PECM Issue 40 2019 | Page 9

A great example of this in play is Schneider Electrics motor starting product, VSD’s and TeSys island with EcoStruxure Machine Expert configuration and commissioning software and the EcoStruxure Motor Configurator tool. The tool helps OEMS to accelerate the time to market by enabling multiple teams to simultaneously program and control the quality of design. By enabling a more efficient integration, it becomes 40% faster to integrate and reduce installation costs by 30% compared with traditional solutions. By utilising these technologies, product and process information is automatically generated. This allows businesses to open up to the world of plant digitisation and enjoy all the benefits it brings. Benefits include reduced energy consumption, increased productivity, more empowered operators, preventative maintenance scheduling and asset management. Not only this, but access to smart data is key in increasing uptime, improving overall quality. All of these contribute to the same end goal – to increase the overall equipment performance (OEE) and ultimately, business profitability. A FUTURE-PROOF STRATEGY At present, a smart motor management strategy may not be the first thing on everyone’s minds. But, in three to five years’ time, when the senior leadership team are requesting insights into why downtime on the plant floor is high, or into how many stop/starts a motor has done – we need to be prepared to give informed and data- driven answers. The only way to do this is by improving our traditional technology, and replacing it with smarter, more innovative and more connected motors. The question is, how do we get the most out of our manufacturing plants? The answer is simple. It’s time to embrace change and opt for smarter, more innovative starter technologies that provide us with the analytics and business insight we are going to need. By preparing a smart motor management strategy now – it’s possible to remain competitive – and ready for the future changes technology is yet to bring. www.schneider-electric.co.uk Issue 40 PECM 9