FANUC Provides the Missing Link at ZPM

Task

With its workload increasing, it was clear that ZPM needed to introduce a fully scalable, out-of-the-box production monitoring solution. However, the large number of machines and systems from different manufacturers at the company’s production facility in Germany, made it important to select a system that could provide brand-agnostic compatibility. 

Solution

ZPM opted for MT-LINK𝑖 from FANUC, a system that can connect with machine tools, robots and PLCs from different vendors. MT-LINK𝑖 monitors and visualises data, while also providing the ability to communicate with an upper host system such as MES (manufacturing execution system). No special hardware is necessary, and set-up is quick and easy. 

Result

With MT-LINK𝑖, ZPM is not only able to monitor machine downtime and break times, it can also control set-up time, and display and document tool life and other parameters more precisely. To provide an example of direct gains available, ZPM has seen its machine utilisation improve from 80% to over 90%. 

ZPM has a FANUC ROBODRILL machining centre and six FANUC industrial robots on site, alongside a myriad of machines and technologies from other suppliers. FANUC’s MT-LINK𝑖 helps ZPM to increase its machine and robot utilisation, support the company’s vertically integrated production strategy, and map its throughput more accurately. 

"System monitoring and control really helps with the variety of information that MT-LINK𝑖 makes available. It means we can continue improving, which of course leads to cost optimisation."