Expert Live Q&A: Tooling and Industry 4.0

Presenting the webinar and taking audience questions in this session is Sean Roberts, a Regional Sales Manager at Atlas Copco. In this webinar/Q&A, Sean is taking viewers through Atlas Copco’s role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, known as Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0’s key elements include Smart Connected tools that provide traceability and operator feedback and complete data collection. Sean begins the webinar on the subject of Smart Connected Assembly, which is Atlas Copco’s vision for Industry 4.0. It’s the future of assembly, and Sean goes into four pillars in particular: product mix, system complexity, human factors, and sustainability. 

Sean then goes on to give viewers a demo of a workstation with five tools, all different types, connected to one controller, the Power Focus 6000 (PF6000). Atlas Copco has a multitude of cabled and electric tools that can connect to the PF6000. Users can connect up to six tools total, one corded tool included. For tools that solely report OK/NOK signals, users of the PF6000 can add a Virtual Station to the tool and report signals that way. Sean gives the TBP as an example of the perfect tool for reporting OK/NOK signals. Following this, Sean begins discusses where the data that you’ve collected is going to go. The controller collects data locally and it can be exported to an Excel file for later use. We also recommend the use of our ToolsNet 8 software, which provides full traceability with a user friendly, completely customizable dashboard. 

We then move into the Q&A portion of the session with Sean. A viewer asks whether or not all Atlas Copco tools can collect data. Sean explains that Smart Connected tools such as the MWR, Tensor tools, and TBP tools do, but certain products like pneumatic tools do not. When asked about the benefits of adopting Industry 4.0, it is explained that it will help you grow your business by remaining agile and staying relevant. It also will streamline your assembly processes by detecting issues at their source through data collection or error-proofing processes. Following a question about connecting tools to a PF6000 controller, Sean says that there are three ways. You can connect using Bluetooth, an ad hoc connection through the tool, or through your plant’s network. It all depends on the preferences of the plants themselves. 

A viewer question is submitted regarding the costs of data collection. Sean explains that because the PF6000 collects data locally, the only cost is associated with the hardware itself. Should you use ToolsNet 8 for complete data collection and traceability, there is a cost associated with the software. In the final minutes of the webinar/Q&A session, we discuss the Smart Connected Assembly Roadshow. It is explained that the tour is currently on hold due to the pandemic, but things will be re-evaluated at the beginning of 2021. In the meantime, the Marketing team is still doing tours, demos and customer visits virtually, so contact your local Atlas Copco representative for more information on that!