Canadian Tooling and Manufacturing Association – Winter 2014 edition – by Paul Adair
MEMEX AUTOMATION BEGAN OVER 20 years ago with an approach to better the interconnectivity of automated machine tools on the factory floor. Over the years, this vision evolved to include the intra-networking of all machine tools, enabling communication bi-directionally between each other and with managements’ information systems in real-time.
“If you can measure it, you can manage it to be more efficient,” says David McPhail, President and CEO. “Our offerings enable manufacturers to improve production and income from operations through advanced machine monitoring of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and DNC in real-time.”
The Memex productivity approach within the manufacturing sector uses a backward compatible machine-to-machine hardware and software solution that operates on multiple protocols, including MTConnect standard, OPC, Fanuc, Focas and others. The MERLIN system shows management where bottlenecks are occurring and why, empowering them to react and not lose production time.
“We offer a solution that measures plant-wide capacity utilization as OEE, in real-time,” says McPhail. “It uncovers the hidden plant and shows manufacturers how to make more production and income using the same labour, equipment and time.”
Receiving the 2013 Technology Innovation Leadership Award for Machine Monitoring Systems from Frost & Sullivan, MERLIN has been instrumental in helping companies in the discrete manufacturing sector realize their full profit-potential. In many cases, MERLIN has increased plant-wide efficiency—as measured by OEE—greater than 100 per cent. As an example, at Magellan Aerospace in Kitchener, ON, OEE was increased from 36.9 per cent to 85 per cent in a three-machine cell.
Following review at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (ITMS) 2012, Microsoft chose and endorsed MERLIN as its connectivity solution between the factory floor and its enterprise resource planning suite of business intelligence tools.
“Microsoft completed a thorough review at IMTS. Then, our team did an integration of MERLIN into Microsoft Dynamics management and planning software in two weeks, which blew them away,” says McPhail. “The Microsoft leadership team told us we had done in two weeks what other solution teams hadn’t done in two years.”
Memex’s facilities measure over 4,100 square feet and the company presently employs 21 workers. After raising $1.35 million in cash from its recent public listing (TSXV: OEE), the company has structured itself to address the global market of machine-to-machine and machine-to-management manufacturing productivity. Memex also actively supports its employees in the giving of their time, talent and money in various charitable activities.
“Our team is dynamic at work and in their communities, and we fully support them in all endeavours,” says McPhail. “I think by doing so, it leads to more meaningful work and better retention.”
Memex values its membership with the CTMA, crediting the organization with helping the company better educate manufacturers in the use of their products and allowing them to compete within global markets. “It is our view that Canadian-based technologies, such as MERLIN, explained through organizations like the CTMA, build a more prosperous manufacturing base,” says McPhail. “We view our CTMA membership as pivotal to our broader inclusion in CTMA-like organizations globally, where we can contribute to a better understanding of the power of productivity solutions, the role productivity plays in viable manufacturing, and the role manufacturing plays in a viable economy.”
As manufacturers hunt for new efficiencies to maintain a competitive advantage, Memex’s vision and solution seem prophetic. The company has done its homework, understands its global market niche and has written both strategic and business plans to deliver MERLIN as the M2M communication platform of choice.
“The global market is very large,” says McPhail. “According to best estimates, there are 16 million machine tools installed globally that are islands of technology, cut off from management and their business intelligence tools. Our vision is to be the cell phone equivalent platform of that installed base, and to be the number one bi-directional manufacturing productivity solution.”
To go to the CTMA homepage, please click here.
GE Power & Water and GE Aviation Solve the Last Meter Problem With Memex’ MTConnect Solution
/in Press ReleasesBURLINGTON, ON–(Marketwired – Oct 15, 2014) – Astrix Networks Inc., operating as Memex Automation (TSX VENTURE: OEE) (“Memex” or the “Company”), the global leader of manufacturing M2M productivity solutions, is pleased to announce it has completed the installation of 34 MTConnect-based universal machine interface boards at GE Power & Water, Greenville, SC, and received an order for an installation at GE Aviation.
In Phase 1 of a multi-phase implementation, the Memex hardware enables GE to generate MTConnect data for use and display of real-time production parameters, providing an ability to better measure and manage production, and monetize improved processes by converting idle time into production.
“Our universal hardware solves the last meter problem with a plug-in adapter that generates MTConnect data,” said David McPhail, CEO. “Uniquely, because MTConnect as a protocol includes a data dictionary, our adapter enables all machines to talk XML in exactly the same way, which means the data can be consumed by GE’s business intelligence tools,” he said.
About Memex Automation Inc.
