Until not too long ago, the evolution of management techniques for manufacturing may have been described as gradual and regular progress. Controllers turned extra highly effective, networks turned sooner and extra strong, operator interfaces turned extra responsive, drives added options and have become extra environment friendly, and sensors grew extra correct, however the adjustments had been incremental and cumulative, somewhat than large and disruptive. In this local weather, the selection to improve a legacy management system was largely a perform of downtime avoidance. If substitute elements and help had been nonetheless available, then the danger of prolonged downtime due to a failure was minimal. As components and help turns into much less out there, the danger of prolonged downtime rose. Eventually, each management system reaches a tipping level the place a single failure or downtime occasion could have such a disproportionate impact on manufacturing that proactively upgrading or changing the system is smart. However, few issues had been made for know-how upgrades, characteristic additions, or structure adjustments as the brand new choices had been, for essentially the most half, functionally comparable to what they had been changing. In current years, in contrast, the world of producing and automation is brimming with new applied sciences, new concepts, and new software program. This modern panorama affords new potentialities for producers, significantly as they undertake Industry 4.0 ideas. The determination to improve and/or modernize a management system was as soon as a calculation primarily based on danger discount. Now, it additionally consists of evaluating and weighing new options and choices. A machine that has been working effectively for 15 or extra years could profit from a PLC, HMI, and drives improve, however may get by for just a few extra years. However, what if the facility is bringing in new edge connectivity know-how and making a enterprise intelligence dashboard for all its belongings? A brand new management system with an upgraded community, together with a VLAN to separate the enterprise intelligence community from the machine community, may handle each points. That similar controls modernization mission can now clear up two points with one funding. An present CIP skid could also be completely serviceable, however the controls could now not meet the necessities for knowledge integrity and document conserving. Updating the mixing to the SCADA or MES system to add audit trails and digital signatures might be mixed with new AI instruments to develop extra environment friendly and efficient course of parameters. A tank farm and switch system could also be performing adequately, however upkeep has observed that drives and motors are being changed extra continuously. Upgrading to trendy VFDs with superior diagnostic capabilities and situation monitoring could not have the ROI to justify a mission primarily based on drive failures alone. But may that very same mission be mixed with an power utilization monitoring and discount initiative or added to a plan to add new a IO Link sensor community to monitor ranges, temperatures, and circulate? The further diagnostic knowledge may enable upkeep to predict failures somewhat than react to them and the automated gadget configuration capabilities of the brand new {hardware} may cut back imply time to restore. New controls may additionally enable safe distant entry, enabling all departments to extra successfully function and preserve the tools. The purpose when management techniques modernizations is maximizing return on funding, and that hasn’t modified. What has modified in at this time’s atmosphere is the variety of new variables that may be added into the equation. Advances in conventional controls {hardware} together with new applied sciences that deliver further knowledge and perception from the manufacturing flooring could be integrated concurrently. Additional efficiency knowledge could be gathered on the similar time legacy {hardware} is life cycled out. New instruments to monitor and enhance processes could be applied alongside updates required to meet new rules. New consumer authentication and safety could be applied concurrently an working system is up to date on a server. Downtime danger could be lowered and system efficiency could be improved. Don’t be afraid to suppose exterior the field when it comes to modernizing your management techniques. You won’t even notice all of the instruments out there to add worth to your tools and processes.
https://www.automationworld.com/control/article/22184406/control-system-modernizations-to-improve-manufacturing-processes
Control System Modernizations to Improve Manufacturing Processes
