The manufacturing industry has experienced a recent breakthrough in welding technology thanks to the efforts of scientists from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. The new Heriot-Watt laser system facilitates the fusing of metal and glass together. These two materials are difficult to join due to their strikingly disparate thermal properties. The technology utilizes an ultra-fast laser system that is capable of joining materials that, until recently, had to be joined through the use of messy and unreliable adhesives.
How The Heriot-Watt Laser System Works
The new Heriot-Watt laser system uses light that is aimed at connection points in materials to fuse them. The result is a more reliable connection than adhesives can provide. Traditional adhesives can be difficult to work with and lead to slippage or movement over time or in harsh environments. Outgassing is another issue manufacturers currently face when working with adhesives, especially in electronics and medical fields. This is a process by which the organic chemicals in these substances release gasses which can lead to a reduction in product integrity over time, as well as contamination of sterile environments. Materials that the system has been proven to join include optical materials, such as:
quartz
borosilicate glass
sapphire
which have been successfully welded to metals that include:
aluminum
titanium
stainless steel
through the use of picosecond (10−12 or 1/1,000,000,000,000 of a second) pulses of infrared laser light. The new Heriot-Watt laser system uses light that is aimed at predefined tracks in materials to fuse them. The result is a more reliable connection than adhesives can provide. These adhesives can be difficult to work with and lead to slippage or movement over time or in harsh environments. Outgassing is another issue manufacturers currently face when working with adhesives, especially in electronics and medical fields. This is a process by which the organic chemicals in these substances release gasses which can lead to a reduction in product integrity over time as well as contamination of sterile environments.
The Heriot-Watt Laser System Effects On Manufacturing
The newly proven process has significant implications for manufacturing industries that routinely require the union of these raw materials, including:
aerospace
defense
energy
electronics
optical technology
healthcare
The manufacturing and design flexibility of the Heriot-Watt Laser System provides welds that have been tested to maintain their integrity between -50C to 90C.
Professor Duncan Hand, director of the five-university EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Laser-based Production Processes based at Heriot-Watt, said of the technology “Traditionally it has been very difficult to weld together dissimilar materials like glass and metal due to their different thermal properties—the high temperatures and highly different thermal expansions involved cause the glass to shatter.” When asked how the technology differs from methods currently used by manufacturers to join the two materials, he would go on to state, “The parts to be welded are placed in close contact, and the laser is focused through the optical material to provide a very small and highly intense spot at the interface between the two materials—we achieved megawatt peak power over an area just a few microns across. This creates a microplasma, like a tiny ball of lightning, inside the material, surrounded by a highly-confined melt region.”
Commercialization Of The Heriot-Watt Laser System
While the technology is not yet commercially available, Heriot-Watt scientists are working closely with a consortium, which includes laser firms Oxford Lasers and Coherent Scotland, as well as end-users Leonardo and Gooch & Housego. The partnership seeks to develop a prototype for the system that will bring it closer to commercialization. Glass Technology Services and the Centre for Process Innovation have geared their efforts towards another commercialization route with the packaging of OLED devices.
More information on the Heriot-Watt laser system can be found, Here.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm, NetSuite Solution Provider, and Epicor Gold Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
We’re happy to see our partners at Avalara delivering top tech solutions, like AI with their recent acquisition of Indix, to empower businesses of every size. These tools will be instrumental in enabling businesses to better address compliance and regulation issues surrounding their taxes. Avalara is one of the leading providers of tax compliance automation software for businesses of all sizes. They announced today in a press release that the company has acquired Indix’s AI technology and expertise. Avalara acquires Indix to offer the industry’s most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive source of global tax and product content.
Thoughts From CEOs As Avalara Acquires Indix
According to Sanjay Parthasarathy, CEO of Indix, “Avalara and Indix share a similar global vision. From day one, we built Indix to collect, organize, and structure the world’s product information using artificial intelligence. With the addition of the Indix expertise, Avalara will be able to efficiently and rapidly refine its content to meet the expanding and evolving needs of its customers.”
Scott McFarlane, co-founder, and CEO of Avalara added, “Global taxing authorities govern compliance through ever-changing rules and requirements, and the task of gathering and maintaining this data is core to the value Avalara provides. We believe the combination of deep product knowledge, broad product content, and artificial intelligence technology will allow us to provide our customers the information they want and need to factor compliance into their business decision-making, and for Avalara to address more compliance requirements to support their growth.”
Avalara Acquires Indix For Database Applications
As Avalara acquires Indix, the goal is to use AI as a tool in maintaining and expanding the company’s already substantial tax content database. The database includes international product codes and their classifications, taxability rules, exemption conditions, tax holidays, jurisdictions, boundaries, tax rates, thresholds, registration, compliance, and return preparation and filing requirements.
