Predictive maintenance & condition monitoring
mortar stores to social media and mobile apps to purchase the goods they need — and they expect a connected journey with consistent, personalised interactions. Omnichannel is a blueprint for the future of the industry, that is according to a recent study from digital insights firm Incisive. The report found that a staggering 73 per cent of retail transactions involve a digital touchpoint, underscoring the hybrid nature of modern shopping behaviours. Retailers have made headway in establishing digital platforms and an online presence and, to achieve a strong omnichannel experience, they should focus on their warehouse workflow. This means replacing manual and analogue systems with more automated and integrated systems, such as PC- and EtherCAT-based control technologies.
T
App, available on the Siemens marketplace, feeds data from Festo components into Siemens Industrial Edge to supply analysis applications with data. Based on this data, customers can set up monitoring within the Siemens environment to improve maintenance processes, reduce their energy consumption and improve quality. More industrial apps from Festo will soon be available via this route, including versions for AI-based monitoring of pneumatic and electric drives.
Festo
www.festo.co.uk
Instrumentation Monthly October 2024
THE FUTURE IS AUTOMATED Futureproofing warehousing and logistics is key for meeting this omnichannel demand, but this means more than just automating one or two processes. The key is automating and connecting each process and piece of equipment so that they can be controlled and adjusted with speed and ease, by operators on the warehouse floor or complex algorithms in the future. Conveyer systems, for example, have helped automate linear product handling for decades — and are crucial for delivering seamless fulfilment. Over the years, this technology has become more efficient and overcome issues such as product backpressure
FROM STORE TO DOOR
oday, many consumers demand convenience and flexibility — and retailers have had to adapt their strategies in response. When customers shop, they now use everything from traditional brick-and-
by using multi-zoned conveying systems. These systems can allow for zero-pressure accumulation (ZPA), avoiding potential damage or defects to products.
Controlling each motor in a multi-zoned conveyor is vital for efficient product traffic, best achieved by using a unified platform that ensures quick data communication and consistent motor control across all motion applications. To address this, Beckhoff recently launched the EP7402 EtherCAT box, a motor-driven roller (MDR) conveyor system controller that integrates with the widely-used TwinCAT 3 automation software. This allows diagnostic data from the controllers to be transmitted to TwinCAT Analytics, enabling remote monitoring and predictive maintenance.
AN INTEGRATED CONTROL PLATFORM As more retailers move to an omnichannel model, this will mean adopting automated, AI-driven and integrated technologies in their warehouses. With this, they must invest in the necessary control systems to help regulate the timing, control and sequencing of processes, machines, and entire production lines. Control systems can also help retailers collect real-time data, such as from sensors, which support predictive maintenance and help maintain uptime. However, retailers face a catch-22. Control systems are essential for omnichannel operations, but traditional programmable logic controllers (PLCs) - common in most warehouses - cannot keep pace with more intelligent, data-rich systems. For example, machine learning is vital for machine optimisation, but PLCs will struggle to support such a system. Consequently, as omnichannel reshapes warehouse operations, retailers should look at installing PC-based control technology, which can support these more advanced systems because they come equipped with the necessary software features and network capabilities. The benefits of PC-based controls are many. For example, Beckhoff’s PC-based controls offer improved performance thanks to their multi-core processors, they support integrated cloud connection, and they offer good scalability. Furthermore, they are compatible with EtherCAT and other common fieldbus systems.
Omnichannel retail has been a game- changer, transforming the shopping experience across online, in-store and mobile platforms. As more retailers jump on the omnichannel bandwagon, they must consider the automation processes in their warehouses and the integrated systems they will need to achieve seamless fulfilment.
Beckhoff UK
www.beckhoff.co.uk 49
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