Part III discussed four ‘enablers’ that would help companies to reap the benefits of e-manufacturing. What follows is a series of articles showcasing companies that have successfully made use of these enablers to bring significant benefit.
Quite often, plant floor engineers search to find 'best-of-breed' components for particular control applications in the factory - and then work to link the systems together. In the era of the Internet, however, automated control systems must take full advantage of commercial information technologies, including Microsoft operating systems and Ethernet networks, to not only integrate plant-floor operations to work seamlessly throughout a typical plant environment, but to also make that control information transparent throughout the enterprise. These "open" technologies present a strategic advantage to address the control needs of the plant and the connectivity to achieve that transparency. They allow a manufacturer to rapidly deploy and reconfigure its own processes more quickly, thanks to an information-rich automation architecture.
An integrated plant-floor architecture must address needs for multiple control disciplines, seamless communications, as well as information visualisation throughout a varied factory operation. The examples are numerous. Multiple control functions in an automotive plant, for instance, require a diverse control solution. Automotive assembly mixes batch processes with discrete operations in paint and trim. Press and fabrication systems must have coordinated drive systems. And, power train assembly must tightly integrate discrete and motion control. The convergence of control disciplines continues to lead manufacturers toward integrated solutions that reduce integration costs and, ultimately, create greater plant-wide productivity through a tightly integrated system. The design cycles are shortened, speeding the time to market of new goods. The benefits of the architecture itself are measurable; software training and programming time drop. The total integration of multiple control disciplines all but eliminates challenges in making systems work together. Flexibility also comes in an infinitely expandable communications system. No additional programming is needed to integrate networks.
Networks must deliver an efficient means to exchange data for precise control, while supporting noncritical systems and device configuration at start-up and during run time. Networks must also provide the critical link for collecting data at regular intervals for analysis. An integrated architecture benefits from a common set of advanced network services and interfaces optimised for realtime control, configuration and collection of data, with seamless communications up and down the architecture, allowing access to any part of a system from any location. The ability of a company to view plant information from anywhere in the world, and at any stage of production, completes an integrated architecture. A transparent view of the factory floor provides integration benefits like common user experience across the operator interface environment; configuration tools for open and embedded control applications; improved productivity through the ability to reuse technology throughout the plant; and overall reduced cycle costs related to training, upgrades and maintenance. From a practical standpoint, this kind of integration extends the usability around the globe. Information entered into the system once can be accessed by individuals throughout the enterprise - from the machine operator or maintenance personnel on the factory floor to a manager viewing live production data via the Internet halfway around the world. By migrating current factory floor control with commercial technologies, plant floor engineers hold a key card for an e-manufacturing strategy: a flexible exchange of the critical production data for the benefit of the greater enterprise.
Integrated control
Prosoco (in the USA) is a world-leading formulator of specialty chemicals for cleaning and treatment of brick, masonry and other building materials. It had been operating in the same facility for nearly 40 years, but in 1998 the company set in place plans for a new plant to consolidate operations, prepare for new market opportunities and lower its overall production costs.
While Prosoco has a straightforward process for its chemicals, it needed to provide engineers with realtime access to production information in the event that mid-course corrections were required. At the same time, the company wanted to improve the consistency of its chemicals. Prosoco realised an opportunity to improve productivity by better comparing incoming orders for chemicals with available raw material inventory, and adjusting production schedules accordingly. Finally, to reduce overtime-labour costs and improve uptime, the company wanted the capability to monitor and troubleshoot the system from remote locations if necessary.
Prosoco worked with Rockwell Automation to find the right solution for its needs. The company had already installed an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to track incoming orders and plan production based on current inventory levels. Each day, employees enter orders into the ERP system, which then determines an optimum production schedule for the day and downloads the information via RSSql to an industrial computer running Rockwell Software RSView32 human machine interface software. Operators on the plant floor review the production schedule and initiate the first product run by pressing a button on the screen. A computer was installed at the batch vessels to provide employees with realtime views on in-process runs. Instructions are shared directly between the ERP system, RSSql, RSView and an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix control system over an Ethernet network.
The company chose ControlLogix because it is based on Rockwell Automation's Logix architecture, which means it uses the same control engine, networking and programming tools as other Rockwell Automation Logix Platforms. This improved flexibility, reduced training and maintenance costs - and, it has the capacity to perform multi-disciplinary control. ControlLogix also has diagnostic modules that allow for notification of plant operators in the event of broken wires, loss of field power or other system anomalies. Interface between the ControlLogix and Fourth Shift systems was accomplished with Rockwell Software RSSql industrial transaction manager software. RSSql provides the critical link between production and information by managing 'transactions' between the two systems. For example, when the ERP system determines a production schedule, it sends the schedule through RSSql to the controller. Likewise, when the control system pulls raw materials for a production run, it captures data on the amount used, which is then sent through RSSql back to the ERP system.
Prosoco's new control system has documented batch process consistency of 98% - a drastic improvement over the old process. In addition, processing of individual batches has been reduced by a factor of three. It surpassed even Prosoco's own productivity and quality gains estimates. The system also helped Prosoco react to changes in production requirements. The company has had an increase in sales of 35% and required only a minimum amount of production-related employee overtime to meet the new demand. Management can keep better track of production status, plant managers and maintenance have capability for remote monitoring and troubleshooting and less manual intervention means improved safety for employees.
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