![]() ![]() Under the name Southwestern Industries, the shop performed contract work for the aerospace industry, but it wasn’t long before its engineering mindset led to the acquisition and perfection of a mechanical marvel called the Trav-A-Dial. Starting out as a job shop in 1951, TRAK Machine Tools was founded by a former Lockheed engineer, Dr. TRAK Machine Tools will always trace its success back to its down-to-earth beginnings. Also, with the Sinumerik One software development kit and MindSphere API, TRAK is able to add new features targeted at specific markets without us having to write complex software from scratch.” A legacy of engineering innovation ![]() The Siemens platform is already there with its Control to MindSphere connectivity and support for common machine protocols such as OPC-UA and MTConnect. We don’t need to build our own platforms with all the related IT and software development. “The Siemens Sinumerik One platform enables TRAK and our job shop customers to cross over into that level of automation. “Automation can mean any kind of mechanism that enables a process to go from part-to-part,” Copeland says. Together with Siemens, we can help our customers take that next step.” This provides the targeted information that enables an organization to implement new business models. They need to implement software that connects machine tools and shop floor personnel. But then shops need to take the next step. ![]() The benefits of this first step are to sort out connectivity and security issues along with preparing the organization to make data-driven decisions. “They are basically connecting machines to software applications, then monitoring those machines from a managerial dashboard. “Most shops are still at step one, getting started with what I call the dashboard era,” Copeland explains. During his 40 years with the company, he has seen how job shops can fall behind during technology transitions. Tom Copeland is TRAK chief technology officer. Now the company is introducing an all-new line of production-level machines empowered by the Siemens Sinumerik One “digital twin” CNC platform. “Especially owners that don’t have teams of engineers and information technology (IT) specialists to help them evaluate and integrate new, digitally enabled machining operations.”Īs a first step to help shops on the toolroom side, TRAK developed a line of machining centers, powered by the company’s popular ProtoTRAK CNC. “The transition across the business will be difficult for job shops,” says TRAK Machine Tools owner Steve Pinto. Job shops are facing the digital adoption challenge across two fronts – toolroom and production. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SIEMENS INDUSTRY INC. ![]()
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