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Digital transformation
Latest News, Product Innovations, Fairs and much more
APRIL 2017
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index
LANTEK LINK is the magazine of Lantek Sheet Metal Solutions
COVER Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Awaji Island JAPAN
LANTEK MARKETING TEAM Patricia Ruiz de Sabando Diana Sánchez Editors Juan José Colás Marketing Director
SUBSCRIPTIONS Marketing Department marketing@lanteksms.com
03
EDITORIAL
04
MAIN TOPIC
06
SOLUTIONS
08
INTERVIEWS
10
TECHNOLOGIES
11
INNOVATION
12
NEWS
PARTNERS
Lantek sets up office in United Arab Emirates
13
Lantek signs partnership agreement with Laser manufacturer Nukon
14
SERVICES
15
FACTS
Digital transformation, an unstoppable reality
Combined waterjet and plasma machines
Tubular structures without welding
Lantek Services Lantek Hint: Lantek Expert
Lantek introduces important innovations for the digitalization of companies
Asier Ortíz CTO
Cyber-physical devices
International Meeting 2017 Next Tradeshows
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editorial
I
Digital transformation, an unstoppable reality
n recent years we have talked a lot about how technology and digital transformation have become an unstoppable reality and how this is impacting business and industrial processes. We are facing the paradigm of Industry 4.0, which poses a new industrial revolution. As in previous revolutions, digital transformation will also mean an increase in productivity and therefore improved competitiveness. Here at Lantek, we believe that this digital transformation should not be understood as an end in itself; but rather as a means of enabling the design of a new model of industrial management that is more deeply rooted in knowledge. The digital transformation process of a traditional company involves a process of connectivity between value chains, through technologies applied in the analysis of descriptive and predictive data. This allows us to have a better understanding of all processes in the supply chain for decision-making and production optimization. The transformation is key because it represents a break with the previous production management model and will initially only be taken up by industry leaders. Given this scenario, Lantek has set itself the goal to raise awareness within the business community of the need for change and to become a benchmark in Industry 4.0 through a model of comprehensive transformation. This transformation will allow us to adapt to all stages of the maturity of our customers and is also compatible with traditional models. We will do this under our premise: “Think Globally, act Locally.” At Lantek we strongly believe that we can lead this paradigm shift because we have the technology and the knowledge; and, we believe that this is the path that will allow us to reinvent the factory of the future.
Juan José Colás
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main topic
Lantek introduces important innovations for the digitalization of companies Lantek has developed important innovations in software solutions to improve performance and adapt even better to the needs of its customers. These improvements are part of the continuous innovation policy that the multinational applies to its products and which bring digital processing ever close to companies. One of the systems experiencing the most significant change is Lantek Expert, which now includes a 64-bit version, in addition to significant innovations in automatic nesting.
security by preventing the execution of malicious code.
The 64-bit version enables higher performance in the nesting and machining module in management jobs and achieves greater
• The optimization of the calculation of times for machining with chamfers and water machines.
In addition, huge advances have introduced in different technologies:
been
• Important developments in programming (preparation of parts and nesting) both in drawing and nesting. • New options in milling machining: the finishing process uses other tools and different entry strategies. • Additional options for the common cut grid. • New module for designing mosaics. All these innovations will facilitate the work of thousands of users in the manufacturing and machine tool sector and will increase the performance of a product which is already a market-leader. Another of the Lantek solutions undergoing a major change in 2017 is Lantek Flex3d Tubes. The main update is focused on the 2D geometry editing module, which is now much more powerful and easier to use, without the need to launch an external program. New operations for defining joints between tubes have also been added. In this way, Lantek customers can complete jobs with kits and can export tube structures by defining different types of joints between parts in order to streamline manufacturing and facilitate assembly. This is unquestionably great news that will facilitate the work of pipe manufacturers with their own product.
