If you wonder how to move, from a simplistic and superficial view of the production process and start building the backbone of a proven methodology that can be replicable in time, adaptable to changes and at the same time make space for operational improvements, one of the best ways to start is by taking advantage of resources that are already in the factory.
Each and every device, machine and line, as well as users’ operations and behavior, in today connected industry, generate a considerable quantity of data.
The wardrobe challenge.
Let’s do for a moment a comparison with something that we use every day: our wardrobe.
It surely happened to you to wake up in the morning, maybe last night you had dinner with friends, had good time and now it’s Monday and you must rush to work.
After a quick shower you start desperately looking for that blue shirt and jacket that feel so right on you.
But what if the wardrobe is a mess, and tons of clothing lie “just there” in no real order, piles of them? What if you are late, cannot find what you are looking for and end up grabbing the first piece of clothing that seems somewhat the right compromise – but not exactly what you were looking for?
It sucks, right?
Such an annoying setback has the power to completely change the rest of your day, make you feel out of synch and ruin your confidence.
Instead, if all clothes would be perfectly folded in boxes, each box with its own label indicating the exact content, wouldn’t it be easier? Knowing precisely what each box contains, by type, color, season; where it is located in the drawer or on the shelf, you would have saved time and troubles.
All you need is…the right tool.
To obtain an insightful information, a proven tool is crucial. One that can collect, organize, compress and finally capture and return that one precious information that can make the difference.
At Emerson, we recognize what an incredible value lies inside industrial data and we have realized a solution that allow manufacturers to collect high-integrity data, compress and store them, capture relevant information from devices, like KPIs, analyze them deeply and transform them into relevant, powerful insights, that make informed and strategic decisions possible.
While raw data are useless, insights prompt the right decision and consequent actions.
I encourage you to read this new article from Jan Edler, IIoT manufacturing applications leader and Kit Thompson, IT EMEA director, Discrete Automation that provides highlights on how this process was implemented in Lodz plant, Poland, where Emerson produces ASCO valves.
The initial challenge was to calculate and improve OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and downtimes, tracking and analyzing product test results, and monitoring and evaluating energy and air consumption.
The results, after implementing Emerson Movicon.NExT HMI/SCADA software alongside the Pro.Lean module for data collection, visualization, and analysis were highly beneficial.
The team was able to improve visibility into individual machines and overall process efficiency, set clear and measurable goals and progresses, identify and eliminate the root causes of downtimes, as well as reduce energy waste through compressed air leak detection.