Memex Automation (TSX VENTURE: OEE) is the leader of manufacturing Machine to Machine (M2M) productivity solutions and the measurement of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (“OEE”) in real-time. OEE is the measurement of plant-wide capacity utilization. MERLIN (Manufacturing Enterprise Real-time Lean Information Network) generates OEE enterprise-wide, machine by machine. On April 15, 2014, PEM awarded the Company the 2013 Plant Engineering & Maintenance Award for Best Company Under 50 Employees. Frost & Sullivan awarded MERLIN its 2013 Technology Innovation Leadership Award for Machine Monitoring. Microsoft picked MERLIN to be its mid-market ERP machine connectivity solution. Mazak, North America’s largest original equipment manufacturer of machine tools, purchased MERLIN to manage its plant and now offers it on its price list. Okuma America Corporation, a world leader in CNC machine tools, announced in April 2014 that Memex Automation became a Partner in THINC.
For more information, please visit: www.memex.ca
Contact Information
Memex Automation Inc.
John Rattray
VP Sales and Marketing
Phone: 905-635-0592
Email: Email Contact
Thomas Smeenk
VP Business Development
Phone: 905-536-3138
Email: Email Contact
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
To see the full press release, please click here.
Taking the Factory’s Pulse with Shop-Floor Monitoring
/in ArticlesManufacturing Engineering – October 14, 2014 – by Patrick Waurzyniak
Memex Automation is featured in this article on implementing the latest machine tool data collection and monitoring systems.
To see the full article, please click here.
Memex Automation: M2M Platform Leader
/in ArticlesCanadian Tooling and Manufacturing Association – Winter 2014 edition – by Paul Adair
MEMEX AUTOMATION BEGAN OVER 20 years ago with an approach to better the interconnectivity of automated machine tools on the factory floor. Over the years, this vision evolved to include the intra-networking of all machine tools, enabling communication bi-directionally between each other and with managements’ information systems in real-time.
“If you can measure it, you can manage it to be more efficient,” says David McPhail, President and CEO. “Our offerings enable manufacturers to improve production and income from operations through advanced machine monitoring of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and DNC in real-time.”
The Memex productivity approach within the manufacturing sector uses a backward compatible machine-to-machine hardware and software solution that operates on multiple protocols, including MTConnect standard, OPC, Fanuc, Focas and others. The MERLIN system shows management where bottlenecks are occurring and why, empowering them to react and not lose production time.
“We offer a solution that measures plant-wide capacity utilization as OEE, in real-time,” says McPhail. “It uncovers the hidden plant and shows manufacturers how to make more production and income using the same labour, equipment and time.”
Receiving the 2013 Technology Innovation Leadership Award for Machine Monitoring Systems from Frost & Sullivan, MERLIN has been instrumental in helping companies in the discrete manufacturing sector realize their full profit-potential. In many cases, MERLIN has increased plant-wide efficiency—as measured by OEE—greater than 100 per cent. As an example, at Magellan Aerospace in Kitchener, ON, OEE was increased from 36.9 per cent to 85 per cent in a three-machine cell.
Following review at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (ITMS) 2012, Microsoft chose and endorsed MERLIN as its connectivity solution between the factory floor and its enterprise resource planning suite of business intelligence tools.
“Microsoft completed a thorough review at IMTS. Then, our team did an integration of MERLIN into Microsoft Dynamics management and planning software in two weeks, which blew them away,” says McPhail. “The Microsoft leadership team told us we had done in two weeks what other solution teams hadn’t done in two years.”
Memex’s facilities measure over 4,100 square feet and the company presently employs 21 workers. After raising $1.35 million in cash from its recent public listing (TSXV: OEE), the company has structured itself to address the global market of machine-to-machine and machine-to-management manufacturing productivity. Memex also actively supports its employees in the giving of their time, talent and money in various charitable activities.
“Our team is dynamic at work and in their communities, and we fully support them in all endeavours,” says McPhail. “I think by doing so, it leads to more meaningful work and better retention.”
Memex values its membership with the CTMA, crediting the organization with helping the company better educate manufacturers in the use of their products and allowing them to compete within global markets. “It is our view that Canadian-based technologies, such as MERLIN, explained through organizations like the CTMA, build a more prosperous manufacturing base,” says McPhail. “We view our CTMA membership as pivotal to our broader inclusion in CTMA-like organizations globally, where we can contribute to a better understanding of the power of productivity solutions, the role productivity plays in viable manufacturing, and the role manufacturing plays in a viable economy.”
As manufacturers hunt for new efficiencies to maintain a competitive advantage, Memex’s vision and solution seem prophetic. The company has done its homework, understands its global market niche and has written both strategic and business plans to deliver MERLIN as the M2M communication platform of choice.
“The global market is very large,” says McPhail. “According to best estimates, there are 16 million machine tools installed globally that are islands of technology, cut off from management and their business intelligence tools. Our vision is to be the cell phone equivalent platform of that installed base, and to be the number one bi-directional manufacturing productivity solution.”
