Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 11

LAUNDER SECTIONS REPRESENT: 1. Disconnect status 2. Zone status control and on/off status 3. Temperature control and status 4.High limit control and status 5. Alarm status and emergency stop This gives the company the ability to prove the of quality castings, head off problems before they become issues. Area managers can monitor production 24/7. The system can stop production in a cell if there is an issue and the data is collected and stored for your protection. Additional benefits: 1. Less actual downtime 2. Reduced scrap castings 3. Reduced customer rejects 4.Proof of quality 5. Reliable record keeping 6.Proves the cost of quality 7. Pinpoint unseen bottlenecks in your process Foundries and die casters of the future that need to be reactive to the changing market place and by investing in Foundry 4.0 will have a competitive edge. Those adopting this concept will be more efficient and improve productivity, while at the same time, be able to be more reactive to customer needs because these systems will give flexibility allowing for more affordable short production runs. An added benefit is that if you allow your suppliers to log into their equipment to see the Contact: DAVE WHITE dave.white@theschaefergroup.com operating conditions, they can monitor and record the data for you and even troubleshoot a piece of equipment—all over the Internet. It is possible to supply the foundry with daily or weekly reports on the operation of the equipment such as up time, efficiencies, and troubleshooting. Obviously, this has to be a tightly controlled secure connection with password and security measures in place to prevent hacking. To be a complete SMART foundry or die caster you will need to rely on a safe Internet connection. Therefore, do not attempt this without a reliable and safe Internet connection with an upgraded cyber security system. END RESULT The end result is a factory where customer orders are placed via a centralized control system and by using integrated MRP/ERP (Material Requirements Planning & Enterprise Resource Planning) software systems the factory controls its supply chain and production needs automatically. Machines communicate with each other and the supply chain placing orders for raw materials and planning production needs to meet lead times. The equipment then works together in the most efficient manner to achieve the customer’s requirements. This doesn’t mean the end of human involvement, but it does mean you must look for workers with a very different skill set. It is important to have an employee able to understand, embrace, and appreciate this advanced technology. As a company on the cutting edge of technology we are already using some of this technology in our furnace control panel designs. Currently, we can monitor our bake-out burners from our cell phones remotely and install communication systems in your furnace that allow us to monitor and troubleshoot and record data every hour of every day over our secure network. We can also send trouble shooting tips to your PLC or cell phone to quickly resolve most issues. Additionally, we are using virtual reality for demonstration of processes and training. The big question is where do I start? Think about the changes right now that would benefit your plant, such as adding more automation with communication abilities.This could be accomplished with the retrofit of existing machines with a SCADA system, and to start with one cell at a time. The system can be a plug and play system that you can add to later. It is pretty easy to start with one cell to see how much you like the control and data acquisition. A global economy with be relying on “smart foundries” moving forward. Early adopters will be rewarded with a production that has higher uptime, and productivity, and reduced waste. The time is now to start learning, seeing it in action, and begin your process. 13 MAKING YOUR INSTALLATION ASUCCESS