As a non-revenue generating activity, remaining compliant and up-to-date on tax regulations and laws can place a significant drain on the business’ accounting departments. Maintaining knowledge is difficult and resource-intensive. The required technology, expertise, and human resources are not insignificant and by collecting new content and tracking changes through automated software, businesses can eliminate what is generally a highly manual process. Avalara acquires Indix to address this problem and automate the aggregation and accurate maintenance of its tax content.
Offering end-to-end tax compliance solutions to enterprises big and small, Avalara makes automated certificate validation, storage, and management easy. Avalara’s cloud-based sales tax automation software provides accuracy for all of the 12,000+ tax jurisdictions in the United States. Avalara ensures that automating sales, tax calculation, and maintaining compliance is all possible within your existing ERP, POS, or e-commerce system.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Whether you’re new to the world of IT or a bastion of knowledge for your organization in all things tech, there are exciting technologies poised to disrupt Industry in the very near future. the top 5 technology trends in 2019 are full of Innovation and advancements. These rapidly maturing and increasingly adopted technologies are some of the most exciting concepts you may or may not have heard of. Each example is poised to change the way we approach fortifying our systems and advancing our workforces to tackle the challenges of corporate and operational growth.
Here are what we think will be the top 5 technology trends in 2019 that will likely have a significant impact on businesses:
1.) Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI)
Hyper-converged infrastructure, or simply hyper-convergence, is a software-defined IT infrastructure. Counter to traditionally constructed systems that involve several components of on-premise hardware that may not speak to each other, HCI seeks to virtualize and combine systems that have traditionally been “hardware-defined”, like storage systems, servers, and networking switches. HCI seeks to modernize organizations through the virtualization of computing, SAN, and networking components of infrastructure into one unified appliance set. That means one source for all resources. The methodology comes in a few forms, including a standalone appliance, a reference architecture, and a software-only model.
What Does It Mean For Businesses?
By doing away with siloed physical hardware systems, HCI seeks to establish a business’ IT infrastructure in a purely software-defined environment that eliminates traditional data-center inefficiencies and reduces the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). It is a trend that seeks to marry the agility and versatility of cloud infrastructure without requiring companies to give up their on-premise systems.
When companies no longer have a need to rely on disparate computing and storage systems, management becomes simplified and resource utilization becomes much more efficient. To that end, operations become far less complex and scalability becomes easier to achieve, making HCI one of our first picks for the top 5 technology trends in 2019.
2.) Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD WAN)
To better understand that SD WAN is, it helps to understand standard Wide Area Network (WAN). A WAN is a telecommunications or computer network that extends across a large distance and is capable of transferring data across that distance. This distance can be between regions, countries, or reach across the globe. These networks are generally created with leased telecommunications circuits.
In the case of SD WAN, what you might also refer to as Link Load Balancing, organizations can expand their Wide Area Network to scale alongside requirements, such as increased bandwidth, media streaming, video conferencing, and VOIP calls, much more affordably and with improved performance. SD WAN is designed to address and avoid the pitfalls of networking maintenance and troubleshooting, such as network congestion, packet delay variation, packet loss, and service outages.
According to Gartner, a research firm, SD WAN carries with it four main qualities:
The ability to support multiple connection types, such as MPLS, frame relay and higher speed LTE wireless communications
The ability to do dynamic path selection, for load sharing and resiliency purposes
A simple interface that is easy to configure and manage
The ability to support VPNs, and third-party services such as WAN optimization controllers, firewalls and web gateways
What Does It Mean For Businesses?
Because SD WAN is a virtualized WAN, businesses reap the benefit of being able to utilize any transport protocol needed. Uptime is further ensured thanks to the utilization of multiple providers for failsafe and bandwidth allocation as necessary. This virtualization also lends the added security benefit of covering security protocols, like malware defenses and botnet intervention, for multiple branches and remote devices. Provisioning on the fly is another substantial benefit of SD WAN. You can send an un-configured device to a site and have all the required network certificates, keys, and policies applied upon installation, immediately implementing the necessary permissions, documentation of traffic patterns, and access of network users. The tech may not be as new as some of the others to make our list of top 5 technology trends in 2019, but it will no doubt become more prevalent.
3.) Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Connectivity
The Internet of Things (IoT) exists as a network of interconnected devices that communicates data to a central system that makes sense of it all.
This network consists of all edge devices connected to the many interchanges of an enterprise. From the deli counter to eCommerce platforms, the data gleaned from this network provides invaluable insight into what is successful and what is not in terms of the products and processes that form the inner workings of a business.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) brings this interconnectivity and data-focused paradigm to the terminals, sensors, and other systems on the factory floor.
What Does It Mean For Businesses?