To go to the CTMA homepage, please click here.
Memex Automation attending NTMA TECHFEST
/in EventsTECHFEST is bringing national level key note speakers and a trade show to Meadville on October 2nd. It is ideal for business owners, Human Resources professionals, IT professionals, and key manufacturing personnel in the industry. The event is free and offers machine demonstrations and table displays from over 25 vendors as well as breakout sessions listed below. Registration requested for breakout sessions and cocktail reception.
TECHFEST is brought to you by Advanced Diversified Manufacturing Industry Partnership, Northwestern PA Chapter National Tooling & Machining Association/ NWPA NTMA Education Foundation, and Northwest Industrial Resource Center.
Memex Automation’s Dave Edstrom is speaking about MTConnect and how MERLIN can improve your shop floor’s productivity and profitability, using examples such as Magellan Aerospace, iMech, and Mazak.
When and where is it?
When: Thursday, October 2, 2014, from 12 – 4 pm
Where: Precision Manufacturing Institute (PMI), located at 764 Bessemer Street, Meadville, PA 16335.
How should I get there?
You can either drive directly to the location or fly into Pittsburgh, PA and drive 103 miles north. This is a shorter drive, around 1.5 hours, than driving from Cleveland, OH.
What is the format of the MTConnect session?
The MTConnect standard enables real-time monitoring and interoperability of equipment and devices. During this session, the audience can expect to learn about the MTConnect standard and hear from an end user who has achieved significant efficiency gains by monitoring its shop floor using MTConnect. Two MTConnect solution providers will also talk about the results their customers have seen through real-time actionable production information and data-driven manufacturing.
The session will consist of an MTConnect overview by the MTConnect Institute, which will take 5-8 minutes, followed by three 15 minute presentations by the members of the MTConnect community.
Who will be speaking during the MTConnect session?
To learn more about TECHFEST, please click here.
Modern Machine Shop Highlights MERLIN and Caron Engineering’s Productivity Partnership
/in Press ReleasesBurlington, ON, Canada – September 29, 2014 – Astrix Networks Inc., operating as Memex Automation (TSX-V: OEE) (“Memex” or the “Company”), the global leader of manufacturing M2M productivity solutions, is pleased to announce MERLIN is profiled in the September issue of Modern Machine Shop alongside Caron Engineering’s multi-axis adaptive control manufacturing methods.
The article: Tool Monitoring for Multitasking Machines, describes Caron Engineering’s five multi-axis adaptive control machining methodologies and MERLIN’s ability to monetize the improved processes in real-time.
Caron’s adaptive control methods are highlighted as improving production within the machining envelop. MERLIN is highlighted as improving production within and outside of the machining envelop by calculating capacity utilization plant-wide. As a result, MERLIN gets the Caron voice of process and the plant’s capacity utilization data to the engineering and management teams in their respective business intelligence tools, on any device.
“Making tool data available to third party software applications such as shop floor machine monitoring opens doors to many possibilities such as plant-wide data-driven decision making and integrated automation,” said Mr. Caron. “With Caron and MERLIN, manufacturers can understand plant capacity in real-time, down to the accelerometers measuring vibration in spindle bearings, servo-drives and other machine components that can adversely affect cutting conditions, by the second,” said David McPhail, CEO, Memex Automation. “Literally, MERLIN and Caron deliver the equivalent of the holy grail of manufacturing in a way that generates up to 400% IRR,” said McPhail.
About Memex Automation Inc.
Memex Automation (TSX-V:OEE) is the leader of the measurement of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (“OEE”) in real-time. OEE is the measurement of plant-wide capacity utilization. MERLIN (Manufacturing Enterprise Real-time Lean Information Network) generates OEE enterprise-wide, plant by plant, machine by machine. On April 15th PEM awarded the Company the 2014 Plant Engineering & Maintenance Award for Best Company Under 50 Employees. Frost & Sullivan awarded MERLIN its 2013 Technology Innovation Leadership Award. Microsoft picked MERLIN to be its mid-market ERP machine connectivity solution. Mazak, North America’s largest original equipment manufacturer of machine tools, purchased MERLIN to manage its plant and published in Automation.com a 42% increase in utilization of the monitored production machines. Mazak now offers MERLIN on its price list. Okuma America Corporation, a world leader in CNC machine tools, announced on April 1st Memex Automation became a Partner in THINC. For more information, please visit: www.memex.ca.
Contacts:
Sales
John Rattray, VP Sales and Marketing
Phone: 905-635-0590
Email: jrattray@memex.ca
Investors
Thomas Smeenk, VP Business Development
Phone: (905) 536-3138
E-mail: thomas.smeenk@memex.ca
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
To see the full press release, please click here.