Cloud-enabled digital tooling data and knowledge interfaces with state-of-the-art inventory control to optimize and energize shop productivity.

Having tool availability confirmed during process planning can be a critical time-saving element for important jobs, avoiding downtime and expensive overnight shipping. Shops with NOVO and ToolBOSS have a distinct advantage.

Driven by “Different Thinking is Better Thinking,” Kennametal continues to seize the productivity-building potential of NOVO by launching a new service offering combining its premium vending solution, ToolBOSS and its cloud-enabled digital tooling and process knowledge vehicle NOVO.

Market-Driven Solution
Manufacturing’s unrelenting pressure to remain competitive and control costs combined with the widening skills gap are shaping the present and future of how customers operate and manage machine shops today. Kennametal’s ToolBOSS with NOVO was inspired by the needs of machining customers seeking seamless real-time integration of their enterprise engineering systems (CAD/CAM systems) with their production floor. Recent research indicates up to 70% of manufacturing executives are focusing on plant-floor data initiatives to drive operational and business excellence, faster time to market, and immediate access to data from machines on the factory floor. ToolBOSS users on the cloud with the latest software version can now use NOVO to see if an item proposed for a process plan is already available in their ToolBOSS inventory. This makes plans and budgets more time- and cost-efficient. “By adding ToolBOSS credentials to their user profile, customers easily check the inventory in their local ToolBOSS units with their developing process plans,” says Daniel Gillig, Global Services ToolBOSS Manager at Kennametal. “They’re better able to visualize items already in their shop.”

Powerful Solutions Linked
The unique ToolBOSS – NOVO linkage will provide customers the ability to quickly ID the optimal tool (selecting from the industry’s latest technology), and assess corresponding tool availability; moving customers from design to shop floor in the shortest time possible with the most efficient cutting tool option. This linkage also makes it easier to order new tools, provide secure back up of data and conduct proactive diagnostic checks and updates to the ToolBOSS. “With these powerful solutions linked together”, explains John Jacko, Kennametal vice president and chief marketing officer, “our customers should expect a 20-50% time savings in quoting, programming, set-up, and machining processes compared to traditional fragmented approaches requiring high levels of skill in the areas of tool selection, application, and data integration.”

Industry Leading Partners
The connection of ToolBOSS and NOVO is enabled through partnership with the Machining Cloud GmbH and ToolBOSS Vending Solutions supply chain partner, Supply Point Systems (SPS). SPS is a world leader in the design and manufacture of secure, point-of-use inventory management systems, while Machining Cloud is a leader in the global manufacturing community providing a single-source of access to complete and up-to-date product data from leading manufacturers of cutting tools, machine tools and workholding.

Kennametal ToolBOSS Vending Solutions is planning a staged rollout of ToolBOSS – NOVO beginning in the United States, expanding to other world regions within the next 18 months. “This innovation builds on our premium vending solution, ToolBOSS, and provides the type of value-added service our customers demand – allowing them to be more efficient programing new jobs, as well as running those same jobs on the shop floor. Our vision is to leverage these types of digital solutions more and more to help our customers fully optimize their operations,” commented Jeswant Gill, Kennametal vice president and executive vice president, industrial segment.

Powerful cloud-enabled digital tooling data and intelligence seamlessly interfaces with production, inventory, e-commerce, and more to optimize shop productivity. NOVOsphere empowers shops hungry for real process improvement.

From better data, better thinking and better decisions. Since its groundbreaking launch in 2013, Kennametal’s NOVO digital process planning application has continued growing by supplying complete tool data (milling, turning, holemaking, tools, toolholders, spare parts, speeds and feeds, and much more) digitally, saving process planners, parts estimators, and manufacturing engineers hours of catalog lookups and process guesswork. Now with seamless connectivity via the Machining Cloud, that same intelligence is driving new efficiencies in part design in CAD/CAM, cutting simulations, presetting, actual machining, inventory management, and e-commerce.

