Product category:
Process Control: SCADA, ERP, MES and networks
News Release from: Citect | Subject: IIM, Industrial Information Management
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 May 2004
What is after ERP....?
IIM is the new modular technology for improving manufacturing efficiency increasing production and reducing costs, offering seamless connectivity with production, quality and lab systems and databases
IIM is the new modular technology for improving manufacturing efficiency increasing production and reducing costs, says Paul Hurst, MD of Citect UK Enterprise resource planning, or ERP, is designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of generic business processes, and where applicable, specific business processes within each company
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 10 Dec 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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It involves seamless data integration between all aspects of a company's systems and allows the resolution of process bottlenecks, quality failures and administration overheads as well as providing better control over both the supply chain and customers.
Despite many horror stories when it was first introduced, ERP has proven to be an undoubted success.
However, with its focus on business processes issues rather than manufacturing problems, ERP is not a universal "fix-all".
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It does not matter how streamlined your business is if your plant cannot deliver quality product in a timely fashion.
This is why manufacturers are now looking for small, modular, expandable methods of addressing manufacturing specific solutions.
In the face of increasing competitive pressures, they do not have the capital to deploy another ERP type solution, and do not want to return to the days of multiple disparate systems addressing individual problems in an incoherent manner.
However they do have a need to improve their manufacturing process.
Enter Industrial Information Management (IIM), the next revolution in the continuous process of improving production and manufacturing efficiency and reducing costs.
IIM offers seamless connectivity with production systems, quality systems, laboratory systems, business databases, and ERP systems.
It comprises a series of analysis modules, which are deployed to suit a company's specific business needs.
The modules target different aspects of the production system for improvement by focusing on specific aspects of the process, and automatically gathering information about it.
The data is then presented in a manner that makes it easy for management to clearly understand the main bottlenecks to production performance, causes of down time and poor product quality.
Other IIM modules target regulated needs such as traceability of batches, or specification conformance, while maintenance scheduling and cost management utilises actual run-time data to reduce costs and improve operating efficiency.
IIM bears a strong resemblance to ERP, but focuses on the sub-section of the enterprise that ERP cannot address.
ERP systems cannot enter the manufacturing domain because they lack domain knowledge, don't handle the granularity of information that exists within the manufacturing environment, and don't have connectivity to plant floor control systems and devices.
In common with ERP, IIM relies on data from other systems as key inputs.
In manufacturing, these inputs are predominantly from production control systems, but can also come from manual data entry, laboratory information systems (LIMS), as well as ERP systems themselves.
IIM solutions are deployed in a modular approach enabling organisations to get the highest return in the shortest possible time.
They are delivered through Citect Professional Services, with full support and training for continuous process improvements.
Each module is tightly integrated with existing systems allowing companies to actively monitor, analyse, report and measure efficiencies in the key areas driving their business, whether they are production, quality, downtime or tracking.
Leveraging information from the combined modules, CitectIIM Metrics is a powerful, fully integrated diagnostics system, producing key performance indicators (KPI) for analysis and measurement.
As each new module sits on the same single platform, CitectIIM solutions provide incremental value whilst lowering customers' total cost of ownership.
By leveraging open technologies and complementing existing automation and IT systems, they provide a low risk investment, with significant ROI being typically delivered in 6-12 months.
In one of the first applications for IIM the new technology, the CitectIIM Downtime module is being employed by one of Australia's largest mining companies to reduce costly unscheduled stoppages.
The IIM module is providing the methodology for analysing downtime, for connecting the plant's multiple servers, and for collecting and analysing information and making it available in a simple format, allowing managers to view the plant's availability, prioritise maintenance and optimise uptime.
The benefits expected from this installation are savings of AUD1 million over a two- year period. Request a free brochure from Citect ...
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