PROCESS AUTOMATION FEATURE
MANUFACTURING SECTOR IS UPWARDLY MOBILE
Rob Dinsmore, from SolutionsPT, advocates the use of mobile technology in the manufacturing sector in order to improve efficiency. He also warns of the barriers to implementing this technology and suggests ways in which they can be overcome
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any changes have taken place in the UK’s manufacturing industry in recent years, including a refocus on efficiencies and a requirement to capture and analyse more data than ever before. As a result, manufacturers are now under pressure to deliver higher rates of production but with the same - or less – resource. In turn, this has caused them to re-evaluate their current systems and look for more ways to deliver efficiencies. Until recently, mobility had been slow to gain ground in manufacturing. However, more businesses are now turning to mobile solutions to perform business critical tasks. By utilising
mobile technology and making real-time data accessible to all key staff wherever they are in a facility, enabling them to make vital business decisions quickly and accurately, manufacturers can improve their operations, reducing costs and making efficiency savings. Implementing mobile technology can
also benefit the production environment itself. Traditionally, factories make use of ‘fixed operator stations’, usually consisting of PCs which operators must physically go to in order to use. The ability to use mobile devices removes the need for personnel to have to repeatedly check back to one position, improving both workflows and output. But whilst the benefits of implementing
mobile technology are obvious, what are the common challenges businesses face around mobility and what steps must manufacturers follow before taking the plunge? Security concerns are the greatest
barrier to implementing mobile technology and there are several factors to consider. The major risk is perceived to be ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) capabilities, with IT Managers regularly raising concerns around devices being
‘When looking to incorporate
mobility, a business must determine how and where mobile solutions can be bring most benefit’
brought into facilities and connecting to the network that may carry viruses or leave the network exposed to security attacks. One solution is to buy-in mobile devices that are then made accessible to operators as part of a shared pool, making it is easier to control how devices connect to the system whilst also managing the level of access granted to each user. However, mobility is more than just devices - wireless connectivity plays a vital role in becoming a mobile- powered operation. A wireless connection is not always guaranteed in the industrial world, as they are still often viewed as being less secure but, as technology has advanced, wireless networks can now be created that are actually more secure
than the wired alternatives. Big multinationals,
such as Heineken and Proctor & Gamble, are investing millions of pounds in order to roll out secure wireless networks that will offer greater protection and faster network speeds than ever before. Ultimately, many security issues also
come down to the operator and it is almost impossible to legislate for user error. These risks can be negated, however. If a user has access to the wrong application or mistakenly enters commands that can start and stop
By utilising mobile technology and making real-time data accessible to all key staff wherever they are in a facility, manufacturers can improve their operations, reducing costs and making efficiency savings
Rob Dinsmore, from SolutionsPT
In order to complement the role of the control room, more businesses are now turning to mobile solutions to perform business critical tasks, removing the need for personnel to have to repeatedly check back to one position
machinery, the risks to human safety and the manufacturing process can be enormous. Through the use of solutions such as ThinManager Relevance, ‘resolvers’ - usually QR codes on workstations or Bluetooth beacons and WiFi connections in specific locations - can be used to provide a robust way of ensuring a user has the right credentials to access applications and only does so in the right place and at the right time. When looking to incorporate mobility, a business must determine how and where mobile solutions can bring the most benefits, and whether a standalone application or a company-wide mobility solution is the most appropriate. Making sure the right knowledge and experience exists within organisations can guarantee that mobility is implemented to work efficiently, delivering the support and services required. However, this does not have to mean employing a new workforce of IT specialists - the skills gap within the IT sector means that more companies are turning to managed services to support their IT systems than ever before. This means that a third party can be used to help your organisation to embrace mobility, allowing manufacturers to benefit from their expertise and knowledge, whilst providing the peace- of-mind that the solutions delivered are in-line with the desired operating results. Ensuring that factories are secure from cyber threats and operating efficiently should be high on any manufacturer's list of priorities. Mobility is revolutionising manufacturing and businesses are increasingly designing mobility into their strategies to deliver greater efficiency. However, it’s not as simple as applying the same devices used in commercial offices to the production environment. The potential cost-saving and operational benefits of mobile computing technology are exciting but manufacturers must ensure they are adopting the correct solutions to meet their specific needs and taking the necessary steps to ensure they are doing so safely and securely.
SolutionsPT
solutionspt.com
PROCESS & CONTROL | NOVEMBER 2016 33
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