Another major step forward is to feed all these real and potential process improvements back into your shop based on actual data gathered from your own equipment and start seeing where capacities change and efficiencies improve. This intelligence and connectivity has led to NOVOsphere, a fundamental step forward in how work gets done.

“It seems that most technology suppliers are rushing to provide some form of digital access to information, but digital access is just the entry ticket,” says John Jacko, vice president and chief marketing officer, Kennametal. “Where Kennametal differs is in its unshakeable focus on how customers can leverage better cutting tool data and information to improve their entire business. NOVOsphere is based on an open architecture to deliver just that. NOVOsphere is an amazing vision on how far things can go to deliver productivity to our customers.”

Manufacturing process experts have described the current spectrum of digital processing claims as a “feeding frenzy of connectivity and data.” This is driven by a number of things – manufacturing businesses see opportunities for enhanced productivity and reduced time from design to production. More informed businesses add opportunities for providing services and products to better-informed customers – all at much greater speed. Others see value in offering informed analysis capabilities to convert this “firehose” stream of data to a manageable set of results and metrics.

“Our vision for NOVOsphere from the beginning is to provide an open-source system that interacts seamlessly with shop systems needing to leverage cutting tool data and machining knowledge for productivity improvement,” Jacko explains. “NOVOsphere is built around the shop needs, from quotation to inspection. NOVOsphere has six essential application to help our customers be more productive:
-Select and Advise: This is the stage where users evaluate machining strategies based upon machine, material, part features, and specs. What is the best approach? How long will it take? How much will it cost? Which tools do I need?
-Simulate: This is the stage where users simulate the entire process from end to end with the use of software such as CAM. Are there any dimensional issues? Possible collisions, too many forces?
-Inquire and Purchase: This is the stage where users find out what they already have that can do the job and if it’s available in real time to purchase when they need it.
-Optimize: This is the stage where users would like to know how the plan is working. Are we within planned cycle time, costs? Do I use this tool/process consistently across machines/plants?

Data is key to productivity. With its open architecture, NOVOsphere possibilities are limitless. NOVOsphere is further evidence that “Different Thinking is Better Thinking.”

From Design Through Purchasing
What is amazing is the many areas of a production business where better tool data improves processes. DP Technology (Camarillo, CA) imports NOVO (now part of NOVOsphere) tooling data into its latest version of ESPRIT cloud-enabled CAM software. This not only saves part programmers hours of time as opposed to manual tool creation, the part programs are better because the data is based on real tools that can be selected based on part features, work material, surface finish requirements, or whatever aspects of the job are most critical.

The value of NOVO data is not limited to the programming or process planning department. On the shop floor, presetting tools and tool assemblies is a valuable time-saver. ZOLLER (Ann Arbor, MI), a leader in automated presetting and balancing machines, knows customers can import NOVO data from the Machining Cloud and know they have precise and reliable tool dimensions, offsets, and other critical data to make presetting reliable and valuable.

Since the 2013 launch of the NOVO original Tool Selector, Tool Configurator, Tool Advisor, and Job functions, NOVO has added connectivity to E-commerce, easy ISO 13399 exports, and seamless integration to the ToolBOSS tool management system via the Machining Cloud.

Specifically, NOVO users can request a price quote from their local Kennametal Distribution Partners by transferring their shopping cart list to them via the “Request Quote” button. The distributor will receive a notification with complete detail of the items and requestor information to respond. A new pop-up also makes it easy to add spares and other individual items to existing shopping carts. Spare parts are clearly identified as “included” or “non-included” on bills of material.

ToolBOSS users on the cloud with the latest software version can now use NOVO to see if an item proposed for a process plan is already available in their ToolBOSS inventory, making both plans and budgets more efficient. Customer part numbers are automatically populated in NOVO Tool Advisor results and Tool Availability pop-ups via the ToolBOSS database. “By adding ToolBOSS credentials to their user profile, customers easily check the inventory in their local ToolBOSS units with their developing process plans,” says Chris Merlin, Marketing Manager for the Virtual Machining initiative at Kennametal. “They’re better able to visualize items already in their shop.”

