n SENSORS n monitor out-of-limit processes for quality control. The most powerful uses for sensors come from combining the real-time data that they generate with production and process monitoring from MES and ERP systems. Real-time production monitoring helps to give meaning to sensor data by capturing production cycles that can take milliseconds, and displaying averages, such as the amounts produced per minute. Counts in ERP and MES software also support automated workows, such as materials orders, inventory updates, production scheduling, and other shopoor and accounting processes. When combined with statistical analyses, real-time production and process monitoring can help to establish parameters for performance, wear and so on, as well as tracking and agging when production cycles and processes measured by the machine sensors fall outside an acceptable range. The data can be used by an MES to schedule production, ensure quality, and perform preventative maintenance, among other things. The metrics or KPIs (key performance indicators) tracked will be specic to each manufacturer’s priorities. But starting with too many KPIs can impair monitoring and analysis initiatives – defocusing eorts, while consuming valuable sta time. So, managers should prioritise creating a short list of KPIs relevant to the business. Once a company is tracking metrics regularly against these KPIs, new KPIs can be added. Getting started To start on an IoT journey, manufacturers often get sensors and monitoring working on one machine and start to collect the sample information that everyone agrees is important to that machine. Once the data coming in looks as expected, the approach can be applied incrementally to other machines. It’s better to start with a machine where the team understands how the interface works and can be successful. Even if it is easy to get up and running, the team will still learn things from the process, and that knowledge will help with the rest of the installation, and give everyone condence that the results are going to be as expected. Manufacturers also should rst hook up sensors and monitoring to a well-performing machine from which they can collect data and create a baseline of understanding. This will serve as a springboard against which to measure other machines. When rst monitoring the data, it’s important to note that sensors placed on dierent parts of a machine will often produce dierent results – even from the same type of sensor. Additionally, there are physical implementation factors to consider. Many manufacturers rely on their in-house maintenance teams to perform installations, rather than using external electricians, because the installers need to be familiar with the equipment, machines and the building. Also, because the amount of metal on shopoors can make Wi-Fi and wireless devices unreliable, consider using wired connections to each machine, rather than wireless ones. Finally, plan for the future by having network drops on every machine. This will ensure that all of the machines have network capacity as the team expands the installation of sensors across the shopoor and starts to collect data. By following these best practices for bringing sensors and real-time monitoring to existing machinery, manufacturers can quickly gain insights to improve their eciency and correct issues that may have been losing money. In the longer term, this can translate into higher eciency, productivity and protability. n Drives engineering power trans Looking to s Contr &s g equipment? smission and m source automa rols motion tion, Machine Safety section Interactive BBuyer’s GCoGuide w ontrwebsite ols sponsored by EUCHNER www.drives-guide.com k door loc Smart, co XX FVDIOFS DP VL king mechanism CTM pact, safe – X om
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