Oerlikon Metco says it is revolutionising thermal spray equipment with digitalisation and the implementation of Metco IIoT, the first Industry 4.0 platform for the thermal spray industry.

Oerlikon has been developing thermal spray equipment for decades, and says it understands the relationship between machine, material and processes and how these factors can affect both output and coating quality.

Now the company has used this expertise to develop Metco IIoT, the first digital platform that allows connectivity of thermal spray systems within an Industry 4.0 platform, enabling a Smart Thermal Spray Factory. The aim is to understand the production process through data analysis and monitoring in real-time and to improve it based on this information. This enables simpler, faster and more efficient operation of machines and production systems, reducing the scrap rate and increasing throughput.

“Optimised concepts for preventive maintenance (predictive maintenance), improved operator guidance and paperless production are key requirements for future-proof production and Metco IIoT does just that,” stated Alexander Mohnfeld, Oerlikon’s head of product and project management equipment.

To do this, Metco IIoT consolidates process-related machine data from one or more systems on a central platform. Raw data for further analysis, for example in the case of quality problems, is therefore available at any time without having to physically access one or more machines. The real-time status is displayed regardless of the number of spray systems or locations—and regardless of geographic location—allowing you to quickly identify errors, optimise systems and processes, and achieve reliable repeatable results. For example: Metco IIoT's data analysis capabilities make it possible to detect downtime; compare machines; even locations; track quality-related indicators; and more. Data can be stored locally or in the Metco IIoT Cloud Service for historical analysis and quality control, depending on customer requirements. Metco IIoT is currently available for the MultiCoat, MultiCoatPro, and UniCoatPro, with plans for expansion to other systems.

www.oerlikon.com/surface-solutions