More responsive quotations with Lantek Integra The effect of continuous innovation by the Lantek team is very relevant to Lantek Integra, especially in all aspects of quotes preparation. The 2017 version allows technical and commercial processes to be involved in the preparation of quotes and communication between them through tasks. With Lantek Integra, it is possible to develop quotes from both Lantek Integra and Lantek Manager and to assign the complete path to the parts, including the no-cut operations. Moreover, when generating the sales quote, notifications can be sent to the sales manager upon its creation and modification. When generating quotes, it is possible to set the
This version will help the digital transformation of companies to become a reality
price of material as provided by the customer and deduct it. It is also possible to duplicate both fees and the rules established when configuring the fees. And, the lines of a quote, order, delivery note, or invoice can be organized using special tools which re-number them. Additionally, production management and warehouse management can be carried out without the need to access two different systems, allowing the user to manage both from any system. In the Lantek Workshop software suite, optimum adaptation to the validation process of 2D cutting operations has been achieved. Users can now finish cutting operations without needing real-time control and they can divide the nesting validation process into two steps: cutting and ‘de-nest’, in order to differentiate the actual cutting time and the time spent taking the parts from the sheet. Finally, Lantek has also perfected Lantek Workshop Capture and adapted it to the work of an operator that validates non-cutting operations in a workshop. Customers can now finish operations without having real-time control and they can edit data without using the keyboard by reading the bar code to see the employee, workplace, and operations to validate. This version will help the digital transformation of companies to become a reality and it will ensure that Lantek continues to be a benchmark in Industry 4.0, with services and solutions of higher added value.
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solutions Combined waterjet and plasma machines
Given the range of features that plasma and waterjet technologies offer, these two cutting processes combine perfectly to create machines with an incredible capacity to process any kind of material, thus offering versatility and flexibility for different market sectors. To understand this combined solution, it is important to note that one of the main reasons these technologies were merged is
the cost of production parts. This is because the sheet metal parts produced in certain materials require great precision in some geometric elements, but not in all of them. So by combining the speed of plasma technology with the precision of waterjet, both cutting time and the cost of the process can be reduced while the desired cutting quality can also be achieved. While plasma provides low cost operations, waterjet provides high accuracy
With Lantek, it is possible to optimize manufacturing processes and save on costs, while at the same time offering an attractive user experience
that doesn’t require secondary operations to finalize the machining. To optimize the machining and manufacturing processes as much as possible, Lantek Expert offers easy and efficient management of machines which combine different water and plasma technologies. It provides a simple interface that allows each technology to be configured while also considering different cutting qualities. It is highly efficient because it allows the application of appropriate and accurate algorithms for each of the processes, so that a more accurate time calculation is obtained. Lantek Expert provides a configuration mechanism which makes it possible to manage up to five different types of technology: Water, Laser, Plasma HD, Plasma and Oxyfuel. The five technologies can be combined together, provided that the characteristics of the machine allow it, even if there are more than two types of technology. In turn, this allows the management of different data from the technology tables that the manufacturer defines for each one, taking into account factors such as material and thickness. The combined cuts can be obtained both manually and automatically in the different modules of Lantek Expert which already exist. It allows values to be configured for the different types of cut in automatic mode and offers more technological options for machining. This greatly facilitates the programming of parts by the user. Considering the tools developed and the above-mentioned advantages, the options
offered by Lantek Expert allow time to be reduced significantly across two increasingly important aspects: the machine configuration time and the programming of parts time. In order to reduce the machine preparation time, import tools are available to keep the technological data of the machine updated at all times, which is especially useful in this case. Meanwhile, to reduce programming time we recommend using the set of automatic options offered by Lantek Expert, which greatly minimize design time. The result is a reduction in production costs. This range of functions can be used for adjusting manufacturing process quotes. To do so, the quotes module of Lantek Integra CRM includes a tool which is fully integrated with the Lantek CAD/CAM module. This tool allows very precise calculations of costs to be carried out, since it allows the nesting of multiple parts and takes into account: the values specified in the machine configuration, the geometry, material, and technology, with which the cutting or punching operation is to be performed and, depending on this, all the technological elements of the machining. With Lantek, it is possible to optimize manufacturing processes and save on costs, while at the same time offering an attractive user experience. It can therefore be said that the capacity for technological innovation is guaranteed to optimize the operation of all types of oxyfuel, plasma, laser, or water cutting machines, whether for sheet metal, tubes, or profiles, and punching machines.
