Do you know the number one application in manufacturing for maintenance and safety inspection rounds? Do your thoughts go immediately to a technology provider? It’s a common first thought but it’s incorrect. The number one solution used manufacturing today is…good old fashioned pen & paper, often used in conjunction with the second most used solution, Excel® spreadsheets! Surprised? You
The allure of the Industrial Internet of Things is the promise of making systems work better based on connected data through the internet. Data can come from a sensor, a web server, a web service, another device, such as a mobile phone. Really any electronic device which can receive/send data through the internet is a
This blog will discuss how utilizing electronic Industrial Forms reduces paperwork and improves access to actionable intelligence within any manufacturing or industrial facility. Those who work in industry are likely aware of the paperwork that is generated daily from those working in the plant. Paperwork comes in many forms and from many departments: Material handling
Maintenance teams are foundational members of the up-time cadence in industrial facilities. We depend on them to have the knowledge and skills to quickly assess an issue and resolve it in minimal time to minimize downtime. While engineering a modern industrial automation system is critical, learning how to keep one going is a different skill
Operators and Maintenance Technicians regularly conduct rounds to identify potential safety and compliance issues, identify impending maintenance interventions and keep plants running efficiently. This historically accepted way of doing business is being challenged in many industries. As the existing experienced workforce retires taking their tribal knowledge and experience, the value of rounds is being challenged
At its core, Digital Transformation simply means adding digital technologies to our manufacturing and industrial processes. A big by-product of this work is easy access to reams and reams of data. A Process Engineer, can see a wider variety of information about his process and in higher fidelity. A Production Manager, can have immediate access
The level of engagement of the people of an organization drive its ability to succeed and to sustain success. Dynamic market conditions are forcing companies to find new ways of competing successfully. A differentiating asset can be its people, but how do we get more value from existing employees? The 2017 Industry Survey “The Global
We’ve all heard about “machine learning.” At its simplest, “Machine learning is an application of artificial intelligence (AI) that provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed.” (1) Basically, we construct algorithms, instead of programmed instructions. In today’s industrial world we are constantly asked to do more with
The idea of implementing a Certificate of Analysis (COA) system can be somewhat overwhelming. The cost, resources, and time involved are not insignificant. However, once an organization recognizes the benefits of a COA system both internally and competitively, the decision is much easier to make. So, what are the benefits an organization can expect to
In a previous blog, I discussed the competitive advantages and benefits of utilizing COAs. In this communication, I will be looking at details to consider when configuring your COA. For those who may have missed my first blog, COAs are defined as “documents issued by Quality Assurance that confirms a regulated product meets its product
A successfully run organization stays successful by meeting the evolving needs and requirements of their customers. During normal business cycles, customer needs will change. One way the best manufacturing companies make sure they are meeting current client requirements is by supplying Certificates of Analysis (COA). COAs are defined as “documents issued by Quality Assurance that
Add CI to your Wonderware (or other industrial software) Training Plan Over the past several years, we have been collecting more and more data from various automation systems into our process historians, alarm and quality databases. We love those multiple trend lines overlaying one another, looking for correlations to a process excursion, an event, or