The Power of Smart Devices
You’ve heard about Smart Manufacturing and it seems important. You understand that a lot of current equipment is nearing obsolescence and now is the time to upgrade. But, how do you move from your current state of equipment to smarter data-enabled devices? These devices are the building blocks of Smart Manufacturing, and becoming familiar with them will empower you…
The design and maintenance of an industrial Ethernet system is now a professional field with certification. Our advice is to get professional help early. Whether you train your own staff or contract the work out, this is not your office Ethernet. EtherNet/IP can be reliably implemented for high performance motion and safety applications, but only…
Your network is the ultimate source of the freedom produced by smart manufacturing. A well designed and installed network can level even the most onerous challenges, but a poor design can be a source of inconsistent results and worse, intermittent outages. Most people are familiar with “office” Ethernet. This section will explore what you need…
In our last two posts we’ve discussed our three-step process to modernization. This post provides templates to help you plan your progression for modernization and define your requirements around your most important goals. The IBE will help define priorities for system upgrades, and there are usually implications to capital planning over a multi-year period. Combined…
In an earlier post, we introduced a functional, three-step approach to smart manufacturing. The first step is conducting an Installed Base Evaluation (IBE), which you can read about by clicking on the link. The second step is the Smart Tech Review. Building on lessons learned from IBE activities, a good Smart Tech Review is a great intermediate…
In our last post, we talked about step one of our progression plan — conducting the Installed Base Evaluation (IBE) as a blueprint for modernization. Conducting an IBE can help manufacturers get a handle on what they have, what they don’t have and what they need in the plant. This was the case for Oreo-brand…
When it comes to planning and prioritizing your modernization efforts, the best starting point may be the installed base evaluation, or IBE. The IBE is a great investment. It is surprising to sit in on a typical “after IBE discussion,” where you may hear: “How did that even get there?” “Those drives should have been…
So far we have introduced the concept of smart manufacturing, building on the topics of network connectivity, smart devices and progression. The need to modernize aging equipment is usually the basis for action, but other events such as emerging projects could also spawn activity. This post introduces a three-step, functional smart manufacturing process, to identify…
U.S. manufacturers are lagging when it comes to smart manufacturing (SM). According to a 2014 Manufacturing Outlook Survey by the American Society for Quality, only 13 percent of U.S. companies are implementing SM. However, it’s important to note that of those organizations that say they’ve adopted SM: 82 percent claim they have experienced increased efficiency 49 percent experienced fewer…