, networked data communications and graphical user interfaces for high-level supervision of machines and processes. It also covers sensors and other devices, such as programmable logic controllers, which interface with process plant or machinery.

The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards is a nonprofit consortium that works on the development, convergence, and adoption of open standards for cybersecurity, blockchain, Internet of things (IoT), emergency management, cloud computing, legal data exchange, energy, content technologies, and other areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Numerical control</span> Computer control of machine tools

In machining, numerical control, also called computer numerical control (CNC), is the automated control of tools by means of a computer. It is used to operate tools such as drills, lathes, mills, grinders, routers and 3D printers. CNC transforms a piece of material into a specified shape by following coded programmed instructions and without a manual operator directly controlling the machining operation.

Open Platform Communications (OPC) is a series of standards and specifications for industrial telecommunication. They are based on Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for process control. An industrial automation task force developed the original standard in 1996 under the name OLE for Process Control. OPC specifies the communication of real-time plant data between control devices from different manufacturers.

The OPC Foundation is an industry consortium that creates and maintains standards for open connectivity of industrial automation devices and systems, such as industrial control systems and process control generally. The OPC standards specify the communication of industrial process data, alarms and events, historical data and batch process data between sensors, instruments, controllers, software systems, and notification devices.

Direct numerical control (DNC), also known as distributed numerical control, is a common manufacturing term for networking CNC machine tools. On some CNC machine controllers, the available memory is too small to contain the machining program, so in this case the program is stored in a separate computer and sent directly to the machine, one block at a time. If the computer is connected to a number of machines it can distribute programs to different machines as required. Usually, the manufacturer of the control provides suitable DNC software. However, if this provision is not possible, some software companies provide DNC applications that fulfill the purpose. DNC networking or DNC communication is always required when CAM programs are to run on some CNC machine control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Profinet</span> Computer network protocol

Profinet is an industry technical standard for data communication over Industrial Ethernet, designed for collecting data from, and controlling equipment in industrial systems, with a particular strength in delivering data under tight time constraints. The standard is maintained and supported by Profibus and Profinet International, an umbrella organization headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany.

The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) is a trade association based in McLean, Virginia, in the United States. It was founded as the National Machine Tool Builders' Association (NMTBA) in 1902. It represents and promotes the interests of American providers of manufacturing machinery and equipment.

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OPC Unified Architecture is a cross-platform, open-source, IEC62541 standard for data exchange from sensors to cloud applications developed by the OPC Foundation. Distinguishing characteristics are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer appliance</span> Dedicated computer system

A computer appliance is a computer system with a combination of hardware, software, or firmware that is specifically designed to provide a particular computing resource. Such devices became known as appliances because of the similarity in role or management to a home appliance, which are generally closed and sealed, and are not serviceable by the user or owner. The hardware and software are delivered as an integrated product and may even be pre-configured before delivery to a customer, to provide a turn-key solution for a particular application. Unlike general purpose computers, appliances are generally not designed to allow the customers to change the software and the underlying operating system, or to flexibly reconfigure the hardware.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">GigE Vision</span> Video interface protocol over Ethernet cables

GigE Vision is an interface standard introduced in 2006 for high-performance industrial cameras. It provides a framework for transmitting high-speed video and related control data over Ethernet networks. The distribution of software or development, manufacture or sale of hardware that implement the standard, require the payment of annual licensing fees. The standard was initiated by a group of 12 companies, and the committee has since grown to include more than 50 members. The 12 founding members were: Adimec, Atmel, Basler AG, CyberOptics, Teledyne DALSA, JAI A/S, JAI PULNiX, Matrox, National Instruments, Photonfocus, Pleora Technologies and Stemmer Imaging. The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) oversees the ongoing development and administration of the standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STEP-NC</span> Machine tool control language

STEP-NC is a machine tool control language that extends the ISO 10303 STEP standards with the machining model in ISO 14649, adding geometric dimension and tolerance data for inspection, and the STEP PDM model for integration into the wider enterprise. The combined result has been standardized as ISO 10303-238.

Manufacturing execution systems (MES) are computerized systems used in manufacturing to track and document the transformation of raw materials to finished goods. MES provides information that helps manufacturing decision-makers understand how current conditions on the plant floor can be optimized to improve production output. MES works as real-time monitoring system to enable the control of multiple elements of the production process.

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The industrial internet of things (IIoT) refers to interconnected sensors, instruments, and other devices networked together with computers' industrial applications, including manufacturing and energy management. This connectivity allows for data collection, exchange, and analysis, potentially facilitating improvements in productivity and efficiency as well as other economic benefits. The IIoT is an evolution of a distributed control system (DCS) that allows for a higher degree of automation by using cloud computing to refine and optimize the process controls.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Copeland, Tom (July 30, 2021), "Machine Tool Data Analysis Identifies Effective Setup Tactics", Modern Machine Shop, retrieved July 30, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Sun Microsystems Champions Open Standards to Usher in a New Era in Manufacturing". Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  3. ↑ "AMT's 2006 Annual Meeting: Manufacturing in the Internet Age" (PDF). Convention program. AMT. October 25, 2006. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Article from Production Machining: Computer Standard To Streamline Shops" . Retrieved 2009-12-18.
  5. ↑ "Article from American Machinist: MTConnect in your Future" . Retrieved 2009-12-18.
  6. ↑ "MTConnect Newsletter January 20, 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 27, 2011. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  7. ↑ "ThomasNet: IMTS 2008: The "Rosetta Stone" of Interoperability and More" . Retrieved 2009-12-18.
  8. ↑ "MTConnect Newsletter October 7, 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 27, 2011. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
  9. ↑ "A View From EMO Milan". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2009-12-18.
  10. ↑ "MTConnect at the Show". Archived from the original on 2011-06-25. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  11. ↑ "MTConnect Standard". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27.
  12. ↑ "OPC Foundation and MTConnect Institute Announce a Memorandum of Understanding". OPC Foundation. 2010-10-21. Archived from the original on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
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