Downtime analysing helps minimise stoppages and improve ROI
December 2001
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Productivity and efficiency are directly related to the reliability of equipment and the skill of operators. Downtimes due to such causes as equipment failures, operator inefficiency or general maintenance issues adversely affect profitability, production schedules and client satisfaction.
DT Analyst is a scalable solution that is designed to provide insight into the events that cause production systems or their components to stop functioning. Armed with detail cause and effect scenarios, operators, engineers and managers can quickly identify problem areas and take remedial action.
"It is well known that you cannot manage what you cannot measure," says Futuristix-Wonderware MD, Mike le Plastrier. "In order to contain or even reduce manufacturing costs, it is most important to optimise asset utilisation and the ROI of existing plant before replacing it or increasing its productive capacity with additional, costly equipment.
Until recently, there was no easy means of automatically collecting and analysing the detailed realtime and historical information that is required to continuously monitor all the causes of production losses. Now, through its automated and realtime data collection facilities, DT Analyst allows key personnel to determine the true causes of downtimes and inefficiencies by providing them with the critical information they need through web-based distribution channels, which they can access with any browser.
DT Analyst also helps operators tap into their plant's hidden capacity by reducing changeover time, maintenance problems and product flow issues before considering the addition of expensive new equipment or work shifts.
"Another important consideration," continues le Plastrier, "is the optimisation of maintenance intervals. Maintenance teams now have access to a historical track record for each piece of monitored equipment, which allows them to review equipment reliability and to provide maintenance based on necessity rather than simply the number of hours worked. This is also a valuable source of information for equipment suppliers because it gives them the hard facts they need to improve equipment reliability and specifications." The web-based DT Analyst reports are self-configuring and designed to answer the production and process questions posed by plant, production and maintenance managers as well as plant engineers, quality engineers and plant operators - all of whom have different concerns about various realtime and historical aspects of their production processes and equipment usage.
DT Analyst employs a distributed Microsoft Windows NT/ 2000 - based component architecture and does not require the presence of other applications such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or Human Machine Interfaces (HMI). It can, however interface to them and is therefore a powerful and complementary addition to Wonderware's InTouch HMI scada solution.
Futuristix
(011) 723 9900
[email protected]
www.futuristix.co.za
Further reading:
Oils don’t die, they degrade
Wearcheck
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
WearCheck explores the main ways lubricants degrade in service and how these degradation modes affect oil performance and machine reliability.
Read more...
Real-time spectrum analyser
Vepac Electronics
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
The PXE series real-time spectrum analyser covers frequencies up to 20 GHz with a 100 MHz analytical bandwidth and ultra-fast sweep speed, supporting spectrum monitoring, interference finding and RF test and measurement functions.
Read more...
Preserving a French heritage landmark
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Omniflex supplied a remotely monitored impressed current cathodic protection system for the Perret Tower in Grenoble, a protected French heritage site, combining 24/7 corrosion protection with integrated surge protection against lightning strikes.
Read more...
Operational efficiencies and safety compliance with preventive maintenance programmes
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Konecranes explains how its Lifecycle Care Preventive Maintenance programme reduces unexpected downtime, improves safety compliance and delivers measurable financial benefits for operators of cranes and lifting equipment across any make or sector.
Read more...
Portable appliance tester
Vepac Electronics
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Vepac Electronics’ new portable appliance tester enables precise safety testing of electrical appliances in accordance with DGUV regulation 3 and BetrSichV, with simple three-button operation and battery-powered mobility.
Read more...
Why lubrication fails in mining and what to do about it
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Lubrication Engineers explains the recurring failure points behind mining lubrication problems and how the right product, storage and application practices can improve equipment reliability.
Read more...
When digital twins move from concept to critical tool
IT in Manufacturing System Integration & Control Systems Design Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Digital twins are moving out of the lab and onto the mine, the factory floor and the transport network where they predict failures before they happen. Amritesh Anand looks at where they earn their keep, the data and integration work behind them, and the security questions every organisation should ask before switching one on.
Read more...
Why asset level intelligence is now essential for resilient wastewater plants
Schneider Electric South Africa
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Sub-Saharan Africa’s wastewater operators face mounting pressure to keep ageing plants running smoothly and meet tougher environmental standards, all while lacking visibility into the health of their medium-voltage (MV) drives and other critical rotating assets. Adding predictive analytics, digital twins and enterprise dashboards enables optimisation across multiple sites, ensuring every drop moves safely and efficiently through the water cycle.
Read more...
How multiple boilers can minimise costly downtime
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Associated Energy Services explains how multi-boiler systems reduce downtime risk for South African manufacturers, covering redundancy planning, fuel source diversification and the strategic management of backup boiler capacity.
Read more...
Field calibration made easy
Instrotech
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Instrotech’s locally designed and manufactured Calog calibrator range feature a rugged IP54-rated housing, backlit display with data logging via SD card, and a lithium-ion battery with approximately eight hours of run time.
Read more...
printer friendly version