These data-fueled factories become “intelligent” environments, capable of informing enterprises from the top down of the efficiency and shortcomings of their factory processes and performance both in real-time and over time. In short, the IoT and IIoT data enables manufacturers further to refine and improve operations with relevant and up to date data for smarter, faster decision making. There is no doubt continued invetment in IoT and IIoT technologies and connectivity secure this concept as top 5 technology trends in 2019.
4.) AI-Enabled Security
As more and more data flows through digital devices and connections, the need for improved security protocol and tools increases in tandem. AI-enabled security is one way enterprise security teams and individuals can protect critical data and infrastructure, even when in-house resources are relatively scarce.
Did you know that malicious actors will typically spend 200+ days in a system before extracting critical and valuable data? Learning who the players are and who holds the keys to the most protected data takes time and malicious actors have the patience that pays off in the long run. However, AI has the potential to be infinitely more patient, resourceful, and vigilant.
What Does It Mean For Industry Businesses?
AI-enabled security makes the list as one of the top 5 technology trends in 2019 because by establishing baselines for normal behavior, traffic patterns, bandwidth allocation, permissions, and user access, system anomalies can be detected within seconds. Intelligent security systems can then act according to the parameters designed by security professionals.
5.) Augmented Reality (AR) And Virtual Reality (VR)
There are numerous applications for AR and VR. Take for instance training of new employees. If a business operates in a single location, managers can give hands-on training and face-to-face feedback with relative ease. What happens when a business operates in multiple locations and needs to onboard multiple resources in a finite amount of time. With the capabilities AR and VR present, managers can work and train remotely with staff. By using vision systems to see what they see, audio to hear what they hear and communicate clearly, and even present schematics, diagrams, and drawing in real-time, managers can to direct training programs from anywhere and at any time.
What Does It Mean For Industry Businesses?
Interactive walkthroughs, first-hand product demos, disaster preparedness, and a multitude of training simulations are only a handful of examples where AR and VR will be one of the top 5 technology trends in 2019 and a major game changer for businesses big and small.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm, NetSuite Solution Provider and Epicor Gold Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing the emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.
What Is EDI? Electronic Data Interchange, is defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology as, “the computer-to-computer interchange of strictly formatted messages that represent documents other than monetary instruments. EDI implies a sequence of messages between two parties, either of whom may serve as originator or recipient. The formatted data representing the documents may be transmitted from originator to recipient via telecommunications or physically transported on electronic storage media.” However, it can be summarized as a process by which computer systems exchange business documents quickly and securely in a standard electronic format. Some examples of those electronic formats include those from ANSI, EDIFACT, TRADACOMS, and ebXML.
What Is EDI Efficiency
By shedding traditional paper-based systems, businesses and their partners can take advantage of a host of benefits that EDI provides. Those benefits include, but are not limited to faster production speeds, fewer errors, reduced costs, and stronger more reliable partnerships.
When it comes to Electronic Commerce (EC), also known as e-commerce/eCommerce, EDI provides an essential method for carrying out business functions relating to information exchange, monetary transactions, and purchasing both in business-to-business and business-to-consumer relationships.
EDI helps eliminate human participation in the exchange of essential documents throughout business processes. In short, EDI helps automate tedious and error-prone business processes.
What Is EDI Security
When it comes to how EDI can affect your company’s business processes with customers and partners, security becomes one of the most important factors to consider. By doing away with paper systems and outdated technology, like phone, fax, and email conversations, your business can take advantage of more comprehensive and secure exchange methods. Consider these benefits when it comes to implementing an EDI solution for your business:
Audit trails
Contingency planning
Use of acknowledgments
Electronic document management
Activities of supporting networks
User access controls to systems and networks
Cryptographic techniques for authentication and confidentiality
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm specializing in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
An innovative digital printing technology from the world’s largest glass manufacturer, Owens-Illinois (O-I), provides the application of mass personalization technology at industrial speed for beverage manufacturers. The technology is expected to become commercially available in both the US and Europe by mid-2019. Europe alone makes up 24% of the global personalized package market and O-I is excited to begin talks regarding proposed projects and collaborations.
Mass Personalization Technology With EXPRESSIONS
One of the latest techniques and technologies adding value to manufacturing processes, Owens-Illinois EXPRESSIONS, and the sculpted version of the service, EXPRESSIONS RELIEF, offers a revolutionary way to transform bottle design. The techniques are praised as a way for beverage manufacturers to further set themselves apart from the competition with an eye-catching avenue to get customers’ attention.
