Control System Integration
Slightly different from, though building upon SCADA/IIoT, is Control System Integration (CSI). CSI is the concept of deigning and implementing processes to incorporate manufacturing systems from the shop floor to the enterprise level. This could be feeding data directly into an Enterprise, Resource and Planning (ERP) system, pushing data into a local database, presenting the data to users in a meaningful way and any other scenario that presents itself. This can be achieved with legacy or greenfield systems, each providing different challenges.
Requiring an in depth knowledge of engineering, IT and the business domain; integration can aid manufacturers in their quest for continuous improvement (CI) and lean manufacturing.
Features
Safety and Compliance
- Automation of hazardous processes reduces risks to operators.
- Industry standards and regulations can be enforced with the use of automated processes.
- Real time monitoring of critical parameters and alerts to the dangers can help prevent accidents
Improved Productivity and OEE
- Automation of repetitive tasks, negating human error.
- Enhanced production speed and accuracy.
- Minimised downtime with predictive, proactive maintenance.
Cost Reduction
- Automated processes need little to no human interaction.
- Reduced energy consumption by optimising controls to work with consistency.
- Rationalise material wastage with accurate planning and operations.
Informed Decision Making
- Real-time monitoring with SCADA and IIoT integration.
- Detailed machine analytics for predictive maintenance and optimised processes.
- Improves traceability and quality control. Especially important for the manufacture of safety critical components.
Competitive Advantage
- Faster 'run at' rates improve market responsiveness.
- Quality and reliability enhancements improve customer satisfaction.
- Enables smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 advancements.
Integration Benefits
Integration covers a large surface area of manufacturing business in the 21st century. As well as SCADA and IIoT, there are many other processes that can be encompassed within integration context including, but not limited to:
- Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) - recording production, traceability, OEE and wastage
- Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) - recording all phases of a product from conception to end-of-life.
- Supply Chain Management - co-ordinating and management of all processes involved in the production and delivery of a product or service.
- Quality Management Systems (QMS) - provide a structured framework of policies, processes and procedures to ensure products meet customer requirements or regulatory standards.
- Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) - facilitate the efficient management of warehouse processes from inventory tracking, storage and logistical requirements.
- Supplier Onboarding - ensuring that you, as a tiered supplier, are ready to manage and supply customers in a just-in-time (JIT) environment.
There are a multitude of sales people waiting to sell you their latest wares that will do everything, apart from making a cup of tea. Most of these do not take into consideration of what your business actually needs. We are totally agnostic when it comes to these. We will listen to what you want, make suggestions and provide options where necessary, but we also remember that it is your budget that needs to provide the best value and scalability for the future. However, there is no 'one size fits all' solution out of the box as much as we would like it to be so. This is where integration comes into its own, we provide the links in the chain so that the features you need are the features you get. We are, and most importantly, will remain independent