Optimize your Factory Using Production Management System!

Incorporating a real-time configuration and management system is one of the essential actions to optimize the management and operation of a factory, regardless of the type of industry and its size.

In fact, implementing quality technological solutions has ceased to be an added value and has become a necessity, since by not doing so you will give up competitive advantages and live with many of the classic problems of the industrial sector.

That said, below we will talk to you about 5 advantages and benefits that your factory will obtain by implementing this type of tools.

Keep reading!

1. Timely identification of problems

Failure to resolve problems in time generates machine stoppages, decreased profitability and deficiencies in the final product, among many other things that affect the business.

On the other hand, with a real-time configuration and management system you will have greater operational control and traceability of the processes, which allows failures to be detected at the right time and avoid setbacks in production.

For example, in the case of ANDON system, a display of lights and light signals is offered that indicate the working conditions in the plant or production floor.

In this way, operators can identify at what point problems occur in the machines and delays in production processes.

In turn, this manufacturing solution speeds up and optimizes reaction times in the face of these setbacks. Among other things, it provides the possibility of measuring the times invested in solving problems and the service departments or users that attend to the events.

In addition, an ANDON system allows standardizing the event attention scheme and escalating alert (help) calls to service areas.

2. Connect with multiple data and factory IoT devices

To develop this point we will take as an example the SCADA systems, which are applications that interact with different industrial process control devices to visualize and control production processes. Among the connected devices we can find:

Pumps
Engines
Sensors and instruments
Valves

How is this interaction achieved, in real time? Essentially, through programmable logic controllers (PLC, DCS) or data acquisition devices that employ communication protocols that exchange commands and data with the control elements—in real time—and through a display interface, operators achieve monitor production processes.

Logically, this means that operators will have tools at their disposal to achieve better control of the main process variables. Data connectivity between multiple and different factory control devices, located in islands of automation, is the key to achieving this.

Also exist SCADA systems that have the potential to exchange data with devices that are integrated into a network. This is thanks to protocols such as OPC, DDE, Profinet, Profibus and Suite Link that query data and process states.

Do not forget to rely on technology solution providers that are characterized by offering not only the implementation of the systems, but also support in the training processes of workers, post-implementation support, as well as continuous advice on improvements derived from the use. of systems and remote service.

3. Cost reduction and time optimization

Many real-time configuration and management systems are management tools. lean manufacturing. This means that they help the factory reduce costs and optimize cycle time, through the elimination of operations that do not add value to the processes or the final product.

In addition, this type of solutions also ensures that there is a sufficient quantity of materials so that the production line can satisfy and meet the requirements.

On the other hand, the solutions of lean manufacturing They are directly related to quality control, so they offer the possibility of adapting processes and operations to international normalization standards, such as ISO standards.

4. Integrated automation

Currently, any factory that hopes to endure and increase its productivity has to focus on reducing variability in the process, as well as integrating systems that operate as automated islands into a common platform.

Specifically, they must achieve integrated automation that efficiently unites plant systems. Luckily, this can be achieved through configuration and management systems, in real time.

In the case of SCADA systems, these have information and industrial automation architectures that are specially designed to extend the life of proprietary systems through with sophisticated and industry-oriented.

Furthermore, the automatic integration of these solutions with legacy systems allows us to leave behind the few efficient manual filling formats, as well as the traditional process operation model using local applications.

5. Access to historical information

Real-time configuration and management technological solutions also have the potential to store data to create records of historical information.

At the same time, they combine this historical storage capacity with information access functions through intelligent tools that allow generating analysis and displaying normalized data in report format, which can be viewed on plant-wide status screens and other graphs. .

The great advantage of this is that operators, workers and supervisors can have both historical and recent information at hand, which facilitates decision making and internal evaluations.

Even the potential of having historical data, in real time, facilitates the performance of audits and other specific and general analyzes that allow measuring performance in specific periods and constant improvement evolutions in the process.

Good! These are just 5 of the many reasons that show that incorporating a real-time configuration and management system is one of the essential actions to optimize the management and operation of a factory.

As you can see, there are different alternatives for technological solutions for the industrial sector, so it is important that you have the help of experts to define which solutions adapt to the particular needs of your factory, to achieve the benefits you expect!! !

Was this reading helpful to you? If you want to continue learning about real-time configuration and management systems and their implementation, Do not hesitate to contact one of the MES Automation executives.