Arnaud Aujouannet, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of O-I, recently discussed the new technology with Manufacturing Global, stating: “The most important thing about O-I: EXPRESSIONS is it’s a differentiation service provided to brands but enabled by digital direct-to-print on glass. There are four core benefits; it’s unleashing creativity, it’s increasing speed to market, it’s a true personalization and it’s sustainable.” He added, “There is unlimited creativity and you even can print images on packaging with high resolution that can go up to 720 DPI. The unique thing about what we offer is the ability to create a 3-D print like embossing on bottles and even color this embossing. It’s enabling us to provide a completely different look and feel for a bottle that potentially starts with a very standard shape.”
What began on a small scale in 2014 has nearly been realized with the installation of two direct2glass industrial printing lines, which enable contactless direct printing. Quick curing inks and CMYK color models allow the process to incorporate the full spectrum of Pantone hues.
Mass Personalization Technology For The Masses
The ability to personalize products to meet and exceed customer expectations is anticipated to drive brand engagement and customer satisfaction. Going further, the technology could offer retailers and individual customers the opportunity to personalize their vessels for promotions, events, and celebrations at an affordable rate.
You can find O-I and its EXPRESSIONS technology on display at the following upcoming trade shows:
Owens-Illinois, Inc. (NYSE: OI) is the world’s largest glass container manufacturer and preferred partner for many of the world’s leading food and beverage brands. The Company had revenues of $6.9 billion in 2017 and employs more than 26,500 people at 78 plants in 23 countries. With global headquarters in Perrysburg, Ohio, O-I delivers safe, sustainable, pure, iconic, brand-building glass packaging to a growing global marketplace.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm, NetSuite Solution Provider, and Epicor Platinum Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
When it comes to buzzwords, few raise as many eyebrows and roll as many eyes as Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, when it comes to food and beverage manufacturing AI, the impact of such technology on industrial processes becomes harder to ignore with each passing day.
For the uninitiated, AI can be characterized by the ability of machines and computers to emulate human intelligence. That is any device that is seemingly aware of its environment and can complete actions to increase the chances of successfully achieving a goal.
While manufacturers are leveraging disruptive technologies like AI, Robotics, membrane technologies, machine vision, and automation to increase safety, output, and ROI, food and beverage manufacturers may be one of the biggest benefactors from all this technology has to offer.
Food And Beverage Manufacturing AI Benefits
When it comes to the benefits of incorporating food and beverage manufacturing AI into operations, Gartner, a noted global research and advisory firm, predicts that “By 2020, the number of users of modern business intelligence and analytics platforms that are differentiated by augmented data discovery capabilities will grow at twice the rate — and deliver twice the business value — of those that are not.”
Contending with constant change is a crux food and beverage manufacturers know all too well. This isn’t just about the prediction above and emerging technology, either. The industry is rife with fluctuation when it comes to suppliers, regulations and compliance, tax codes, and a host of other environmental factors that manufacturers need to consider.
From data analytics and executive-level predictions to process automation and batch quality, food and beverage manufacturing AI can be applied to many facets of what keeps a business running in optimal condition.
Securing Facilities And Batch Quality With Machine Vision
Recipes and processes are what give food and beverage manufacturers dependable and consistent products. A security that can keep up with today’s modern data theft tools is essential to remain protected. Facial recognition that can secure access to a production facility is just one example of how AI can further protect the intellectual property of manufacturers. The same machine vision technology that can sound an alert that unrecognized intruders are on-site can capture and interpret images to identify products with defects or bottling lines that aren’t securing caps or filling vessels to the appropriate height.
Making Sense Of Sensor Data
IoT devices are constantly feeding data to ERP software and manufacturing execution systems (MES) assisting in process improvement, predictive maintenance, and forecasting, AI can make sense of data much faster than a human can.
Identifying abnormalities before they become blockages in the production process is invaluable and AI’s ability to read and interpret data for warning signs can set your teams to work on maintaining equipment before it fails.
Output, cost, and revenue information can also be compiled by AI to offer decision-makers a clear picture of how operations are faring relative to the global competition. For example, data points derived by the systems in place can flag important information for review, compile reports, direct field service crews, update schedules, and even modify recipe formulations on the fly depending on environmental factors. Imagine being able to adjust ingredient quantities in real time based on the quality of raw ingredients.
Increasing Consumer Confidence with AI And ERP
In the rapidly changing environment of food and beverage manufacturing, maintaining customer confidence is critical to retaining business. AI, Robotics, and ERP all have a hand in ensuring brand consistency and customer trust. For instance, consider regulatory compliance. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a complex piece of legislation designed to regulate the way foods are grown, harvested, and processed. As a result, every food and beverage manufacturer has to know the components of the law to which they must adhere.