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interviews
Asier OrtĂz CTO
Moving towards an intelligent factory Industry 4.0 requires the provision of intelligence and technology to the entire supply and value chain. Lantek has become a partner of reference in this area of innovation, without sacrificing progress in other state of the art projects, as Asier Ortiz, Lantek Technological Director, announced. Big data or virtual reality are important tools for meeting the challenge of anticipation. Is the Lantek Factory concept a decisive factor in the consolidation of Lantek’s leadership positions?
the management of the entire factory and from there to the commercial circuits: purchasing and finance and the integration with other elements. Through this implementation control system, we handle the machines and their queued work; we know their loads and their progress; and, we can report all of this information upstream. And that, as it is conceived, makes Lantek unique. Nothing like it exists in the market. Another feature is that all of this has been built on a systems development platform with web technology. It is a small version with a large mentality so that it can evolve extremely quickly.
With our traditional products, we can continue to increase market share. Manufacturing is increasing worldwide, with more and more countries becoming increasingly industrialized and thus needing these tools. What Lantek Factory is providing is the capacity to make a more cross-cutting and vertical offer to a company. We no longer only offer a specific solution; but, we are also able to provide a solution that is already integrated into all the processes and can be connected to other company The technology systems. We have gone from being a provider of a solution and expertise that that the customer needed to being the partner on which Lantek brings to the it relies to continue growing. process converts This is what differentiates us and is helping us to penetrate plants into smart and to position our brand.
How does Lantek implement manufacturing intelligence?
Lantek provides intelligence to the supply and value chains. We have not just focused on this machine, but also on providing the technology or knowledge needed for factories advanced management of Does this comprehensive the supply chain, specifically related to the support also imply increased customer cutting of sheet metal. So far it has been a more loyalty? abstract process. Te flow started because it Yes, more than ever. Now it really becomes a jumped from a business tool to a specialized relationship of trust because we are consulted tool. There was no communication there. Now on other business areas or on how we can we are able to communicate, and not just help in the selection of other suppliers for within the company; but, also with external the supply chain. Lantek is not only involved agents who could be raw material suppliers in CAD/CAM, but has also expanded into or customers. We are also offering more tools management areas, which has earned us for building, for example, online stores, or for more trust from the customer. integration with software providers in order to meet the demand for material according to Is the MES system an example of this? sales requirements. We are indeed the leading supplier of industrial What has Lantek contributed to Industry software with an MES (Manufacturing 4.0 and vice versa? Execution System) for sheet metal. This was the point where we moved from the machine to Lantek did not invent the Industry 4.0 paradigm,
but it was already present in this area of work. Industry 4.0 has given us a vehicle to continue launching our digitalization mission and incorporate technologies such as big data or virtual reality.
The future lies in anticipation And in relation to customers? The greatest difficulty for our customers is understanding what Industry 4.0 can offer them. And this is where we come in, leading the way in talking about the technology available and how we can understand it in a particular sector. The technology and expertise that Lantek brings to the process converts plants into smart factories. The digitization process and integration into a global production system (smart factory), as well as proper data management, provide the customer with diagnostic and control capabilities that ensure improved productivity. This is what has happened in the area of virtual reality: we have been able to apply and to transform it so that our customer can interact with it, resulting in a conversation which leads to a solution or a new technology. What technological challenges will Lantek face in the future? We believe that the future lies in anticipation. So far we have been delivering systems which offered implementation control. Today, we can anticipate in order to avoid problems or to propose solutions. We believe this is the most disruptive aspect at this moment for the industry. Our customer will know in advance any overload issues, situations and machine problems for the entire process, from order to delivery, in order to handle them better. The other challenge is to continue connecting. The value chain should be fully connected so that it is a network and can support the customer in different ways, depending on the moment, workload, circumstances, or specialization.
