How L&S Machine Company Visualizes CNC Data in Real Time
L&S Machine Company
challenges
L&S Machine Company needed a better way to monitor CNC machining capacity and efficiency in real time. Their previous visualization software, Factory Wiz, was expensive and required the vendor to build or update every dashboard.
solution
They implemented Peakboard across production, logistics, and management areas. The system connects directly to their MS SQL database to display live shop floor data.
benefits
- Around $20,000 saved per year in maintenance costs
- Ability to build and adjust dashboards internally
- Clearer, easier-to-understand data visualizations for employees
- First dashboard was running productively on day one
Time to Value
Founded in 1953, L&S Machine Company is a manufacturing business with about 80 employees working across locations in Latrobe and Marion Center, Pennsylvania. The company specializes in CNC machining and serves industries with strict requirements, including nuclear, aerospace, and medical.
Working with Peakboard and Catalyst Connection has been a great experience. Everyone has been very responsive and open to ideas, and it really feels like a partnership rather than just a vendor relationship.
Moving Away from Expensive, Inflexible Software
Because of the complexity of their work, the team needs clear visibility into machining capacity and efficiency across the shop floor.Previously, they used Factory Wiz for data visualization. While the system provided useful data, it came with some major limitations. Annual maintenance costs were around $20,000, and the company couldn’t make changes on their own. If they wanted to update a dashboard, fix an issue, or create a new display,they had to contact the vendor and wait for support. Looking for a more flexible and cost-effective solution, L&S began exploring alternatives. With guidance and grant support from Catalyst Connection, a Manufacturing Extension Partnership center for Southwest Pennsylvania, they chose Peakboard.
Real-Time Data with Hands-On Control
Implementation turned out to be much faster than expected. During the initial on-site visit, the Peakboard team built a working display on the very first day. This quickly demonstrated how flexible the platform was compared to their previous system. Peakboard connects directly to L&S Machine Company’s MS SQL database, pulling the data needed to display live metrics on the shop floor. Today, the company runs seven Peakboard Boxes, which power televisions and touch-enabled monitors placed throughout the shop floor and at off-site locations.
"The aha moment was realizing we could build and manage the visualizations ourselves."
– Jason Smathers, Manufacturing Manager at L&S Machine Company
Clearer Data and Lower Costs
Switching to Peakboard allowed L&S Machine Company to achieve their main goal – tracking CNC data in real time while reducing costs. One advantage is that Peakboard doesn’t require a separate hardware box for every machine. Instead, the boxes power the displays themselves, which significantly lowers hardware and maintenance requirements.The dashboards were also redesigned to better support workers on the shop floor. Instead of showing a long list of 20 machines, each display focuses only on the machines in that specific area. For example, workers in the lower bay see data for just the five machines they work with daily. The team also customized the visuals with a black and gold color scheme, inspired by Pittsburgh’s sports teams. The new layout is easier to read and grabs workers’ attention much more effectively than the old red-and-white screens. Beyond machine data, the displays now also show company-wide information like scrap rates, meeting times, and employee anniversaries. This eliminated the need for a separate digital signage system.
Expanding to Scheduling and Quality Monitoring
With production tracking already working well, L&S Machine Company is planning the next steps. Future plans include expanding Peakboard into other operational areas such as production scheduling and quality management. As automation increases on the shop floor, the company also hopes to integrate Haas robotics with their displays. With guidance from Catalyst Connection, they are exploring ways to add real-time Statistical Process Control (SPC) and CPK calculations to monitor manufacturing quality more closely.
Start now with Peakboard and simplify your processes
Turn live data into smart decisions — with Peakboard.