By utilizing intelligent software and refining processes to reduce recalls, lost sales, and legal expenses, businesses can remain more competitive and avoid the potentially fatal mistakes of falling outside of regulation with the products they produce. By enabling superior tracking and traceability alongside more concise testing and validation, advanced technologies can keep such incidents to a minimum, and ensure that when they do arise, they are addressed as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm, NetSuite Solution Provider, and Epicor Platinum Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
In the era of Industry 4.0,automation has been one of the most effective apparatuses driving efficiency for manufacturers. Leveraging automation in manufacturing alongside advanced technologies, like robotics and robotic process automation through ERP software, is enabling even greater gains in productivity to be made each day.
Want to learn more about process automation for your manufacturing business? Contact Encompass to see how we can improve your performance and profitability today.
Modern Manufacturing
Modern manufacturing’s goals can be summarized as an attempt to achieve sustained growth and earnings through building customer loyalty, creating high-value products, and weathering disruption in very dynamic global markets. These are not easy components to juggle all at once. That’s why a basic understanding of the most impactful and accessible aspects of automation currently in use is so important.
Industry 1.0 to Industry 4.0
To talk about automation and modern manufacturing. It’s important to understand how the concepts and practical applications of automation have evolved.
Industry 1.0 introduced mechanization. Also known as the first industrial revolution, Industry 1.0 consisted of water-, steam-, and fossil fuel-powered systems that replaced animal power with machine power.
Industry 2.0 introduced mass production. The second Industrial revolution saw the arrival of Aviation, Radio, and Assembly-line manufacturing, with electricity powering it all.
Industry 3.0 introduced digitization. Industry 3.0 was a massive accomplishment in how productivity was achieved. This was due largely to the invention and adoption of such technologies as computers, the internet, and Information Technology. These tools provided the framework required for modern automation, mass production, and robotics.
Industry 4.0, where we are now, features cyber-physical systems (CPS) in the manufacturing environment. These systems consist of machines, their computer-controlled protocols, and their users working together in unison.
Keep in mind that Industry 5.0 is not far off and modern manufacturers can expect exciting new technologies and process improvements to emerge in the coming years.
Connectivity With The IoT And IIoT
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of connected devices that communicate data to a central system that makes sense of it all.
This network consists of an enterprise’s connected edge devices, terminals, and input/output points. The data captured through this network provides an understanding of what is successful and what is not in terms of operations and processes.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) puts a focus on this interconnectivity and data provided by the terminals, sensors, and other systems on the factory floor.
These data-fueled factories become “intelligent” environments, which are capable of informing enterprises from the top down. They provide visibility regarding the efficiency of factory processes and performance both in real-time and over time. In short, the data enables manufacturers to refine and improve operations with relevant and up-to-date data.
Types of Automation In Manufacturing Operations
Automation can be thought of as the mechanization of processes in such a way that procedures can be followed and products can be created without human involvement.
There are several types of automation used on the factory floor. The type of automation utilized by a manufacturing operation will be implemented considering the products being produced, the machines required, and the resources available.
In the case of industrial automation, control systems, like computers or robots, and information technologies are utilized to handle different processes and pieces of machinery to complete a task. It can be applied most readily to data collection, data processing, and performing predictable physical work. This includes tasks like welding, soldering, painting, food prep, and packaging.
Fixed (Hard) Automation
In this example, the application is usually simple and will involve a process or assembly that is dictated by programmed commands. It is relatively difficult to accommodate changes in the product design in a fixed automation process, which is set up with one purpose or process per application in mind.
Examples include:
Mechanized assembly
Machining transfer lines
Automated material handling
Advantages:
High production rates
Low unit cost
Disadvantages:
Relatively inflexible in accommodating product variety
The high initial investment for custom-engineered equipment
High vulnerability to failure
Obsolescence
Programmable Automation
Programmable automation is used most often when manufacturing products in batches. It allows for customization and frequent changes throughout the manufacturing process. In this case, the operation is controlled by a program of instructions that are read and interpreted by the system. New programs can be prepared and entered into the hardware to produce new products at any time.
Examples include:
Computer Numerical controlled (CNC) machine tools
Industrial robots
Programmable logic controllers (PLC)
Advantages:
Flexible and able to deal with design variations
Suitable for batch production
Disadvantages:
High investment in general purpose equipment
Lower production rate than fixed automation
Flexible (Soft) Automation
Utilizing multiple tools that are linked by a material handling system, A flexible automation system is capable of producing a variety of parts with virtually no time lost for changeovers from any one part style to the next. The same is true when reprogramming the system or altering the physical setup.
Examples Include:
Robot arms that can be programmed to assume multiple tasks, such as insert screws, drill holes, sand, weld, insert rivets, and spray paint objects on an assembly line.
