Last week, Syncade smart operations management suite software was officially unveiled at ARC Advisory Group’s Orlando Forum–Winning Strategies and Best Practices for Sustainable Manufacturing. The Syncade suite of software provides resource management, operations optimization, integrated information, quality and compliance at level 3 of the ISA95 Enterprise-Control System Integration information framework standard.
Of course, those of you highly connected Twitterers already knew this because you followed the real-time coverage of the event by those Twitterers tagging their posts with #ARC. For those not as steeped in Twitter geekdom as me, there are several great summaries:
- ARC Advisory Group – Emerson’s New Syncade Smart Operations Management Suite to Help Plants Improve Performance
- Automation.com – Emerson announces Syncade Smart Operations Management Suite
- ControlGlobal.com – Freaky Fast– Emerson gets first Syncade project
- Control Engineering – Emerson Syncade Smart Operations Management Suite integrates data
- Gary Mintchell’s Feed Forward – ARC Forum 2009 press conferences
- Intech – New Year means new products
- Manufacturing Business Technology – Smart operations management: Emerson touts new software as MES replacement
- Plant Automation – Emerson Announces New Syncade Smart Operations Management Suite To Help Plants Improve Performance
Emerson’s Bob Lenich and Joanne Salazar were there to present and answer questions about Syncade to the trade press and attendees of this ARC conference. You may recall Bob and Joanne from an operations management decisions interview (post/podcast) we did a while back.
A key idea they stressed was that the Syncade software builds upon the traditional ISA95 level 1 and 2 spaces occupied by well-known brands like AMS Suite, DeltaV, Fisher, Micro Motion, and Rosemount. The level 3 data management layer is the space between the event-based process manufacturing area we know and the transaction world of the enterprise. It’s important that the data coming up from levels 1 and 2 be known good or flagged otherwise, so that the transactional decisions the business makes are based upon sound data. For example, a transaction, such as committing to a delivery date, requires an accurate view of inventory levels.
During the presentation, Bob also stressed the modularity of the Syncade suite of software. Changes in operations management typically involve changes in workflow. It’s important to tackle these changes in modular chunks so that the work processes and information flows can be optimized for the business to generate the required results.
An example might be a work process that requires a number of signatures on paper, well after the product has been manufactured. A real-time permissive check that requires on-line signatures for materials and equipment while production is ongoing can avoid rework and waste by identifying problems as they occur. This can significantly reduce product release time.
This flexibility and focus means that process manufacturing personnel and Emerson data management specialists can analyze operations and then prioritize improvement projects, choose the appropriate standards-based modules, and begin implementation. Taking a modular approach also helps to support a limited number of users with additional users being added over time, as more areas are included.
I look forward to telling stories of how the Syncade software is being applied to increase overall manufacturing efficiency.
Update: I wanted to add the Automation Gear blog and it’s post, Emerson Enters MES as another great account of the Syncade launch.
