DMC Adopts Renishaw's Central Data Platform

The Digital Manufacturing Centre (DMC) will be the first business to officially adopt Renishaw’s new manufacturing connectivity and data platform, Renishaw Central, across its complete additive and subtractive manufacturing operations. The ongoing close collaboration between the two companies has evolved from Renishaw initially supplying the DMC with additive manufacturing (AM) equipment, then metrology solutions and now the digital platform.

The DMC is leveraging actionable data to deliver a step-change in manufacturing capability. Renishaw Central will play a crucial role and enable the DMC to embrace Industry 4.0 practices and principles. Renishaw Central will also allow the DMC’s engineers to further refine part design and processes with capabilities like predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI).

Renishaw Central’s automated data collection brings together information from across the process chain, including AM systems, on-machine measurements, shopfloor gauging and coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). It uses process, metrology and device information to provide a single, intricate view of a manufacturing facility's data, including visualization and reporting.

This data can then be used in applications for process automation or via Renishaw Central’s new application programming interface (API) to inform product lifecycle management (PLM) and design optimization, shopfloor monitoring systems and more advanced applications.

Through Renishaw Central, the DMC aims to further improve its production intelligence by using data from all available sources to provide superior control of upstream processes. With end-to-end data collected across a number of operations, cells and time periods, it provides all the necessary information to allow for true continuous improvement. By characterizing acceptable process trends and performance, the DMC hops to quickly predict, identify and correct errors and deviations.

With shorter feedback loops, Renishaw Central will allow the DMC to rapidly react and adjust its processes to increase machine utilisation and reduce waste. Equipped with actionable metrology data from throughout the process chain, the DMC’s design and process engineers will also be able to enhance product design, process performance and resulting part quality.

Headquartered in Silverstone Park, The DMC was created by engineering company KW Special Projects and made possible through significant investment from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP).