AU TOM AT I O N
How effective is your production? Effectiveness and quality measurements in piece goods production have been commonplace in the automotive industry for decades. In the bakery industry, the demand for corresponding software
+
© AutomationX
solutions is increasing for more efficient production and with higher quality corresponding products.
MES, OEE, BDE ... terms, terms, terms Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are ‘software solutions that guide, direct, control, and monitor a production process.’1 An MES system can map the entire production process from planning to quality assurance as well as giving an effectiveness measurement and much more – from goods receipt to goods issue. Alternatively, individual modules of an MES software package can also be used as stand-alone solutions for monitoring sub-processes.
How does data get from the machine to the software? Modern machine controls offer the possibility of exchanging data via a standardized interface (OPC UA). Attention! A standard interface is a means to an end. The content of the interface must be defined. Not every machine can transmit the same data. For example, in the case of a spiral freezer, the temperature setpoint and actual value are primarily relevant; in the case of a dough divider, it is the number of pieces. The data to be exchanged must be provided by the equipment manufacturer. In the case of older systems, it is sometimes necessary to install additional sensors if it is not possible to tap the data automatically. In particular, if spare parts are no longer available for the existing control system, consideration should be given to upgrading the system to collect additional data when the control system is replaced (Data acquisition is mainly an interaction of automatically acquired data, which is then fed manually). Essentially, the following information is important: Performance data: How many pieces are currently being produced on the machine? If more pieces are produced than specified, the performance factor can also be over 100%. If the machine does not supply this data, it can be realized by installing additional sensors. Quality data: On some machines, temperature, relative humidity, or other measured parameters influence product quality. In any case, such data should also be transmitted and recorded. This data is displayed in trends related to a product and allows conclusions to be drawn about quality deviations simply. Fault messages: Ideally, all faults are transmitted to the MES system. Their priority can be defined in the MES system. Many small disruptions do not affect production and are therefore not interesting for an effectiveness analysis.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a module of an MES system for measuring and evaluating effectiveness.
Real-time display of production progress with deviations
Is it possible to record staff time? Yes, and it's very simple. The employee logs on to an order that is displayed on a touch panel, e.g. via RFID or barcode. The personnel times are calculated for an order according to its current status. If the status ‘Setup’ is selected, the personnel times are booked to ‘Setup’.
Production Data Acquisition (PDA) is necessary to automatically transfer data from the machines to the system, e.g. the number of pieces, malfunctions, set recipe, and also to record information by manual input. The recorded operating data is linked to production data in the MES system.
Does data acquisition function fully automatically? No. Machines provide only partial information. As an example, information as to whether a machine is ‘ready for operation’, ‘switched off ’ or ‘in operation’ is usually supplied by the machine. Information about rejects or whether maintenance
© AutomationX
38
www.bakingbiscuit.com 03/2021
