PECM Issue 52 2021 | Page 155

Are customers paying the price for your process inadequacies ?

TOOLS HARNESSING PROCESSES

DESOUTTER
Are customers paying the price for your process inadequacies ?
Process creation can be dull . It ’ s one of the most time consuming , yet critical , parts of a business . However , by getting bulky systems and arcane methodologies out of the way , you can focus directly on analysing and developing processes , offering a unique opportunity to improve quality and efficiency . It ’ s time to get a better grip of your data and see what an improved process control strategy can do for you , and more importantly , for your customers .
Read on to learn more about the process control & data collection system from the experts at Desoutter . It ’ s easy to implement , ‘ drag and drop ’ configurable , and has the versatility to tackle any process , large or small .
WHAT IS PROCESS CONTROL ? Process control takes many forms , and since its inception around the time of the first industrial revolution ( and arguably even further back than that ) it continues to evolve faster than ever . However , with so many methodologies and systems coming and going hitherto , the phrase can feel somewhat diluted .
In order to properly nail down a definition we need to step back from talk of Industry 4.0 , big data , and dark factories , and instead we need to think in terms of what processes are , and how they should be properly managed . More broadly , we might define process control as “ Activities involved in ensuring a process is predictable , stable , and consistent , operating at the target level of performance with only normal variation .” Which has a broad enough scope to encompass all manner of activities with a specified process . From controlling the assembly of goods in a factory , to managing the delivery of a script in a call centre , even the process of making a cup of tea ! Processes , all easily encompassed within our aforementioned definition .
Any sufficiently valuable process within an organisation has to be controlled within this framework , and where systems need to be implemented to ensure compliance , it pays to have a sufficiently flexible unitary solution to avoid a comparative patchwork quilt of mismatching equipment / methodologies . This is particularly pertinent as all too commonly , process non-compliance occurs in the gaps between systems . We can consider the following constituent parts : 1 . Triggering of the process ( Order received etc ) 2 . Gathering of required resources ( Stock / Materials / Equipment ) 3 . Integration / Interlocking with process specific equipment 4 . No faults forward completion of the process 5 . Real-time recording of data
Any process control system has to be able to handle these aspects in as efficient and reliable a manner as possible , but there ’ s more to it than that …
WHEN CONTROL ISN ’ T ENOUGH . Industry 4.0 , The Internet of Things , Big Data , Predictive Maintenance , and Dark Factories . These are all buzz-words & phrases one might encounter while trying to identify solutions in the process control sector , but what do they all mean , and what do they have in common ?
Industry 4.0 is the overarching term , and is characterised ( by global management consultancy McKinsey ) as a culmination of rising data volumes and computational power , the emergence of analytics and business-intelligence capabilities , new forms of human machine interaction ( Augmented Reality , for example ), and improvements in transferring digital instructions to the physical world .
The characterisation above is accurate and reflects the changes in industry , but the particular point it contains which binds all of those other buzz-words we mentioned earlier , is data . Without this massive shift towards data driven solutions , none of the other changes we see would be possible . It ’ s this data , coupled with 100 years of manufacturing expertise , which Desoutter is harnessing to benefit its customers and partners , allowing them flexibility , repeatability of process , reduced down-time , and with all those things combined , reduced cost !
UNRIVALLED VERSATILITY Pivotware is the holistic process control and worker guidance solution from Desoutter . With Pivotware , you can easily master the wealth process complexity and process variation within your organisation , and help empower your employees to get the best from them . Long training periods , human error , and lack of traceability , are now things of the past !
COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE You can easily configure your own production processes according to process variants using an intuitive drag & drop configurator . Making you independent , guaranteeing speed & agility , and saving the unnecessary expense of specialist programmers .
ISLAND-BASED ARCHITECTURE All processes and work results are stored locally and provided globally . This unique island architecture is your bulwark to secure production against disruptions and network failures . Without reliance on a master PLC or server , Pivotware can be deployed in mobile applications where constant network signal can ’ t be guaranteed .
DEMAND- ORIENTED EXPANSION With Pivotware being an entirely ‘ off the shelf ’ product , it ’ s easy to expand and enable new features at any time , without the expense and wasted time of bespoke version changes . Without the need for an expensive master / slave system , it ’ s easy and cost effective to start with one Pivotware station and expand as required .
Visit us online to find out more : www . pivotware . com | www . desouttertools . com
Issue 52 PECM 155