Users can leverage NOVO via the tablet of their choice. “Mobility is no longer a luxury. With Android, Apple and Windows Tablet versions of NOVO now available, it brings an element of added mobility and access to your tool list no matter which device you log onto,” Merlin adds. “This also makes it easy for people working on the shop floor with tablets to collaborate with the process planners in other departments.”

All Optimized for Your Shop
Delivering real tool data and process knowledge is one thing – where NOVOsphere delivers a knockout punch is optimizing process savings based on performance data drawn directly from your shop floor equipment. “NOVO Optimize is the newest manufacturing intelligence application in NOVOsphere,” says Colin Tilzey, director of Kennametal’s Innovation Ventures Group. “It collects real-time data on how your cutting tools and machines are performing and also provides analysis of where process efficiencies or capacity improvements are available.”

Every shop sits on a rich mine of data that it can collect for its own continued improvement, but a significant drawback is efficiently gathering the data from different makes and models of machines and tools. All NOVO Optimize data and process knowledge complies with the MTConnect open, extensible, royalty-free communications protocol designed specifically for the shop-floor environment. This means NOVO Optimize can draw data from machine tools, cutting tools, presetters or any piece of shop equipment or data source. And because it’s connected to NOVO, it can automatically recommend process knowledge changes (speeds and feeds) or identify better-performing tools based on your specific needs – get the job done faster or optimize a specific machine or cell based on shop workload. “Each shop using NOVO Optimize has improvement opportunities unique to them based on operator feedback and shop conditions,” Tilzey says. “Identifying sources of machine downtime combined with powerful knowledge-based recommendations means the possibility for real, significant process improvement is just waiting to happen.”

Such empowered shops better plan, process, and optimize their operations for significant productivity gains. The NOVO Optimize application is a subscription-based system developed in conjunction with Berkeley, CA- based System Insights Inc allowing customers to optimize a specific machine or an entire shop.

WIDIA has a saying: “Extreme Challenges – Extreme Results.” Over the years, this has come to mean metalworking productivity breakthroughs for numerous shops from such well-known WIDIA names as VariMill, VariTap, WIDIA Victory, and numerous others. In the future of what some have coined Industry 4.0 extreme opportunities exist in the digital integration of tooling data and knowledge to the shop floor. Extreme results are possible through integrating accurate, complete tool data, rules, and application knowledge digitally to dramatically rethink and shorten process planning, adding real value to CAD/CAM, CNC machine control, presetting, inventory management, and more. This is what WIDIA envisions with their launch of their new NOVO desktop and tablet application – on demand cutting edge delivery of cutting tool data and expertise for reduced product development and manufacturing lead times.

“NOVO data represents real WIDIA tools and how they fit, function, and perform over a variety of machining scenarios,” says Bernie McConnell, vice president, WIDIA Products Group and Services. “Importing NOVO makes CAD/CAM programs more functional and valuable because the tools fit and move as designed. Implementing NOVO makes estimating and process planning a breeze because it supplies entire assemblies and spare parts lists with “best fit” functionality that otherwise takes hours of time finding in catalogs and product literature. NOVO empowers inventory management, purchasing and other vital shop processes because it is real expertise based on decades of development experience. It truly empowers shops to take on extreme challenges with extreme results.”

Thinking Like a Process Planner
“NOVO thinks like a process planner,” explains Thomas Long, head of the newly formed Virtual Machining RDE department at WIDIA. “It works from the feature back to the tooling strategy. In addition, each order number is tied to application data gleaned from hundreds of subject matter experts and decades of WIDIA experience. Request a part number and you also get pictures, assemblies, spare parts lists, as well as inserts that fit. Not only does it accomplish in minutes what formerly took hours, it yields an optimized solution, backed by WIDIA expertise, every time.”

