by Gary Mintchell | Jun 28, 2013 | Operations Management, Standards
MESA International
Global Education Program announces first date of B2MML & Integration Fundamentals Program
MESA International is offering its first ever B2MML & Integration Fundamentals program on September 9, 2013 in Raleigh, NC. The one-day course will cover the fundamentals in plant-to-enterprise integration using B2MML and ISA-95 standards, and offers participants a MESA Certificate of Competency for successful completion.
This class is intended for those starting, thinking about or currently supporting an integration project. It covers all of the important aspects of integration, and also highlights how real users of the B2MML standard have used it to completely automate ERP to MES integration.
Defining an Operations Systems Architecture
MESA White Paper #44, Defining an Operations Systems Architecture published.
Information systems provided by industrial software vendors are evolving constantly with new features and implementation strategies. The complexity and variety of available options make it difficult for many manufacturers to adequately discuss and compare software alternatives that may or may not meet their requirements.
Vendors typically promote architectures that are supported by the products or solutions in their suite or toolbox. If a manufacturer does not have a clear vision for the architecture of its operations systems, it often adopts the vendor’s approach. This approach may be the best fit for the system being developed; however, in many cases it is not or the vendor’s solution is not configured correctly.
In the absence of a target “To-Be” architecture, the vendor approach is inevitable. With the increasing reliance on system agility and associated operations management capability, the need to raise the bar is evident. Best-in-class manufacturers must be able to understand their production processes and structures as a foundation for actual process improvement. Once understood, the As-Is and target To-Be architectures serve as a common basis for the discussion and mapping of alternatives.
This paper presents techniques for describing operations systems and engaging stakeholders in projects based on product-independent architectures with examples.
This MESA White Paper is also published in the methodology best practices collection, The MOM Chronicles: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 3.0 (Published by ISA, February 2013).
Applying Manufacturing Operations Models
Also published is MESA White Paper #45:
Applying Manufacturing Operations Models In A Discrete Hybrid Manufacturing Environment.
The paper explains a requirements definition method using ISA-95 Part 3 modeling techniques to describe the integration of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) as part of MOM into enterprise manufacturing architecture. The MES functions, by definition, are part of MOM system architecture, which complements the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and supply chain management (SCM) systems by providing essential information for production and support operations. This is a foundational user requirement for the company’s operations transformation to a fully integrated operations environment to reduce dependence on manual data entry and to improve data integrity into the extended enterprise from manufacturing sites.
The paper has two sections. The first section is background information describing (1) the domain of discrete hybrid manufacturing operations with the three main types of operations applications that support operations in most companies and their touch points and (2) the system design and execution required to implement MES/MOM using a model-driven approach based on the ANSI/ISA-95 series of standards.
The second section is a discussion about the advantages of applying an operations model approach to manufacturing operations. The section describes the operations advantages of running with an integrated electronic records system instead of a paper-based system.
This MESA White Paper is also be published in the methodology best practices collection, The MOM Chronicles: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 3.0 (Published by ISA, February 2013)
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 28, 2013 | Automation, Technology
National Instruments has long been in the leading edge of social media and digital media. It has launched a podcast series promoting the upcoming NI Week August 5-8 in Austin. Episode 4 just released discusses big analog data and the best places for tacos in Austin.
These podcast interviews are informative, yet very much like you’d expect from NI. Tip for other marketers out there.
And if you are going, enough information to help you plan your week. I have attended every NI Week beginning in 1998 and have already booked my hotel room for 2013. See you there.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 27, 2013 | News
ISA Fellow
Peter Martin, Invensys VP and ISA Fellow
Here’s a shout out and congratulations to a respected member of our industry and someone who has provided invaluable advice to me over the years. Peter G. Martin, Invensys vice president of business value solutions, has been elevated to the distinguished grade of ISA Fellow. The honor was granted for Martin’s outstanding achievements in the fields of science and engineering, as recognize by the International Society of Automation. Thanks to ISA for recognizing his contributions.
