Deep Hole Drilling Integration: MES and Factory Automation

Deep hole drilling machines have long been the most isolated machines in the factory. Enclosed behind heavy guarding to contain high-pressure coolant mist, operating with specialized controls, and running cycle times measured in minutes per hole rather than seconds per part, they were easily left out of factory digitalization initiatives. That is changing. Modern deep hole drilling machines are becoming fully connected nodes in the digital factory, communicating production status, tool condition, and process parameters in real time.

The Case for Connectivity ​

Why Deep Hole Drilling Machines Were Left Behind ​

Business Drivers for Integration ​

Communication Protocols and Standards ​

OPC UA ​

OPC Unified Architecture is the leading platform-independent communication standard for industrial automation:

Modern deep hole drilling machine CNCs — including Siemens and FANUC — support OPC UA natively. For older machines, edge gateways provide protocol translation.

MTConnect ​

MTConnect is an open, royalty-free standard focused specifically on machine tool data:

MTConnect is particularly strong in North America and is supported by many deep hole drilling machine builders through their CNC control packages.

Comparison ​

Data Collection Architecture ​

Typical Architecture Layers ​

Level 4 — ERP (SAP, Oracle, MS Dynamics)
    ↑↓ standard APIs (REST, OData, BAPI)
Level 3 — MES (FactoryWorks, Hydra, custom)
    ↑↓ OPC UA / MTConnect / MQTT
Level 2 — SCADA / Edge Gateways
    ↑↓ OPC UA / Focas / Modbus
Level 1 — CNC Controllers + PLCs
    ↑↓ sensors, drives, I/O
Level 0 — Physical Process

What Data to Collect ​

Tool Condition Monitoring ​

Deep hole drilling benefits particularly from tool condition monitoring because tool failure is expensive (scrapped workpiece) and often predictable:

A 2018 IEEE study on deep hole gun drilling demonstrated that a data-driven approach using multiple sensor signals (vibration, power, acoustic emission) can predict tool failure with high accuracy, enabling tool changes at the optimal point between maximum utilization and failure risk.

MES Integration ​

Production Order Management ​

When a deep hole drilling machine is connected to MES:

OEE Calculation ​

Connected deep hole drilling machines enable accurate OEE tracking:

With real-time data, OEE is calculated automatically and can be broken down by machine, shift, operator, or workpiece type.

Quality Traceability ​

For regulated industries (aerospace, medical, defense), full traceability is required:

This data is typically associated with each workpiece serial number and stored in the MES for the product lifecycle (often 20–30 years for aerospace components).

ERP Connectivity ​

Data Flow to ERP ​

Automated Material Planning ​

When a deep hole drilling machine feeds production counts to MES and MES feeds to ERP:

1. Machine completes a part
2. MES records the completion and decrements the material in WIP
3. ERP recalculates material requirements for the next order
4. Purchase requisition is generated automatically if raw material stock falls below reorder point

This closed-loop integration reduces inventory carrying costs and prevents stock-outs that could stop production.

Automated Deep Hole Drilling Cells ​

UNISIG Automated Gundrilling Cells ​

UNISIG offers three levels of automation for deep hole drilling machines:

UNISIG R-4-2-2 Barrel Cell:

• Gundrills four barrels simultaneously while reaming two and rifling two others
• Smart conveyor for part loading/unloading
• 6-axis robot transfers parts between stations
• Supports hours of unattended (lights-out) operation
• Integrated MES tracking for each barrel through the production sequence

UNISIG UNE6-2i-750-CR:

• Dual independent spindles for surgical instrument drilling
• Embedded 6-axis robot for automated loading and part repositioning
• Hole diameters 0.8–6 mm, lengths up to 30 inches (760 mm)
• Depth-to-diameter ratios exceeding 100:1
• Full lights-out operation capability

Precihole Automation ​

Precihole integrates Industry 4.0 connectivity across their deep hole drilling lines:

Precihole systems are IoT and Industry 4.0 compliant with smart diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and real-time data exchange.

Eaton SmartWire-DT: TIBO Deep Hole Drilling Case Study ​

TIBO Tiefbohrtechnik GmbH implemented Eaton's SmartWire-DT system with mrm² automation for their deep hole drilling machine control:

The system uses an Eaton XV300 multi-touch HMI/PLC with PKE motor-protective circuit breakers that provide integrated energy monitoring. All machines connect via Ethernet for future edge/cloud predictive maintenance integration.

Implementation Architecture ​

Phase 1: Machine Connectivity ​

Phase 2: Data Platform ​

Phase 3: MES Integration ​

Phase 4: Automation ​

For facilities ready to move beyond monitoring to automated operation:

Practical Guidance ​

Retrofitting Legacy Machines ​

Older deep hole drilling machines without modern CNCs can still be connected:

Cybersecurity Considerations ​

Cost-Benefit Expectations ​

FAQ ​

Q: What communication protocol is best for connecting deep hole drilling machines to MES? OPC UA is the recommended standard for new installations due to its platform independence, built-in security, and rich information model. MTConnect is a good alternative for North American shops focused on monitoring. Both can coexist in the same facility.

Q: Can older deep hole drilling machines be connected to MES? Yes. Machines with FANUC CNCs can be connected via the Focas library. Older PLC-based machines can use Modbus TCP or I/O monitoring. Even relay-logic machines can be monitored with add-on current sensors and cycle counters.

Q: What data should be collected from a deep hole drilling machine? At minimum: machine state (running/idle/stopped), cycle start/end times, spindle speed and load, feed rate, coolant pressure, and tool life consumed. For quality-critical applications, add coolant temperature, vibration, and bore inspection results.

Q: What is the UNISIG R-4-2-2 automated barrel cell? It is a fully automated production cell that gundrills four gun barrels simultaneously while reaming two and rifling two others. It uses a smart conveyor and 6-axis robot for part handling and supports lights-out unattended operation.

Q: How does OEE apply to deep hole drilling? OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measures availability (uptime), performance (cycle time vs. ideal), and quality (first-pass yield). For deep hole drilling, availability includes tool change and coolant system maintenance time. Performance accounts for feed rate optimization. Quality tracks bore inspection pass rate.

Q: What tool condition monitoring methods work for gun drilling? Trend analysis of spindle power and feed force is effective for detecting tool wear progression. Vibration monitoring detects chattering and bearing issues. Coolant pressure fluctuation analysis identifies clogged coolant passages. Acoustic emission sensors detect micro-cracking.

Q: How are quality measurements linked to production data? Bore inspection results (diameter, straightness, surface finish) are associated with the workpiece serial number in the MES, along with the process parameters that were active during drilling (tool ID, speed, feed, coolant conditions). This enables traceability and root cause analysis.

Q: What are the key benefits of integrating deep hole drilling with ERP? Automated production reporting eliminates manual data entry, real-time material consumption data enables just-in-time inventory, actual cycle times improve cost estimation accuracy, and tool consumption data automates procurement.

Q: How does the TIBO/Eaton SmartWire-DT system improve deep hole drilling machine controls? SmartWire-DT replaces point-to-point wiring with a flat communication cable, reducing wiring time by 35% and maintenance costs by approximately 66%. It provides integrated energy monitoring and enables a single software platform across all machine types.

Q: What is the first step in connecting deep hole drilling machines to a factory automation system? Audit the existing machine controls to determine what connectivity options are available (OPC UA, Focas, Modbus). Then install edge gateways or protocol adapters to collect machine state and cycle data. Start with monitoring before investing in control-level integration.