Advantages:
Continuous production of variable mixtures of products
Flexible to deal with product design variation
Offers Medium production rate
Disadvantages:
Requires a High amount of investment
High unit cost relative to fixed automation
Totally Integrated Automation (TIA)
More of a philosophy pioneered by Siemens Automation and Drives, TIA includes three core concepts:
A common software environment
A common data management system
A common communication method
TIA implementation is ideal for many industries, including:
Automotive
General machine construction
Special-purpose machine manufacturing
Standard mechanical equipment manufacture, OEMs
Plastics processing
The packaging industry
Food, beverages, and tobacco industries
Defining Characteristics:
Facilitates shorter time-to-market
Higher productivity
Lower life-cycle costs
Reduced complexity
Greater security of investment
Preventative Maintenance (PM) Versus Predictive Maintenance (PdM)
In Preventive Maintenance, tasks are completed when the machines are shut down. Predictive Maintenance activities are carried out as the machines are running in their normal production modes. Both are essential in saving manufacturers money and maintaining production quality. More recently, special focus has been placed on Predictive Maintenance. Qualities like real-time condition monitoring allow longer periods of operation between preventative maintenance tasks, resulting in less downtime for essential machinery.
Mobile Control Of Automation in Manufacturing
Mobility is the future of your workforce.
This is visible in the increased interconnectivity between applications and hardware we use in our daily lives. Mobile control is flexible, intuitive, and powerful. The concept has taken a prominent focus within manufacturing and a call for new industry-wide standards to be adopted has come from automation research and engineering professionals all over the world.
Mobile apps are already being relied on as fast and user-friendly means of accessing plant information with a tap of the finger or swipe of the hand. Mobile access can save substantially on costs, time, labor, and maintenance. The practice also enables operational problems to be identified and addressed remotely.
The Growing Pains Of Automation In Manufacturing
While it’s true the application of automation upsets work roles and employment demographics within the industries where they are applied, the real pains are felt in the short-term transition process.
“The distinction between work and learning might need to become more amorphous. We currently have a dichotomy where those who work need not learn, and those who learn do not work. We need to think about getting away from the traditional five-day working week to one where I spend 60% of my time doing my job and 40% learning on a regular basis.”
– Bhagwan Chowdhry, professor of finance at the University of California, Los Angeles
In the quote, Bhagwan Chowdhry, a noted professor of finance at the University of California, Los Angeles, explains his reasoning for a shift in thinking when it comes to working and learning.
It’s understood that while robots and automation are being used to scale operations, your workforce and their skillsets need to be scaled alongside to maintain these processes and equipment.
This enables workers to learn about and take ownership of the most technical concepts and roles within a given manufacturing operation.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm specializing in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.
Ransomware has emerged as one of the preeminent tools utilized by malicious actors who target the data of businesses around the world. In 2018, ransomware attacks have been on the rise. Following these critical guidelines can help mitigate the impact a breach will have on your business.
First Things First: Educating Employees
You probably already know not to open suspicious emails or click on links that look less than legitimate. That said, human nature prevails and it never fails that curiosity or carelessness gets the better of some people in the line of work. Human negligence is one of the largest, if not the top, contributors to such compromising positions as viruses, malware, and ransomware. However, there are ways to mitigate risk if you should ever find yourself on the wrong end of a malicious data breach. Educating your workforce about certain email and filesharing policies can reduce risk before you encounter a breach. Conducting in-house phishing and penetration tests are other useful avenues to explore if you have the resources available. These can open up opportunities to have candid conversations about security in the workplace as well as work to identify shortcomings in your security efforts.
Disconnect, But Don’t Unplug
One critical mistake Ransomware victims make time and again is rushing to shut down their machine at the sight of a ransomware prompt. This is a terrible response because it will make data forensics a much more arduous process for in-house or external teams attempting to unravel the source, extent, and possible resolution to the breach. In this case, disconnect affected machines from the internet, but do not turn them off.
Don’t Panic
This is a critical time and your response will dictate the course of your recovery from this unfortunate event. As with many stressful situations that emerge in life, panic rarely results in a favorable outcome. Keep your composure, collect the personnel necessary to evaluate the situation, and prepare to enact your response plan.
The Recovery Plan
You’ve been breached. This is the moment you prepared for. Follow the steps of your carefully designed plan and follow through on every step as you work towards a resolution.
There is no rubric when it comes to data breach recovery plans. Each instance is unique to each business. Sit down with your in-house security personnel or consult with an external team to develop the ideal plan of action should you fall victim to ransomware or another malicious incident targeting your sensitive data.
Evaluating Backup Data
If at this point in the scenario you have not prepared a recovery plan or created backups for your sensitive data, chances are you’re feeling uneasy about the future of operations, potential legal action, and your company’s reputation. However, this is only a hypothetical situation and you now have the idea in your head that creating a sound recovery plan in the event of a breach and backing up important files can’t wait until after the fact. Don’t wait until it’s too late to prepare your organization for a breach. Take steps towards preparing a disaster recovery plan and begin backing up your files regularly.
