Take the Smart Approach to DoD Work Traceability and Cybersecurity
If you already do or are planning to take on contract work for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), traceability is paramount and much more than a quality-control practice. It is a foundational requirement that supports national security, product reliability, regulatory compliance and mission readiness.
Whether you’re manufacturing aircraft components, armored vehicle parts, electronic assemblies, munitions or naval systems, you must be able to document the complete history of materials, processes, inspections and personnel involved in producing a part or assembly. Failure to maintain adequate traceability can result in rejected products, contract penalties, loss of certifications, increased liability, and, in the most serious cases, compromised military readiness.
As part of traceability requirements, contractors are required to document manufacturing processes. Process traceability ensures that every manufacturing step was performed according to approved procedures and specifications, including CNC machining operations. With that said, digital connectivity and cybersecurity are now inseparable from traceability.
Traditionally, traceability focused on documenting what happened during the manufacturing process. Today, digital connectivity enables manufacturers to capture that information automatically, while cybersecurity ensures the integrity and trustworthiness of the collected data.
For DoD contractors, both digital connectivity and cybersecurity are important because a traceability system is only valuable if the data it contains is accurate, complete, and protected from unauthorized alteration. It is for this reason that Mazak developed its digital solutions for process monitoring/data collection along with cybersecurity technology.
Process traceability starts at the control
Instead of machine operators manually recording information, digital connectivity through protocols such as MTConnect allow CNC machines, quality systems and enterprise software to communicate directly. For instance, with smart CNCs and learning algorithms, machine tools can provide essential data about how they operate, when they’ve made a quality part and then process all that information automatically for traceability as well as to improve future results through machine learning.
For example, in an advanced CNC, the controller collects data about everything from axis thrust levels to spindle temperature and RPM, coolant behavior and more. This data is a far more detailed picture of each production task than any operator's notes could capture.
To effectively handle all this information, Mazak developed the MAZATROL SmoothAi CNC equipped with a machine learning algorithm to manage production project data, CAD/CAM software and machine behavior. This enormous volume of information includes programs, tool and coordinate data, and all the parameters required for machining as well as traceability.
The control processes all this information automatically and includes the Mazak SMOOTH Project Manager, which provides a managed set of analytics. These analytics and advanced processing help reduce the time required for data to flow into and out of a machine network, which in turn speeds setups.
Along with the information necessary to produce good parts, analytics also help eliminate machine crashes and production-quality hazards. On MAZATROL SmoothAi CNC-equipped Mazak machines, the Ai Thermal Shield function automatically adjusts temperature compensation to maintain precision as environmental temperatures fluctuate. As thermal compensation reports accumulate, AI uses the long-term data to optimize compensation even further.
Security is the top priority
Regardless of the type of intranet/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system a shop has or the brand of its machine tools, they all must be made MTConnect compliant before initiating cybersecurity measures. At the factory floor level, technology such as the Mazak SmartBox can provide DoD contractors with cybersecurity along with connectivity of machines and devices for enhanced monitoring and analytical capabilities.
The SmartBox system unit mounts to the side of a machine without the need for a direct connection to a machine’s electrical cabinet. With several standard input ports and connection ports, SmartBox quickly and easily connects any standard off-the-shelf sensors to the system for machine-data gathering and condition monitoring. One unit can serve several machine tools, along with other associated manufacturing equipment, depending on the application.
SmartBox offers network isolation, which prevents unauthorized access from both directions: to and from the machines and equipment on a network. It also addresses the IT department’s security concerns when connecting legacy equipment to a facility’s main network for gathering data through the MTConnect protocol.
This SmartBox system also allows for exceptions, so DoD contractors can determine exactly who can and who cannot pass the firewall to access the machine and decide exactly what data can go in or out of the network. These exceptions can be set as needed. Plus, such systems eliminate the need to use USB ports on the shop floor to transfer program files.
In the DoD contracting world, traceability is now a digital capability that depends on connected manufacturing systems, secure data architectures and rigorous cybersecurity controls. Together, these technologies create the trusted manufacturing record-keeping required to support traceability compliance.
For more information about Mazak solutions. Mazak is here to assist.