Home / Flexible Automation for Global Competition

Flexible Automation for Global Competition

The MMC2 flexible manufacturing system from Makino helps shops reduce costs, increase throughput and improve quality while adapting quickly to a constantly shifting production schedule.

Posted: May 24, 2013

The automated material handling system links Makino horizontal machining centers, pallet loaders and operators by using a servo-controlled, rail-guided vehicle to transport material to and from machines, with little, if any, operator intervention.
(Click on top two photos to enlarge them)

State-of-the-art cell control software manages and schedules production orders for each part defined and lets the operator set a production start date and due date. Work can be scheduled dynamically using priorities set for pallets, process sequences and production orders as well as multiple other methods. System priorities can be easily reassigned to meet changes in schedule or demand.
(Photo courtesy of KrisDee & Associates, Inc.; click on photo to enlarge it)

This flexible manufacturing system helps shops reduce costs, increase throughput and improve quality while adapting quickly to a constantly shifting production schedule.

In order to compete in today’s global economy, manufacturers face fierce pressures to reduce costs and increase throughput while enhancing the quality of the parts they produce. The Makino Machining Complex (MMC2) flexible manufacturing system is designed to help shops meet these demands while enabling the flexibility to adapt quickly to a constantly shifting production schedule.

Built by Makino (Mason, OH), the MMC2 is a modular, automated material handling system that links the company’s horizontal machining centers, pallet loaders and operators. A servo-controlled, rail-guided vehicle (RGV) transports material to and from machines, with little, if any, operator intervention.

Each system is completely flexible and can be designed to fit a manufacturer’s facility using standard components. This modular flexibility in layout design allows for ease of future expansion.

Users of the MMC2 frequently report spindle utilization rates of up to 95 percent, leading to dramatic increases in production without adding staff or equipment. The MMC2 system permits users to virtually eliminate part setup time, reducing non-value-added time in their machining operations. By providing a constant flow of parts to the machining centers, the system can run for extended periods unattended, including overnight and on weekends.

CONSTRUCTION AND PART HANDLING
The overall system is designed and constructed to be as robust and reliable as the machining centers that it automates. The system’s RGV is supported by a floor rail and upper-guide rail for enhanced stability and simultaneous, high-speed movement. Data from the RGV controller is transferred via optical communications for instantaneous commands while an overhead bus bar provides a safe and reliable power supply.

The work-setting stations (WSS) provide easy access for operators to load and unload parts either by hand or crane. The WSS features 180 deg pivoting doors to save space and prevent a cluttered work area. The MMC2 can also be equipped with optional workpiece washing guns, tilting WSS and automatic doors.

The system’s pallet stockers can be customized to manufacturers’ production demands, including capacity and pallet dimensions depending on the size of the applicable machining centers utilized in the cell. The pallet stocker can be built with one, two or three levels for high-volume production requirements. Larger pallet loads may be limited to two levels.