Call Data Forensics
Now is the time to perform an assessment with your in-house team or enlist data forensics professionals to determine the incident’s root cause, what, if any, data has been extricated from your systems, and if the malicious actor remains inside your system with unlimited access.
Contacting the federal authorities is another option that should be taken into consideration. Some cybersecurity consultants will tell you it’s a waste of time as the three-letter organizations get hundreds of reported ransomware events a day. Others will tell you it is imperative you contact federal authorities in the event you fall victim to ransomware. Alerting the authorities likely won’t have a detrimental effect on your status if you already found yourself the victim of a breach. Their experience and advice could put you on the right course to a speedy resolution.
Ransomware And Cybersecurity Checklist
Commit an incident response plan to paper and practice it regularly, updating as necessary alongside new threats and security technologies as they emerge.
Carry out ongoing penetration testing and vulnerability scanning. These are both examples of controlled probing of your systems for chinks in your hardened systems’ armor.
Keep your applications and operating systems up to date with the latest patches.
Train your workforce in the best practices as they apply to cybersecurity. The largest contributor to breaches is human vulnerability.
Continuously monitor your network integrity. This includes your anti-virus and malware protection software.
Conduct quarterly or annual data audits and mapping to know where your sensitive data is, how it’s stored, and how best to protect it.
Audit your external groups and accounts for vulnerabilities. Chances are good that a third party you conduct business with can present a vulnerability if they are not following the same cybersecurity standards as you.
Back up your data regularly and test your data recovery plan often. Simulated brute force, phishing, and attack scenarios can keep your teams on their toes and continuously aware of security.
Understand your liability, the data protection requirements, and necessary compliance regulations in your jurisdiction.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm and Epicor Platinum Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has flooded manufacturers with information like never before with valuable data from every aspect of operations. However, having data is only part of the solution. You need to be able to make sense of that data in your possession. Experiencing only a portion of the bigger picture can leave your business shortchanged on vital data necessary to make informed decisions on the future of your organization. ERP solutions, whether appealing to process manufacturing or discrete manufacturing operations, provide a way for businesses to make sense of the data new technology is revealing. Here are some ways you can leverage modern tech and ERP to optimize your operations.
Modern Maintenance: Prediction Preventing Predicaments with IIoT Connectivity
Utilizing modern sensing and machine learning capabilities, a true prediction is possible when it comes to maintaining your manufacturing equipment on the factory floor.
Everything from vibration, voltage, temperature, and other performance aberrations feed into analytical tools and are visualized by intelligent ERP solutions, to be translated as a set of warnings and alerts for the right set of eyes to evaluate and make a call on what action to take.
These innovative tools have proven their efficacy in reducing the instances of incidents, accidents, and breakdowns significantly. So much so, that no one can afford not to consider implementing these tools into their operations shortly.
Automated systems can order replacement parts if none are on-site and schedule the replacement or repair at a point resulting in minimum downtime when it comes to production.
You might be asking: well, how does this new take on maintenance affect my bottom line? Have you ever had a part break on a critical piece of equipment? What procedures are in place to replace or repair broken machinery? Intelligent and connected devices throughout the factory can set critical data point that indicates when a part is reaching end-of-life. Automated systems can order replacement parts if none are on-site and schedule the replacement or repair at a point resulting in minimum downtime when it comes to production.
That’s one example. What if an abnormally humid summer is leading to excessive heat in the workspace as well as moisture? Maybe a crucial machine is shutting down intermittently, requiring a manual restart in each case that can take a significant amount of time. You may not have known it was faulty wiring on a portion of your factory without the insight your connected devices provide. It all boils down to getting the full picture and assuming full control. A robust ERP coupled with the IIoT in a connected factory can deliver exactly that for greater efficiency.
Mastering Agile Operations For Your Enterprise with IIoT Connectivity
With an increasingly global reach for many companies, remaining connected to bases of operation near and far is of critical importance when it comes to remaining efficient.
Properly segmenting data sets to be fed to the appropriate overseers is just one more invaluable capability of a connected enterprise.
For decades, the idea of centralized control has prevailed in energy, resources, and telecommunications industries. This philosophy is just as easily leveraged in optimizing performance in tandem with the IIoT. When it comes to manning the helm digitally, for instance on an offshore oil platform, the keyed-in, land-based operations center can communicate with their off-shore counterparts and even manipulate controls remotely with an interconnected series of software and instruments.
However, all the data being fed into a central hub from global operations can be too much for one pair of eyes. Properly segmenting data sets to be fed to the appropriate overseers is just one more invaluable capability of a connected enterprise.
