Integrated Manufacturing System Showcases Smart Automation for Mold Builders

ANCA brings its Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS), an Industry 4.0 factory-wide integration solution for considering the factory as a single machine rather than separate workflows. AIMS is said to streamline the entire tool manufacturing process and complementary technologies.

The clear benefit of the AIMS for tool manufacturers, ANCA notes, is consistently high-quality tool production that can operate around the clock without reliance on skilled labor across shifts. For mold builders, access to required end mills of various geometries and other cutting tools becomes more flexible and responsive and the tools are of consistently high quality — a factor crucial to this industry.

With AIMS, ANCA is also responding to common challenges in safety and production efficiencies, automation of simple, repeatable tasks and generally improves overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Integration with ERP systems to streamline workflows is also one of the important AIMS features.

The principles of the AIMS system are flexibility and modularity. As AIMS is a suite or ecosystem of interconnected building blocks, each system can be tailored to an individual customer’s needs. It can scale from a purely software-based monitoring solution to a fully automated manufacturing cell, according to the company. 

An interactive and fully operating AIMS cell is on display at IMTS 2022. The demo showcases the main modules of the AIMS system including an AutoSet job preparation station, AutoLine for pallet and tool transfer, as well as AutoFetch — a robot responsible for material transfer between processes — pallet and individual tools between job preparation, grinding and tool measurement on a Zoller Genius measuring machine. Visitors will also be able to see management of data flow for the AIMS cell with the AIMS Server (a software suite developed by ANCA) and learn how to start building AIMS capability with a simplified, ergonomic solution for pallet transfer between processes or automated laser marking with AutoMarkX.