Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has the potential to challenge conventional manufacturing technologies and reshape the future. Products resulting from this manufacturing technology in most cases require post-processing for the purpose of cleaning, surface finishing and coloring. The specialists for such finishing systems in industrial polymer 3D printing are the team of the Munich-based technology company DyeMansion, which has established itself as a global market leader in just five years. With their technology, the Munich-based company will soon make the factory of the future a reality with fully automated, integrated 3D printing process chains. IoT-ready systems integrate seamlessly into existing production processes, whether it’s perfectly fitting eyewear or personalized automotive interiors. In close cooperation with its customers, DyeMansion continuously develops both its products and its know-how with the market. For example, via an app through which customers can easily monitor and track their data, and DyeMansion, on the other hand, can use this information to offer an even better service. The ability to offer flexible solutions for both small batches and industrial series production makes DyeMansion a strong partner for customers with production facilities of the future.
The challenge: Obtaining process data in real time
3D printing technology is very innovative, and many customers are developing their own processes. This also applies to the post-process that takes place after the actual printing, because each material requires its own different finishing processes. This means that the customer must keep track of the entire 3D printing process, from manufacturing to finishing.
Here, DyeMansion supports its customers, for example, with a service team that takes care of technical issues and the handling of defects, etc., or with an Application Consulting Team. This takes care of procedures and applications of the machines, e.g. clarifying which parameters in a finishing process have to be adjusted in order to achieve a certain result. For this, customers often have to start a new test run in coordination with their manufacturer in order to have certain parameters recorded and to be able to identify the problem. Until now, this has led to complex processes that can cause inefficiencies and downtimes – also because a single machine operator usually operates several machines.
What was needed here was a solution that would provide the service team, the application consulting team and the customer with the necessary data at the right time. A challenge perfectly suited to codestryke‘s expertise!
The solution: IIoT for the NextGen machine builder
codestryke is a software company specializing in IoT for mechanical engineering. As a reliable partner, it supports industrial manufacturers with comprehensive IoT solutions and services starting with conception, through development, to operation. The codestryke team consists of developers, solutions architects, consultants and data scientists, and the software is used globally by over 50 customers on more than 4.5 million machines and devices. codestryke supports its customers in an advisory role and develops tailor-made solutions.
In the actual use case, codestryke’s own IoT connectivity called VergeLink forms the basis. As middleware, VergeLink collects the data from the controllers, pre-processes it and makes the data available not only to the cloud but also to production control systems such as ERP, MES, and SCADA via an OPC UA server.
At the same time, the data is made available on MindSphere, an IoT-as-a-Service solution from Siemens. MindSphere processes the operational data using advanced AI analytics, stores it, and makes it accessible to the DyeMansion customer in two ways using an app customized by codestryke:
- as real-time data of the currently running processes – mainly status messages and timeseries data are displayed; this can be used, for example, to monitor threshold values in order to trigger an alarm in case of deviations from target values
- as historical data of the already completed jobs and processes – here there are the corresponding KPI’s for every need, and these can also be configured and commented by the user
Likewise, internal processes can be displayed and optimized using MindSphere’s on-board resources, enabling the service team to respond more efficiently to customer inquiries and initiate measures when necessary.
The result: Efficient optimization for the entire process
The solution developed by codestryke transmits the data directly to Workflow Center – DyeMansion‘s app for customers. This can provide precise information on how the process can be optimized. The customer knows in detail at any time which machine is currently in which process phase.
The customer is thus enabled to work with perfectly configured processes and has complete transparency over operations. In case of deviations, they receive information immediately and can take appropriate steps.
Through this IoT solution, the customer is enabled to operate its machines efficiently and achieve maximum added value and a fast ROI.
In addition, DyeMansion Data Connect provides an interface (OPC UA) that enables the use of machine data in the customer’s own system and can thus work independently of the cloud solution.
The added customer value of the DyeMansion Workflow Center at a glance:
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY – Improved production operations and increased productivity through real-time KPI monitoring and data insights.
AUTOMATED TRACEABILITY – guaranteed traceability of production with run history
INCREASED OPERATING TIME – automatically notifies staff of problems, enabling faster troubleshooting.
MORE FLEXIBILITY – flexible working and monitoring through intuitive and browser-based app – independent of place and time
The added customer value of the DyeMansion Data Connect interface at a glance:
SIMPLE INTEGRATION– Easy and secure integration of the print-to-produce workflow into the digital factory environment.
FULL DATASET – deeper insights into the DyeMansion machines
HIGH COMPATIBILITY & FLEXIBILITY – open integration with MES/ERP systems