Streamlined Licensing Model for OPC Client
Software Toolbox has announced changes to the licensing model for the OPC Data Client, an OPC client development toolkit. The new model provides all of the components of the OPC Data Client family in one easy installer and one license, significantly reducing the total cost of the components. Previously, the OPC Data Client components were all sold as separate products. These components included the OPC Data.NET, OPC Data-COM and OPC Data-UA.
The release of the latest version combines the earlier separate products into a single installation package and is sold as a single license. The product editions have now also been simplified and are no longer distinguished by the platforms or OPC specifications they support. Instead, the price list has been streamlined by unifying the different products into a single OPC Data Client product with just two editions: Standard and Ultimate.
Gary: I expect to see a continuation of these creative pricing solutions from a large variety of software solution providers. It only makes sense in this “app economy.”
The New SME
SME Logo
I am a member of both ISA and SME, so I try to keep up with both. (I gave up on IEEE–overloaded.) SME (formerly the Society of Manufacturing Engineers) has undergone one of those navel-gazing self assessments that all member organizations are doing lately and has evolved a new vision, mission statement, logo, purpose and the “whole nine yards.”
Vision: Enhance progress, prosperity and strong communities through manufacturing.
Mission: Inspire, prepare and support our stakeholders in the advancement of manufacturing.
Purpose: Advance manufacturing and attract future generations.
The official brand is SME, while the legal name remains Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Note the new logo.
Tagline Making the future. Together. Note play on words with “make”.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 25, 2013 | Automation
Autodesk Fusion 360
Well, Autodesk has delivered what it calls with maybe with some modesty “the world’s first cloud-based software created specifically for people looking to fuse stunning aesthetic design with great product engineering.” Autodesk Fusion 360 brings together capabilities typically found in separate mechanical, industrial and conceptual design tools into a cloud-based service.
“We’re in the midst of a new industrial revolution that places a premium on the ability to design and engineer products that are both beautiful and functional,” said Robert “Buzz” Kross, senior vice president at Autodesk. “With Fusion 360, there is no longer a compromise between industrial and mechanical design. Users get both in one tool for the first time.”
Fusion 360 offers an intuitive user experience, secure access to design information, and integrated social collaboration features.
Fusion 360 is available immediately. It is free for the next 90 days, and upon expiration of the 90-day initial offer will be available for purchase from the Autodesk e-store for $25 per month, per user, based on annual contract commitment. Special pricing is available for students and entrepreneurs.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 24, 2013 | Commentary, Operations Management
Jag Rao, President Siemens Customer Services DivisionI am at the Siemens Automation Summit in New Orleans this week. Shortly we will be leaving for a tour of a sugar refinery that was recently upgraded.
Last night at dinner, we were introduced to the new Customer Services Division. I had the opportunity for extended discussion with Jagannath Rao, who is division president and also Galina Antova (Global Program Manager of Industrial Security Services), Seth Marellapudi (Segment Head, Industrial Security Services), and Tony Serrao (Marketing Manager–who, like me, passed up dessert, but we still had more than enough to eat).
Automation companies traditionally looked at service as a cost center–the cost of fulfilling warranty contracts. The entire point-of-view has changed dramatically over the past few years–especially at Siemens.
Rao said that Services is a new business unit begun only in October 2011. The goal is to associate with customers through Lifecycle of business. He mentioned that he was charged with bringing 22 separate services groups together under one head and then merging the cultures with the new expectations.
There are two groups in the new division. Lifecycle Services support products and help customers extract maximum value from their existing (and future) equipment. That is expected. But Rao’s team asked, “What really differentiates services?” The answer was the Value Services business. Its conversations with customers revolves around outcomes–security, uptimes, reliabilities, remote services. “Not where we go in and give solutions, but where we collaborate with customer. Support industry help them go to next level.”
Rao also said, “We consider ourselves a mega-startup within Siemens.” A little later in a conversation with Antova, who is charged with establishing an overall security solution within the Values unit, talked about a recent Harvard Business Review article about “Lean Startups”. That’s what we are, she told me, within the Siemens organization.
My takeaway is that this is a great way to get closer to customers. And it fits within the vision of Siemens Industry US President, Helmuth Ludwig, who always talks about Manufacturing Renaissance and improving overall manufacturing performance.