According to Long, NOVO assists shop personnel in a number of intuitive ways, from “I need to make a ½” hole x 1 ½” deep in ANSI 4140” to “I need a ½” by 5xD solid-carbide drill.” In the first case, NOVO helps users define machining features, drilling a blind hole in this case, and then immediately reduces the product set to those that can do the job, taking into account constraint requirements such as material, tolerance, and machining sequence for both single tools and multi-tools. NOVO then ranks the results—based on knowledge-based rules—to best meet the challenges of the application as defined by the customer’s operating environment and user preferences, providing far more useful process knowledge than any online catalog alone, all obtained in a fraction of the time.

In the second case, when a customer already has preferred tool and grade in mind, NOVO smart-attribute filters not only quickly select the products available to do the job, NOVO also gives the options on what cutting item and adaptive item fits and also works with the selected solution. NOVO smart filters take the task of selecting ALL cutting tool components from hours to minutes, while providing a comprehensive and accurate list of solutions based on customer input.

In both cases, NOVO’s Tool Configurator then provides all CAD files and graphic support for all tool components and their assembly – a major time savings for customers.

Even further, NOVO’s Job Functionality option is a cloud-based repository linked to a user by a unique ID where tool lists can be stored for future use, editing, copying, and sharing. These can be easily downloaded into standard report formats and include tooling commercial and dimensional data and weights, speeds and feeds, and photo or CAD model images.

Seamless Connectivity, E-Commerce, and Tool Management
Customers expect continuous fast development of technology platforms to deliver more value. Since the 2013 launch of the NOVO’s original Tool Selector, Tool Configurator, Tool Advisor, and Job functions, NOVO has added connectivity to E-commerce, easy ISO 13399 exports, and seamless integration to the ToolBOSS tool management system via the Machining Cloud.

Specifically, NOVO users can request a price quote from their local WIDIA Distribution Partners by transferring their shopping cart list to them via the “Request Quote” button. The distributor will receive a notification with complete detail of the items and requestor information to respond. A new pop-up also makes it easy to add spares and other individual items to existing shopping carts. Spare parts are clearly identified as “included” or “non-included” on bills of material.

ToolBOSS users on the cloud with the latest software version can now use NOVO to see if an item proposed for a process plan is already available in their ToolBOSS inventory, making both plans and budgets more efficient. Customer part numbers are automatically populated in NOVO Tool Advisor results and Tool Availability pop-ups via the ToolBOSS database. “By adding ToolBOSS credentials to their user profile, customers easily check the inventory in their local ToolBOSS units with their developing process plans,” says Chris Merlin, Marketing Manager for the Virtual Machining initiative at Kennametal. “They’re better able to visualize items already in their shop.”

Mobility
Users can leverage NOVO via the tablet of their choice. “Mobility is no longer a luxury. With Android and Windows Tablet versions of NOVO now available, it brings an element of added mobility and access to your tool list no matter which device you log onto,” Merlin adds. “This also makes it easy for people working on the shop floor with tablets to collaborate with the process planners in other departments.”

CGTech, developer of VERICUT® software for simulating CNC machine tools, will be demonstrating new integration with Kennametal’s NOVO® application at the 2014 International Machine Tool Show (IMTS) in booth E-3346.

Online catalogs and tool selectors have become common options for manufacturers looking for the latest tool solutions for their production process. NOVO goes far beyond the concept of the online catalog by integrating Kennametal’s application engineering and production experience. As a result of the CGTech-Kennametal partnership, VERICUT users can directly download a Kennametal tool assembly and use it within VERICUT software with significantly fewer steps compared to manually configuring a tool for use in a simulation session.

“Simulation speed is very important to our customers, but so is the amount of time spent preparing a simulation and its accurate representation of the physical process,” said CGTech Product Marketing Manager Bill Hasenjaeger. “We continually look for new ways to reduce the time to setup VERICUT and ensure it correctly mimics the operations.”

CGTech will be demonstrating this new capability using the latest version of VERICUT, version 7.3. VERICUT CNC machine simulation, verification and optimization software simulates all types of CNC machining, including drilling and trimming of composite parts, water jet, riveting, robots, mill/turn and parallel kinematic/hexapods. It operates independently, but can also be integrated with leading CAM systems.