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technologies
Mario RodrĂguez Global Support
Tubular structures without welding
Tubular structures are becoming increasingly present in different industries, partly due to the slight lowering of the price of metals, but mainly due to the reduction in the costs associated with manufacturing (mainly due to the emergence of new and cheaper manufacturing machinery). Today many more companies have laser and plasma machines capable of cutting tubes (as well as sheet metal) than before. We find these structures in both light and heavy vehicles (cabs); metalwork (balustrades, railings); industrial furniture (shelves); in agriculture (greenhouses, sheds); construction (building cladding); in the energy sector (oil rigs and windmills); and in other manufacturing areas. Historically, the union between the different components of a structure would be achieved by applying a weld seam, large enough to ensure the integrity of the union, but small enough so as not to be a nuisance when presenting or using the structure. Welding is a process which is complementary to the structure. When building, the objective is to keep welding to a minimum. The welding process is an extra cost in terms of materials and labor. It is subject to processing errors and failures caused by stress and fatigue
of the materials used, not to mention the cost of maintenance over time. For a long time, CAD design tools have allowed the design of unions and intersections, where joints can then be soldered. Now, for lightweight structures, there are new tools that enable joint design from a single tube (cutting it so that when folded, it creates the desired joint). This greatly simplifies assembly and considerably reduces the application of welding. A transformative method for managing the creation of new structures in a computer system is one that not only allows the creation of these unions in a simple and friendly interface, but also gives them an entity which allows them to be parameterized, changed according to new designs based on other old designs, and, in particular, exported to other CAD/CAM systems. Laser cutting technology is key when creating the fine cuts necessary to create a union without roughing. The precision that laser cutting provides also allows the creation of structures with smaller sections, which are therefore more adaptable to multiple purposes.
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innovation
Asier OrtĂz CTO
Cyber-physical devices Predictions for technology, and in particular those related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), have been repeatedly fueled in recent years, currently due mainly to the approach and paradigm of Industry 4.0. Although the latest advancements and technological developments carried out by more and more companies are making it possible for them to make predictions aimed at industry selfmanagement, there are certain elements that suggest that perhaps this imagined future with machines solving the most complex of tasks, which are currently being carried out by humans, remains further away than we realize. The digitization process has led to an explosion of data, which we are already able to analyze and utilize. We had already succeeded in developing algorithms capable of making the machines learn; but, we were waiting for the ability to feed data into systems in a large-scale way which would ensure this learning would be real and valid. Machines have been equipped with learning capabilities based machine learning algorithms. Thanks to their huge capacity to collect innumerable data, this contribution opens up new possibilities for designing factories of the future.
These machines, which so far have helped automate processes, connected to the digital world through the capture of data to meet and anticipate situations, and offered new prediction and learning capabilities, are what we call cyber-physical systems. These systems will be able to solve situations related to the work request, to warn with indicators for prediction error, fault identification or maintenance anticipation automatically, allowing humans to resolve situations or more complex problems related to the continuous manufacturing flow. These machines will be connected to the digital world, to the ecosystem of software solutions, implemented in the factory. The physical world and the digital world will be connected. Our vision is that intelligent machines can complement and support the work of individuals, providing greater knowledge and added value. However, we believe that they should be understood as a tool, not as an end in themselves that can replace human beings. There are unique human capabilities that cannot be replicated or imitated by machines. Qualities such as creativity, empathy, common sense, emotion, and the ability to reason are characteristics that distinguish us from machines and still place people in a privileged position ahead of the machines.
