ADVANCED MANUFACTURING NOW Robert Hoffman
Applying Data Technology on the Factory Floor a I
n my role at Signal.X Technologies I have had the privilege of working with factories of all kinds, sizes, and industries to implement manufacturing test systems. These systems typically combine elements of control, test sequencing, and data acquisition on a part or an assembly of parts. Parts are subjected to control signals and stimulus, and the measured responses and signatures are analyzed to determine if the parts pass or fail.
Some unique challenges come out of this type of testing when installed in high-volume manufacturing facilities. Cus- tomers can generate gigabytes of test results data every day and simply fi nding a place to store that data can be tough. Then there is the issue of actually using that data. Too often, those terabytes of data are left on the server, to be viewed only in the event of a warranty return. The investment in test- ing simply becomes the thorn in the factory’s side that slows production and delays shipping, and the plant personnel begin to question its effectiveness. From Signal.X’s inception we have learned how to apply universal concepts of data management, metric-based de- sign, data reuse, and process improvement to the plant fl oor. Our focus has been on implementing practical, pragmatic methods and technologies that benefi t the plant. Even if we didn’t use the buzzwords in the beginning, these technolo- gies are based on the concepts of IIoT, Smart Manufactur- ing, and Industry 4.0. How can factories dip their toes in the water of these concepts while producing quality parts and overcoming the challenges they represent? In the area of manufacturing test, we believe this fundamentally is about managing the fl ow of information, the reuse of datasets, and “closing the loop” with your manufacturing process.
Managing Information Flow Making data from the plant-fl oor test machines acces- sible to the wider community primarily involves network- ing computing elements together and bringing data into a common database. However, if your data is not standard- ized, this exercise can be very diffi cult or labor intensive.
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AdvancedManufacturing.org | March 2016
Factories have to approach manufacturing test systems with an eye toward standardizing how data is collected and how results are stored. This is the fi rst step in being able to reuse it later.
Reusing Datasets Once the data is stored and accessible, you can start to
reuse it by processing that historical data in new ways to get new insights. To do this, you need a way to analyze data offl ine followed by a way to batch process that data using a new processing instruction.
Closing the Loop The investment to create big standardized datasets is
amplifi ed many times over when data is routinely reused to explore issues of design, keep pace with development, and to improve the manufacturing process. When the answer resides in the data history, engineers need a platform to extract, study, and report on those answers. Those insights can then be used to alter the test, tighten limits, and monitor for production issues upstream.
We have learned how to use universal data management concepts to drive process improvement on the plant fl oor.
These three items can’t be accomplished in isolation.
Rather, they require an ecosystem of tools designed with this mission from the outset. If done properly, new manufacturing test systems can become a key aspect of leveraging new technologies to improve productivity and quality. Our vision is that a production test engineer has the data and insights at his or her fi ngertips not just to keep machines running, but to drive process and product improvements based on the knowledge from our suite of tools for control, collection, and collaboration. This can serve to integrate the assembly and test areas of the factory, maximizing productivity and quality while minimizing downtime and rework.
Product Manager
Signal.X Technologies LLC
www.signalxtech.com
MODERN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, SOLUTIONS & STRATEGIES
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