FROM GRINDING GEARS TO GRINDING CODE
A legacy of innovation
ANCA, an Australian company founded in 1974 by Pat McCluskey and Pat Boland, has been at the forefront of manufacturing innovation for fifty years. Their journey began with a simple idea: integrating computers into machine controls. This concept evolved into what we now know as Computer Numerical Control (CNC), a technology that powers modern manufacturing worldwide. Now a global leader in manufacturing CNC grinding machines, motion controls, sheet metal and manufacturing solutions, ANCA exports 99% of its products to over 45 countries.
The next challenge: smarter machines
Fast forward to today, and ANCA faced a new challenge: How to make it's cutting-edge machines even smarter and more efficient? Enter SixPivot, a software company that caught ANCA's attention with their genuine interest in understanding the complexities of precision tool manufacturing.
ANCA wanted a modular hardware system automated through a software interface. We developed the AIMS Equipment Interface (AEI), a central .NET 6 application that served as the backbone of the AIMS solution, running on every piece of hardware. The AEI provided a high-level abstract interface for controlling devices and automating the tool cutting and grinding process.
Shaw Innes, Principal Consultant, SixPivot
AIMS: The brain of ANCA’s machines
Together ANCA and SixPivot embarked on a two-year project to create the ANCA Integrated Manufacturing System (AIMS). At its heart was a clever piece of software that acts like a brain for ANCA's machines, helping them communicate and work together seamlessly.
During our tender process, every consultancy just said ‘yes’, they could do it without asking any questions about our Domain, except for SixPivot. ANCA does not traditionally work with external parties on our software and trust was a major factor for us. SixPivot showed a genuine interest in understanding all facets of our business and what we are trying to achieve before jumping in with a ‘Yes’. Their genuine interest and transparency from the beginning are why we chose them. They have maintained that throughout working with us. Their team is highly talented, they not only provided a technically talented team but also provided us with lasting guidance and best practices that have helped all our teams, not just those projects they were directly involved in.
Samuel Kirkpatrick, Technical Manager,
Systems Engineering, ANCA CNC Machines
Beyond software: a cultural shift
When following up and addressing concerns related to observability and rapid feedback in the manufacturing process, SixPivot improved debugging and issue resolution but also influenced a cultural shift in development workflows. ANCA's team gained new insights into modern software practices, transforming how they approach problem-solving and development. This collaboration shows how combining traditional manufacturing techniques with cutting-edge software know-how and cloud expertise can lead to exciting innovations and company-wide improvements.
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