Cooperative Communication And Collaboration With ERP And IIoT Connectivity
Organizing your internal operations is just as important as external components. With IIoT and ERP, that means putting the right people in the right space with the right information at their disposal.
Operating an enterprise comprised of siloed departments utilizing disparate systems is one of the biggest causes of problems in operations and one of the best reasons to switch to a unified ERP solution. These digital hairballs cause hiccups, miscalculations, bottlenecks, and so many more problems that enterprises refusing to act before it’s too late find themselves gone the way of the dodo before long. Putting everyone on the same page with a clear channel of communication and access to the data they need is essential to organizational success.
A robust ERP solution works to empower small teams at just about any scale and with the same tools global conglomerates utilize to place, ship, and trace orders, manage and store inventory, invoice, and store user data.
Not positioned for global expansion just yet? The same tools can be leveraged to more efficiently organize local teams and their work. In this case, organize your teams so that related roles are close to each other and don’t have to go across the room, hall, or floor to get to the person or people they need to speak with to get the job done right and right now. A robust ERP solution works to empower small teams at just about any scale and with the same tools global conglomerates utilize to place, ship, and trace orders, manage and store inventory, invoice, and store user data.
One Buzzword To Rule Them All: AI
While the term has been tossed around more than a golf ball in a dryer, AI is inseparable from any conversation regarding Industry 4.0 and the modern manufacturing process. It relates to machine learning and offers numerous opportunities to refine processes using technology that can not only tell you why what was done was done but also the rules followed to reach the solution. AI is connected to machine learning in the sense that all AI is machine learning, but not all machine learning is AI, but Don’t let that throw you through a loop. Let’s break it down.
Example of IIoT
An everyday example of IIoT and machine learning involves something just about everyone uses at work, home, and at play: Email. As a means of communication, it is one way we all stay in touch through every aspect of our daily life, from reaching out to loved ones, co-workers, friends, and services we hold valuable. Services like Google and Microsoft’s Outlook use powerful machine learning to identify core components of these messages and serve them to us with a high degree of accuracy when it comes to relevant content. It is estimated that Google’s machine learning algorithms are capable of filtering 99.9% of spam emails from our inboxes. Beyond spam filtering, categorizing importance is another feat that machine learning tackles skillfully. By incorporating who we communicate with most, be it a person or a service, machine learning delivers messages of importance to ensure vital communications don’t have an opportunity to slip through the cracks. These technologies have been around for years now, but the latest from Google has been a time saver for many. Smart Replies enable a lightning-fast response to emails through the use of machine learning. By “reading” text for certain keywords and phrases, Google’s machine learning algorithms can generate a series of smart replies to send with the tap of a finger or click of a mouse button that speak directly to your conversation’s content.
AI is inseparable from any conversation regarding industry 4.0 and the modern manufacturing process.
As for AI, recent discussions among groups and individuals have focused on Facebook. Both timeline feed and facial recognition AI have earned the social media giant the lion’s share of attention. An AI that omits certain bits of content in favor of others to deliver a more personalized experience has earned the company both accolades and ire. Facebook employs facial recognition, a powerful technology used to tag friends in photos posted on user profiles. However, the practice has been a contentious one that results from concerns over the collection of non-user data. Amazon’s Rekognition is a similar deep learning-based image and video analysis tool that the company says can detect, track, and analyze faces for several applications. However, its capabilities don’t end there, the software can also “identify objects, people, text, scenes, and activities, as well as detect any inappropriate content” according to Amazon.
While on the subject of Amazon, further everyday examples of AI emerge with AI-powered assistants, like Alexa, which accepts voice commands to create to-do lists, order items online, set reminders, and answer questions (via internet searches). Microsoft and Google also have iterations of AI assistants with Cortana and Google Assistant, respectively.
How AI And Machine Learning Fit Into An ERP Solution
The short answer is that they don’t. There is no direct communication between machine learning and ERP software. The two mechanisms exist as separate but necessary components of running a successful modern manufacturing enterprise. While machine learning can lend insight into how machines perform and how processes can be improved, proper ERP solutions provide the tools to communicate between departments, assign tasks to the right labor pools, and ensure the raw materials are there for the automated factory and its modern machinery to utilize. The unified system speaks to every department and presents the necessary data to make informed decisions for today, tomorrow, and far into the future.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm and Epicor Platinum Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
The effects of emerging technology on business are felt faster and stronger than ever before in just about every industry. Most enterprises know they need modern tech to remain competitive, but do they know which technologies are the right focus for their business? Do you?
Below is a compilation of recently released findings surrounding the emerging technology. Find out why enterprises are integrating new technology, what sectors of their business they are most interested in growing, and what you can do in-house to modernize operations and scale at the pace of the industry.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm and Epicor Platinum Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
