Industry 4.0 & Beyond

Industry 4.0 and What Are We Doing About It?

The current manufacturing revolution, industry 4.0, is defined by optimising industry 3.0 with the adoption of smart and autonomous systems powered by data and machine learning. In Industry 4.0 we are seeing a combination of cyber physical systems, Internet of Things and Internet of Systems connecting a network of machines that create and share information; ultimately allowing a primitive form of artificial intelligence to make decisions without humans. The goal is commonly referred to as a ’Smart Factory’.

Whilst we recognise that automation is the top priority for our customers, we also recognise that you will want to make manual changes at times and override the system if necessary. That is why PanelWizz is a highly automated system with manual overrides at every stage. It gives you the option to achieve maximum optimisation of your machine and your material usage, whilst also saving you time in the drawing office to maximise your staff’s potential.

We continuously work with our customers to provide updates and custom modules to improve our solution with fit-for-purpose upgrades.

Industry 5.0

Whilst Industry 4.0 is the current revolution, Industry 5.0 is fast approaching and we must all be ready.

According to the European Union Industry 5.0 “provides a vision of industry that aims beyond efficiency and productivity as the sole goals, and reinforces the role and the contribution of industry to society… [and] It places the wellbeing of the worker at the centre of the production process and uses new technologies to provide prosperity beyond jobs and growth while respecting the production limits of the planet. …Specifically putting research and innovation at the service of the transition to a sustainable, human-centric and resilient European industry.”

Industry 5.0 will see a change to purpose led manufacturing, which puts people and planet above profit. Whilst we already help customers save up to 8% of raw material and have options to make recycling scrap more manageable, we know there is more we can do, that is why we drive our profits into innovating for a better future.   

How To Make the Most out of PanelWizz

You’ve decided to purchase PanelWizz, but how do you make the most out of the software? Here’s our top tips…

Find the right mix of templates and CAD drawings

Most projects are made of thousands of panels that are dimensional variants of standard panel types. But not all buildings are the same and not all designs are the same, and so there are likely to be a small percentage of panels which are specific to just that project.

Building CAD drawings can be time consuming, but equally, building a complex template for a single panel may not be worth the effort. So finding the balance is key. Our top tip: use templates for as much as you can, and input drawings for the remainder.

Embrace the software

Change can be challenging to implement but by purchasing and implementing new software, you have made a conscious decision to change the way you do things, so embrace it. Whatever your processes were before, you saw a need to improve them, and PanelWizz can help you achieve just that. We’ve found our most successful customers have adapted their processes to fit around the software, rather than trying to use the software within their current processes. It may take a little adjusting, but it will be worth it when you see the savings!

Choose the set up that right for you

We will help you to install, set up and train staff, so you will get the best out of the software if you have a clear idea of what you want from the program, what you want the program to do and in what order. This will help us to input the correct settings right from the beginning.

For example, if your company deals mostly with continuous small orders from different customers, it might be the best option to elect for linear nesting, as all the parts for that customer will come off the machine together, meaning parts don’t get misplaced. However, if you deal more with large scale cladding projects and material usage is your main concern, then holistic nesting will be the option for you. Alternatively, you may want the end customer to be able to take the panels off the pallet in the same order that they are fitted to the building, in which case, sequential nesting is the right option.

The History of Fleming Software

PanelWizz is a dynamic CAM, Estimating and Project control system, for sheet metal, and especially for architectural cladding panel fabrication, which has had over three decades of customisable bespoke adaptations built in.

This began in 1982 as a nesting system for a sheet metal punching machine. In the intervening time the software has been extensively developed and enhanced to become one of the most powerful and functionally rich low cost systems in the world giving user unprecedented high quality automation and productivity.

Fleming Software Ltd has been defined by our willingness to customise the software at the customer’s request. We can build the core systems in as an internal part of your existing IT infrastructure to create solutions closely geared to the way you work with optimal automation and productivity.

Over time, as customer’s have asked for bespoke development to oversee a change of machine or material, we have built that into the software. And all those options and integrations…they’re still there! We can set up and re-set up PanelWizz as required, to change as you need it to change.

At Fleming Software ltd we pride ourselves on offering a friendly and supportive service both directly and via a network of local resellers, which is why the worlds largest panel suppliers have chosen us for the past 16 years.

So where did it all begin?

