State-of the-art technology for the development of more intelligent industrial plants
In many processes, production data are manually collected on a regular basis, on a worksheet, and are then typed onto an Excel spreadsheet to be subsequently converted in “daily/weekly production reports”. This method depends on the discipline, dedication and precision of the people involved in the process.
There is an alternative: the automatic taking, recording, representing and analysis, second by second, of the main indicators of the production process using a tool such as IProx Factory.
Data is the key word for making decisions based on facts rather than on impressions.
IProx Factory incorporates something else: images. Strategically placed cameras allow real time viewing – integrated in the same dashboard as the numerical data – of the critical points and, subsequently, the analysis of the recordings in order to correlate the evolution of the process with the results obtained.
In the factories and workshops where it is used, IProx Factory soon becomes an essential support tool when making decisions. The information collected automatically throughout the plant is updated and graphically shown – with the appropriate level of detail – in various locations:
- at machine level, to occasionally inform and alert and give responsibility to the machine operator
- on the production line to share the main indicators with the whole team, reinforcing the concept of collective success
- on the tablet, mobile and/or computer of the maintenance personnel, who receive notifications of stops and errors in a few seconds, without human intervention
- on the tablet, mobile and/or computer of the Head of Production, who is ultimately responsible for achieving quality and quantity objectives
- the tablet, mobile and/or computer of the management team
Moreover, authorised personnel can also remotely control the machines or the process from a web dashboard.
A user with administrator access level can define as many dashboards as they need in order to provide the level of access to the information that each member requires.
The objective (before increasing capacity) must be to STOP WASTE, which is profitability’s greatest enemy.
Data is collected by an IProx controller (in any of its versions) by means of sensors – or read from the machines using a communications protocol (Modbus or other) – and are sent via internet to the IProx Factory platform
IProx Factory is a web application that receives, stores, arranges and presents numerical data accompanied by graphs in such a way that they are of the greatest help possible when making decisions regarding the monitored machine or process
Safe access and visualisation are performed using a web browser from a device with a screen suitable for the user’s needs
Allows various factories or production lines to be managed at the same time, consolidating the related data and allowing management to compare their performance and efficiency.
The remote management of the installations allows the reduction of intervention times and decision-making processes, which in turn, increases productivity.
The automatic detection and recording of incidents and the alerts sent to the corresponding maintenance department in a matter of seconds, help to reduce interruptions and to convert emergency repair interventions into preventative maintenance interventions that do not stop production.
Consumption by product line, process stage, tonne of final product, etc. can be calculated in those processes entailing intensive energy use.
The analysis of historic data, correlated with video recordings, allows the quick identification of the causes of problems and the sources of waste.
When visualising the performance of various comparable machines/processes/exploitations, we can (easily) identify the areas for improvement in those that are least efficient.
The image recordings, which are totally integrated with numerical data, make it easy to identify improvements in view of how the operations being analysed have been performed.
EXAMPLES OF USE
- Fruit and vegetable processing companies.
- Plastic injection parts manufacturers.
- Cardboard manufacturers.
- CNC machining centres.
- Textile manufacturers.
- Aluminium castings.
- Cold meat and ham dryers.
CUSTOMISATION OPTIONS
The information collected and presented in IProx Factory can be adapted to each case (by the client and/or the type of process being monitored and controlled). The IProx controllers are connected and configured for the electric signals, sensors and communications that each machine needs. Moreover, these data and control signals automatically appear in IProx Factory as available, in order to configure as many dashboards as necessary by just selecting the variables to be included in each and the presentation mode desired (a dial, chart, numerical value, etc.).
Moreover, it is possible to develop protocols, algorithms and specific reports for a specific process, using IProx Factory, thus reducing the delivery time and cost of each customisation to the minimum (in comparison with the alternative of developing a tool from scratch).
IProx Factory offers an API (at no additional cost) that allows the IT departments of those companies using the system to import data in an ERP or other specific software of their own.
PRODUCT SHEET
FAQ’s
P: What is the cost of implementing IProx Factory?
The first stage is a study of the requirements and design of the solution, followed by the supply, installation and activation of the IProx controllers and acquisition modules necessary, in order to start the configuration of the machines and dashboards. The final stage is the training of the personnel who will be using the system. The IProx Factory service instalment is invoiced annually and includes technical support.
P: Where are the IProx Cloud servers located?
They are located in data centres, with every guarantee of high availability from one of the world’s leading suppliers.
P: Can I have my own server on my premises?
We do not recommend it, but we can study the possibility of such a project and prepare a quote for you.
P: Is the annual instalment fixed or does it vary depending on the number of machines connected?
The cost is completely variable according to the number of machines connected at the time of each instalment. This means that the service is a simple variable expense rather than an infrastructure/development/engineering investment.
