3YOURMIND, a provider of software solutions for additive manufacturing, has launched a full version of its Agile Manufacturing Execution System (MES). At the AMUG (Additive Manufacturing Users Group) conference in Chicago, the company showed the applications and streamlined production workflows they have provided to early users.
The software is intended to add efficiency to the production floor with smart part prioritization, custom additive manufacturing (AM) workflow creation, rapid scheduling and rescheduling, and tracking by order, part and unit.
After five years of working with select companies to provide order management systems to scale, 3YOURMIND is now extending its solutions to the production floor. The company used an Early Access Program to solicit direct feedback from AM power users to solve concrete problems without long feedback cycles. The participants included representatives from the AM value chain, including Voestalpine, Eckhart, EOS and Tenco.
Alignment on Data-Driven Automation Features
All participants connected around the vision of data-driven production floor automation, according to the company. The Agile MES Early Access Program offered core features out-of-the-box; based on previous customer requests. Those included smart part prioritization, schedule overview of production resources and the ability to create custom AM workflows that match the specific processes in each AM service bureau.
To determine their next steps, the customers and product team evaluated the existing features and rated the potential benefit of adding different functions against the development time. They determined that linking and tracking custom workflows all the way through the post-processing value chain had the highest priority. The “part hand-off” throughout production floor had the highest error-rate and added the most complexity to manage. Having clear tracking documentation also provided the most value for adding quality control downstream.
In the first two months, 3YOURMIND says participants improved scheduling accuracy, time estimations and worked on smart rescheduling recommendations that balance order deadlines, material selection and machine capacity. The improvement in quality and tracking was immediately visible, according to the company. An additional benefit for repeated orders, all 3D files, part requirements and communication between the users and production engineers and final workflow selections were stored in a single, digital production inventory.
The next focus for the development will be machine connectivity that includes documentation of production parameters and a software evaluation of that data for quality assurance.
Pushing Towards Agile Manufacturing
The company says Agile MES enables additive manufacturing facilities to benefit from digital production planning and software driven workflows to improve efficiency and machine utilization. The next focus will be finalizing machine connectivity.
To learn more about the 3YOURMIND MES for Additive Manufacturing, click here.
Watch the 3YOURMIND introductory video.
Read how 3YOURMIND brings Agile Scheduling to additive manufacturing processes.
See why DE’s Editors selected the 3YOURMIND MES as their Pick of the Week.
Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.
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