umati provides an opportunity for companies that want to embrace digitalisation and integrate new machines into their existing IT ecosystems with no difficulty. There have been no universal communication standards available for machine tools before now, so umati represents a big step forward. The ‘VDW initiative’ working group that planned the umati information model is offering the technology to the global market and we support that. 

Requests from our customers looking for improved shop floor IT integration confirm the urgent need for a data format that can connect systems across multiple machine tool manufacturers. Therefore, using the established communication standard OPC UA is a good move. It allows umati to interface with multiple machine tool vendors’ products and also adheres to the safety requirements for an Industry 4.0 solution. 

The fact that the umati information model offers a semantic self-description of the data; where meaning is assigned to the data, is also important. It’s an essential feature for the interoperability of machine tools. Using a standardised concept generally means less work for individual customer projects; thus, time can be saved, and resources optimised. As OPC UA is established in every industry sector the umati information model can be integrated into existing OPC UA servers. Allowing umati to deliver benefits to both machine builders and end users.  

umati will be showcased at the EMO Hannover show 2019, where visitors will experience the simplicity of the technology, linking machines and software systems from several manufacturers using one standard solution.

Being a solution partner for smart manufacturing Mitsubishi Electric supports this live demonstration. We will be connecting a machine using our M800 CNC controller and several Mitsubishi Electric Electrical Discharge Machines (EDMs) using an OPC UA server. This solution will demonstrate the full umati data model, including the effective safety mechanisms for data integrity.

Following the EMO Hannover 2019 motto: “Smart technologies driving tomorrow’s production“, we are confident that the umati demonstration will open the right doors for global market acceptance.

 More information https://www.mitsubishi-cnc.de/index-en.html

CNC and factory automation solutions from Mitsubishi Electric at EMO 2019 will be located in Hall 9 / D40. Wire cutting and die sinking EDM machines from Mitsubishi Electric will be located in Hall 13 / B92.