MTConnect in the Market
MTConnect creates new options for both OEMs and end users. In a free market, they can decide for themselves which options are the most worthwhile.
The decision to adopt MTConnect is entirely dependent on perceived market-driven demand.
At 2010 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), 22 companies took part in the MTConnect demonstration at the Emerging Technology Center. They showed how this communications standard facilitated the sharing of data between manufacturing equipment and useful software applications. Despite the success of this demo, I detected a lingering concern among some suppliers that MTConnect will diminish the value of their existing commercial products and take away sales. As is, MTConnect simply specifies a neutral, Internet-friendly format for the data generated by CNC machines and related equipment. This format makes the data “easier to get at” so it can be shared and used in applications, such as machine monitoring and integrated automation.
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