Industry 4.0 / smart FactorIes


of plant and capital equipment to establish a baseline of what can already be achieved. In simple terms, this means looking at whether there is any intelligence within the equipment and its wider systems, whether it is connected, and whether it has It/ot capabilities which can escalate data into the It domain. For example, many manufacturers have their equipment connected to an erP system, providing some degree of connected infrastructure. this stage should identify the types of


machines, automation architecture and capabilities that are present to provide a holistic view of the status of the plant. many smes have relatively simple sites, so this need not be an overly complex process. a technology assessment may identify that the


are parts not being delivered on time? are there quality issues? Having a clear, prioritised list of objectives is


vitally important to understand what needs to be solved before trying to solve it. this will often involve identifying where the greatest return on investment (roI) can be made, as this is where the quickest digitalisation wins can be found. this might mean replacing repetitive manual tasks with automated capabilities such as robotics, enabling device condition monitoring for prescriptive maintenance function or understanding the causes of quality issues and updating processes and procedures to eliminate them.


Understanding the baseline


next, it is important to analyse the legacy platform by undertaking a technology assessment


field level data needed to understand any identified challenges may not be available within the existing systems. typically, manufacturers with legacy equipment do not have the necessary intelligence within their lines. they may know basic information about how many items they produce, but generally, there is no deterministic information such as how productive the line is, how long it is idle or stops for, or how long one part of the machine is waiting for another to finish its process. deterministic information allows manufacturers to build a level of intelligence that can tell them what to change, or what needs to be added to a machine. and the answer may be simple.


adding a data acqUisitiOn layer


If the baseline analysis identifies insufficient system capability to run the required sensors and capture the data they produce, then a secondary data collection layer, using technologies such as omron’s sysmac automation Platform and field level deterministic sensors, can be added. this can work independently to the machine and not interfere with it in any way. this is a particular advantage with legacy equipment as if something were to go wrong, the original equipment may not be able to be replaced. depending on the machine’s scale, this data collection layer could be a system controller with


fieldbus communication that allows I/o to be deployed remotely. alternatively, a central PLc could be used to collect information. the installation will be relatively straightforward, requiring a modest investment, because it is not actually controlling anything on the machine; it is simply collecting data. In addition, some or all of this investment could


be redeployed further along the journey, when the project moves from identifying problems to managing them. essentially, manufacturers can benefit from secondary architecture to which other sensors or automation technology can be added in the future. the results from the baseline assessment – in


terms of scale and investment required to get a facility modernised – could be overwhelming. But remember that an entire site does not need to be tackled in one project. It is far more practical to compartmentalise and prioritise the elements which will give the greatest return, in terms of productivity and efficiency. In addition, there are several schemes and


organisations to help businesses on their journey towards a smart factory. these include the High Value manufacturing catapult centres, which are industry-biased and provide innovation support to businesses. technology vendors and their integration partners can also provide valuable support.


de-risking


capital investment in digitalisation can be de- risked by building in flexibility and agility to enable the solution to adapt to future changes within the business. modern automation systems have this capability built in, and if they are intelligently employed, users can be sure that they will be able to fulfil future requirements. Furthermore, organisations such as omron


are developing different methods of de-risking projects and improving the accessibility of technology, such as through a servitisation approach or alternative financial models. From this perspective, the customer is charged for equipment based on an outcome or performance based metric, or via a financial leasing solution, as an alternative to a one-off capital investment. this changes the investment decision dynamic from capital costs to operating costs and either solution can offer manufacturers a financial or operation benefit.


cOnclUsiOn


reaping the rewards of a smart factory is definitely not limited to greenfield sites. With the right approach, all manufacturing operations – regardless of the age of the equipment in use – can benefit from developing a digital capability, providing they take the right steps. namely, to identify the business challenges; define the technology baseline; prioritise the areas for improvement; then engage with a technology vendor, systems integrator or support initiative and create a compelling business case.


Omron www.industrial.omron.co.uk


Factory&HandLInGsoLutIons | octoBer 2021 13


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