A DNC software user's hands are seen on the keyboard with an Error messages that says "Please contact support."A DNC Software Backup Plan for Shop Floor Power Outages

As a shop floor owner, you have plans. Aside from quotas, managing employees and estimated revenue, you also need to account for your livelihood, which would be your machines. Since one item can be dependent of another, power supply, network data, and DNC Software are all crucial factors to keep machines going.

When you run a manufacturing plant, you know that uptime is critical, so having a secondary plan is a must.  What will you do if the power goes out? You’ll deploy your backup generators.  If your network data gets corrupted, you have backup data you can restore.

But what happens when your DNC goes down?

Imagine you are running a shop with one of our Wireless DNC systems. Everything is going smoothly, as usual. Then, the IT person changes around the Wireless Network in the office without proper authority. Your system then takes a nosedive because of this one action.

A great solution? Our Portable USB Connect device can connect to the RS232 port on your machine for a temporary way to get files into the machine, so even if the Wi-Fi goes out or there are related issues, you still have a backup plan.

Contact our sales team or tweet us at @SFA_inc if you want more info on how to avoid the nightmare scenario we mentioned above.

workshops for warriors Workshops for Warriors Visit

Every day, younger workers find the manufacturing industry. Organization Workshops for Warriors (WFW) is also guiding deserving veterans to fill these crucial jobs.

In June of 2016, Shop Floor Automations got to attend an amazing open house. WFW prides itself on assisting soldiers who come home – especially those wounded, with physical limitations or with PTSD.

Check out a student testimonial from Workshops for Warriors 

The event drew a sizable crowd who met in the main office. Hernán Luis y Prado, the founder of the program, was all smiles upon meeting everyone for a facility tour.

“It’s great to love our veterans,” Hernán said during the tour. “But love alone doesn’t get our vets these jobs.”

Hernán definitely means business when it comes to helping out his fellow veterans. Having served in the Navy, he saw firsthand that transitioning from serving in the military to civilian life was a struggle.

The current WFW center has a large workstation of computers, $6 Million worth of equipment donations (from Haas and Reliance Steel & Aluminum), and various other equipment. Hernan says WFW is truly “the school that America built,” as Hernán puts it. Read more below!

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Shop Floor Automations NewsletterThis is an archive of our May/June 2016 Shop Floor Automations Newsletter.

New Pricing for Floppy Drive Emulators

Do you have machines that are still running with floppy drives?
Our Floppy Drive Emulator is the perfect solution to keep older machines
running with USB devices rather than outdated floppy disks. This device works
on numerous controls and we have an amazing support team to help you over the phone.

The great news is that if you have Haas CNC Machines, the Floppy Emulator is Plug & Play –
you can just order it online and you’re good to go!

Call us to determine what other CNC’s
we can help you with. We’re always happy to hear from you.

“Lights-Out” Manufacturing Through Automation

In many parts of the country, electricity prices are continually rising.
Power providers are charging lower rates to customers who use the majority of their energy
during off-peak hours. By utilizing lights-out manufacturing, machine shops can run during
off-peak hours and save on power bills.

Our solutions such as Predator MDC Software
or Scytec DataXchange can automate processes and allow for lights-out production to become
a reality on your shop floor.

DataXchange Pays for Itself

Decrease downtime by knowing exactly what your machines are doing at all times of the day.

Scytec DataXchange can easily increase uptime by more than 30 minutes per machine, per day! This increase in productivity means the software will typically pay for itself within the first few days of the month.

Imagine the potential savings of knowing when a machine is sitting in
a feed hold, running at a lower feed rate, or if a program stops
altogether. Production will be at an all-time high and the benefits can be substantial.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION –
Toll Free: (877) 611-5825
LINK TO ORIGINAL NEWSLETTER HERE

Lights-Out Manufacturing Saves Money

Disturbed by your machine shop electricity bills? You are likely not imagining things if you feel like they’re just getting higher. Lights-out manufacturing may help ease this stress.

Lights Out ManufacturingAccording to Philip Moeller of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, this is a trend we won’t be able to shake off in coming years. “We are now in an era of rising electricity prices,” he said in this article, attributing the growth to modern consumption. “If you take enough supply out of the system, the price is going to increase.”

While some companies try to turn to solar or wind power for energy alternatives, many shops choose to remain on a more reliable power source, which puts them at the mercy of power companies. Especially for shops that are located in California, the same state Shop Floor Automations has its main office, there is an estimated 47 percent jump in electric prices for our state within the next 14 years!

According to the US Energy Administration, the commercial and industrial sections take up more than half of the electricity consumption rates in America. Average prices of 6.89 cents to 10.59 cents per kilowatthour means your bill will add up quick. Is there any way the manufacturing industry can save money on power? Read more below or keep scrolling for the rest of the story.

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