The objective is to feed MES systems with objective, reliable and safe data, so that they are transformed into timely and comprehensive information to support choices and implement corrective action plans, geared to improving efficiency, optimising production, assets and product quality.
A few considerations:
- Aim for increasingly automatic data acquisition, reducing manual data entry and consequential errors. It should be noted that a huge part of the necessary information/data are already available in the control systems (PLC) and supervision systems (PC-Scada) of machines/plants, because used or produced by the same to govern the automation logic of their production processes.
- An automatic and real-time acquisition of process data allows the MES to have a large volume of data which, when processed in a finalised manner and correlated with other information, makes it possible to play an active and direct role also on the running production processes, directly intervening on the control systems (PLC) with punctual actions relating to strategic changes or working conditions (e.g., indications for the selection of MP transport routes from the warehouse to the production lines, in relation to the OdLs and real stocks; punctual correction of the standard process parameters based on the MP characteristics or on the historical processing/processing of the previous SL batches).
- Intercept events (stoppages and micro-stoppages, events, notifications, alarms, etc.) otherwise declared manually, which can be processed later without the risk of ”being lost”.
- Moving towards the management of production and event/function productive process information in paperless mode (OdL advancement, checklists, stoppages and casualisation, etc.).
- Automatically manage the “load” of production and setup recipes/parameters in machines for the production of a specific reference PF/SL with reference in OdL.
- To extend the effectiveness of production analysis to that of the relative production processes, correlating and aggregating the production advancement information (OdL, resources, lots, quantities, times, etc..) with the meaningful data of the transformation and working cycles (evolution of processes, evolution of variables/process measurements, events, etc.) which characterise the quality of PF/SL and best practices, producing certifying documents and reports, in some cases mandatory by law (e.g., pasteurisation or oven firing temperature trends; sequences and measurements of CIP/SIP washing and sanitisation cycles; thermal vulcanisation cycles and profiles, etc.).
- To acquire consumption data from the production plants and utilities distribution: electricity, gas, water, steam, air, etc. and contextualise them to individual production lots, supporting a complete cost deployment analysis.
- Material flow traceability (MP, SL, components, etc.) automatically intercepting amounts/batches/resource sources and destination, etc. (e.g., silos and tank MP: acquisition of production deposit and stock management and lot stratification)
- Automatic notifications of maintenance requests