1982 Counting House

The history of Fleming Software begins in 1982, when our founder was working for Counting House and took control of the team developing a CAD CAM Software. The main project in progress at the time was a Nesting System, to compliment the GNC CAM system, for a company in Somerset. Whilst developing this software, they added a database and production scheduling; together these became QNEST.

In 1986, a second customer purchased QNEST and whilst working with the customer our founder saw an opportunity to automate the cutter path creation of parts before they went into Qnest. This became Automatic Machining.

Meanwhile, to support a request for a 3D CAD System, our founder approached Isykon GmbH. About their 3D CAD system PROREN, translated it to English, and added a sheet metal module to it, and this became PROREN-SM, which together with Automatic Machining and Q-Nest, offered what at the time was the most advanced and comprehensive sheet metal CAD/CAM system in the world.

In 1988, Counting House went into liquidation unexpectedly and our founder, his team and the Proren SM customers were left without support for their software. Our founder seized the opportunity and established Fleming Software Ltd.

1988 Fleming Software Ltd

Punching machines

At this time, Fleming Software Ltd was selling Proren SM (CAD System), Automating Machining and QNEST (CAM Systems) and was developing a Shop Floor Management system for customers fabricating sheet metal parts. Fleming Software Ltd grew exponentially; focusing primarily on turret punch press machinery, including more specialised machines such as the Salvagnini S4 and P4.

1991 Isykon UK

In 1991, Isykon GmbH. purchased 51% shares in Fleming Software Ltd and Fleming Software Ltd was rebranded as Isykon UK.

Recession of 1992

The recession of 1992 had widespread consequences for many in the steel industry and one such company was Isykon GmbH. who went into liquidation. Fleming Software Ltd was able to purchase back the 51% shares owned by Isykon GmbH. and the company name returned to Fleming Software Ltd.

Lasers

During this period of significant change, Proren SM was sold off and merged with the developing and up-coming SolidEdge CAD system. Fleming Software Ltd continued to support Proren-SM in this transition period, and to sell Automatic Machining and QNEST which at this time was adapted to also be used with Laser and Laser/Punch combo Machines.

1997 Rewrite for PCs

The age of Personal Computers began to accelerate and so with the dawn of a new era, Fleming Software Ltd responded by rewriting AM and QNEST for PCs.

1998 New Customers

With new customers came new custom requests. By 1998, Fleming Software offered a wide range of bespoke software development which was added to AM and QNEST as customisable options, and quickly Fleming Software Ltd became the leading Sheet Metal and CAM experts in the UK.

One such custom request came from a company in Scotland who requested to automate the drawing process for Architectural Cladding Panels. The custom software that was built was so valuable that Fleming Software Ltd was initially bound contractually by limitations on its re-sale, however, our founder worked on a subsequent project with this customer and part of that deal was a release from the earlier contractual constraints.

2008 Entering the Panel Fabrication Market

CNC flat bed routers

Now free to trade, Fleming Software Ltd adapted the software again for a variety of CNC Flat Bed Routers. A Global Marketing Campaign resulted in some of the largest cladding suppliers in the world to purchase AM and QNEST.

Whilst continuing to provide bespoke software solutions, customisations, an order pipeline system and an ERP system; Fleming Software Ltd provided the software support through a network of local resellers, such as Advanced Drafting and Design, that continues to lead the ACM industry.

2018 Launching PanelWizz

After 10 years Automatic Machining, QNEST and its many adaptable customisations were consolidated, rewritten and rebranded as PanelWizz.

This caught the attention of Joseph Machine Company who agreed to be our reseller in the USA and Canada, providing support and selling PanelWizz, both on its own and alongside the Alu Ranger vertical router table. This partnership has proven to be incredibly successful and is still ongoing.

2021 The Alu Ranger Vertical Bed Router

CNC vertical bed routers

With the all new OneR and VGROOVE, came new challenges for PanelWizz and consequently the software has been heavily adapted for a very close fit with the Alu Ranger machine range to create a system with optimal productivity, and also to offer a single software solution across all router types in use by the customers.

2022 UK Reseller

With the success of the partnership with Joseph Machine Company, Fleming Software Ltd recieved the exciting news that Pro Composite Solutions had also agreed to be a reseller of PanelWizz in the UK.

The Future is Being Written…..