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news Lantek sets up office in United Arab Emirates
With this new presence, the multinational software solutions developer for the global sheet metal industry extends its international reach and invests in a highpotential market. In March, Lantek opens its first UAE office in the city of Sharjah. With this new presence, the multinational software solutions developer for the global sheet metal industry extends its international reach with a score of offices throughout Europe, Asia, the Americas, and now in the Middle East as well. “The Emirate of Sharjah is the hub for industrial enterprises, and we think it will be an important location for Lantek. We have more than 500 clients in these countries, but the potential is huge because of the investment these countries are making in the lead-up to Expo 2020 in Dubai. We also plan to reach other Arabian Gulf countries from this office,” stated Alberto Martínez, CEO of Lantek.
Although 85% of Lantek’s business comes from abroad, the domestic market is up 22%, making it a top performer. The company builds on the momentum of the previous year’s results “which saw growth of over 20% in countries like Spain,” Alberto Martínez said. According to Lantek’s CEO, this shows that “ our clients have begun to shake the fear of investing present at the beginning of last year.” According to Alberto Martínez, “the companies that weathered the crisis are stronger because of it.”
Digital transformation is Lantek’s challenge in upcoming years The international expansion goes hand-in-hand with the positive 2017 forecast announced by Lantek, which projects a 19% increase in revenue, bringing total sales to over €17 million.
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partners Lantek signs partnership agreement with Laser manufacturer Nukon Lantek has signed a partnership agreement with Turkish fiber laser manufacturer Nukon to supply Lantek software with its machines worldwide. Nukon’s range of fiber laser machines is available in power levels up to 6kW and have an option for linear drives which gives acceleration of up to 3G. The laser itself is fully sealed and includes automated dynamic focus, delivering very significant speed and cost savings when compared to a CO2 laser. As well as its fiber laser cutting machines the company also manufactures tube cutting fiber lasers, and waterjet, plasma and oxygen cutting machines. Over 500 machines have already been installed and Nukon uses its own manufacturing facility in Turkey as a testbed and showcase for its machines, enabling it to deliver reliability, productivity and ease of use to its customers. Following the agreement with Lantek, Nukon customers will be able to benefit from the extensive network of offices and skilled distribution channels
that Lantek has around the world. By drawing on Lantek’s local knowledge and experience in the sheet metal industry, customers will be able to optimize their processes and get the maximum return on their investment in machinery and software. As well as the Lantek Expert CAD/CAM software, which enables manufacturers to work from 3D models to a finished product, the company’s Lantek Factory concept will enable users of the Nukon machines to develop manufacturing systems that will manage the complete production process and provide a path to Industry 4.0 implementation. Francisco Pérez, OEM Channel Director, says, “Collaborating with Nukon will enable us to bring our software, skills and local knowledge to a wider customer base and will help Nukon by giving it support in international markets and an opportunity to offer its customers a business solution which can grow to match commercial needs.”
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services
If you are interested in any of these services, send us your contact data to sales@lanteksms.com and one of our sales representatives will be pleased to give you all the information you need.
Lantek Hint
Lantek Expert
Did you know that when you press Ctrl+Alt on the keyboard and you pass over an item, it will give you information of that item? If it is a segment, an arc, a circle, etc., it will give you information about its start point, end point, length, and angle. It will also indicate whether the item has a technology assigned (for example, information on bevels). It is the same as what you can see under the option View\Geometry, except the user can “jump� from one item to another more visually.
If you would like to find out more tips, send us an email at: marketing@lanteksms.com
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facts International Meeting 2017
Lantek representatives from around the world met between January 24 and 26 at its headquarters in Miñano (Alava), Spain to celebrate its annual International Meeting, an event that the company holds to share results, ideas, reflections, and goals for 2017.
Next Tradeshows
ADVANCED FACTORIES 2017
FABTECH MEXICO 2017
IPS 2017
LAMIERA 2017
APRIL 4-6
MAY 2-4
MAY 16-19
MAY 17-20
Barcelona SPAIN
Monterrey MEXICO
Lörrach GERMANY
Milan ITALY
Lost in the fog of Industry 4.0?
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