prospects for smart, fl exible production systems that combine with PLM to make new possibilities for manufacturing companies, noted Aaron Frankel, di- rector of product marketing, Siemens PLM Software. New features from PLM developers include provid- ing users with intelligent models, a full digital model with embedded intelligence that can be used directly in manufacturing, and the Digital Twin, a fully digital product and production defi nition accurately simu- lating reality.
lifeblood of any manufacturing operation. With on- time delivery of “actionable” information, manufac- turing management can gain invaluable knowledge on overall plant performance, workcell productivity, machine uptime, part quality and traceability, and many other factory variables.
Newer cloud-based ERP systems are available
The new FastSuite Edition 2 digital manufacturing solution from Cenit AG offers users robotic programming, plant-fl oor layout, and digital validation and commissioning.
Image courtesy Cenit AG
More manufacturers are using virtual commis- sioning to reduce risks and save time, Frankel said. “We’re seeing an increased use of vision systems attached to robots to increase fl exibility and drive even higher quality results.” Simulation, immersive experiences, augmented reality and mobility tools give engineers a better understanding of how the manufacturing system works, Frankel added, and what can be improved.
“One trend is using point clouds created by scanning the actual factory fl oor in manufacturing planning applications,” noted Frankel. “Point clouds help to plan in the context of the scanned factory, visualize the planned assembly processes and verify the ‘as-built’ plant to 3D CAD layout.”
ERP, MES and Shop-Floor Data Systems ERP, MES and shop-fl oor data management soft- ware all deliver real-time factory-fl oor data that is the
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now and many like Plex Online from Plex Systems (Troy, MI) offer tight links with an MES core system that speeds up timely delivery of factory fl oor data. In recent years, many ERP developers including Global Shop Solutions (The Woodlands, TX) have added mobile apps that are increasingly popular for providing access to on- premise ERP databases or through links to cloud-based ERP systems. Another example is the Exact JobBoss ERP solutions from Exact America (Bloomington, MN) now available in either cloud-based or on-premises versions. In shop-fl oor data systems, real- time access to key metrics includ- ing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is key to any plant’s success. Many top suppliers of shop-fl oor data collection, like the MERLIN (Manufacturing Execution Real-
Time Lean Information Network) MES system from Memex Automation Inc. (Burlington, ON, Canada), leverage the open-architecture MTConnect data- collection communications protocol. In spite of the solutions available, the number of
shops actively monitoring their factory fl oor opera- tions lags at about only 3% of shops, according to industry estimates. But with such solutions, great dividends are there to be had. “Real-time informa- tion is probably the Holy Grail of manufacturing,” said David McPhail, Memex Automation president and CEO.
More options are available for installing effec-
tive monitoring systems to leverage real-time data from the factory fl oor, noted Jody Romanowski, CEO of Cimco Americas LLC (Streamwood, IL). The high volumes of shop-fl oor data make it imperative to implement systems like Cimco’s MDC-Max data collection package that is integrated with the com-
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