Product category:
Process Control: SCADA, ERP, MES and networks
News Release from: GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms UK | Subject: Blaser Swisslube
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 June 2007
Cimplicity visualisation helps improve
production
GE Fanuc software solutions are key to manufacturing, filling and storing cooling lubricant, cutting oils and grease for the Blaser Swisslube production, with skill and precision
Headquartered in Hasle-Ruegsau, Switzerland, the family-owned company Blaser Swisslube AG has been producing and selling cooling lubricant used in the metalworking industry worldwide for 70 years At facilities in the Swiss Emmental region, approximately 100,000 litres of (cooling) lubricant, cutting oil and grease are produced each day
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 1 Aug 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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To support the individual production steps and networking needed, Blaser Swisslube has employed the GE Fanuc Automation Proficy HMI/SCADA Cimplicity visualisation system in individual production areas, such as the mixing, filling, transport system, and the power station.
The GE Fanuc Proficy Historian saves all process data, such as temperatures, filling levels, added ingredients, along with all raw material codes, etc.
And ultimately, thanks to its web-based design, the Proficy Real-Time Information Portal enables access to all historical and on-line data globally.
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The use of real-time visualisation and control systems during the manufacturing of the cooling lubricant saves money and makes an important contribution to protecting the environment.
"Using GE Fanuc Proficy software has enabled us to demonstrably increase productivity and significantly improve process quality," reports Martin Siegenthaler, who is responsible for the process automation and system support at Blaser Swisslube: "In addition, the software facilitates the daily work of our staff.
However, using the system in no way diminishes the importance of their jobs".
Visualisations make Blaser Swisslube more productive in many areas including the filling system in the lubricant plant.
The barrels to be filled are delivered by truck, transferred onto pallets and automatically transported to the filling station using various transfer points equipped with conveyor belts.
If faults occurred in the past, the system manager needed to connect his laptop to the control (PLC) and analyse the corresponding inputs/outputs until he located the problem.
This was considerably time-consuming and resulted in significant downtime.
Today, the visualisation allows the manager to obtain detailed information about the causes of any alarms.
For real-time and historical data analysis, the Proficy Historian server is a robust and effective storage system for the accumulated system data and constitutes the heart of the process visualisation at the production company.
If required, vast quantities of historical or real-time data and operating information can be quickly and easily recorded, archived and distributed.
And, the GE Fanuc Proficy Real-Time Information Portal allows production data to be called up, analysed and visualised.
The portal provides a web-based overview of important parameters and allows remote access.
"The web access provides an advantage if a problem with the power station occurs at night or on the weekend," said Siegenthaler: "In certain circumstances, I don't even have to drive to the plant, but can simply solve the problem via my computer at home using a VPN and by calling the building attendant".
At the same time, Siegenthaler has constant access to the historical and current process data from his office workplace during working hours and can monitor current processes or make future decisions based on the historical data.
"A plant outage here would come at a high cost to the company and cause supply shortages.
Therefore, we have integrated a Cimplicity/Historian redundancy solution that will drastically increase the security in this respect," said Siegenthaler.
On-site support provided by Balsthal-based B+I Automation, the official Swiss sales partner of GE Fanuc, is one of the reasons why the company chose GE Fanuc.
"We have been working with their employees for years and have always received immediate, reliable support," Siegenthaler reports: "And since we believe service and product availability are as equally important as the purchase price itself, the decision in the matter was made relatively easily.
We of course also looked at rival products.
In doing so, we realised that no other products were as convenient to programme and configure as Cimplicity".
Siegenthaler sees no major concerns in pending upgrading tasks.
Konrad Bussmann from B+I Automation AG who has installed and upgraded numerous systems with GE Fanuc products confirmed: "Thanks to the open architecture, client/server setup and the modularity of the product range, upgrading individual components can be done without any problems". Request a free brochure from GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms UK ...
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