The new system focuses on the efficiency of hollow-core slab production. It optimizes the use of production lines and work schedules and monitors the work progress. The main objective of the manufacturing execution system is smooth, continuous precast floor production.
“An uninterrupted casting process is key to our customers,” says Jarkko Salmensivu, Automation & Software Product Director at Elematic.
“Accurate production and machinery data enables reactions to any deviations in time, before any bottlenecks occur. Up-to-date data also contributes to preventive maintenance, which decreases downtime substantially. Safe and automated routines for production planning and monitoring help to improve productivity, which will further improve business.”
Replacing piles of paper
The story behind the new software originated in active cooperation between Elematic and precast factories. Regular communication with production facilities forms the core of the development of Plant Control Floor.
“We noticed the increasing effort among our customers to carry out production planning using stopwatches and notebooks to improve production efficiency,” Salmensivu says.
“This, combined with the rapid advance of automation and information technologies, inspired us to do our bit and develop the system to automate the time-consuming planning and analysis processes.”
As automatic monitoring is not typically done in hollow-core production, the new execution system has a lot to offer in the field.
“Compared with manual production planning with piles of paper, automation will accelerate the use of all resources, both human and material. It helps the factory to make the most of what it has,” Salmensivu summarizes.
Hands-on tool for production supervisors
The manufacturing execution system is a hands-on tool for production supervisors. Thanks to the accurate information, they can base estimates for the required time per phase on historical data, which helps them to plan working phases and optimal use of the factory’s resources. The new system visualizes the factory status in a single, centralized location, offering the operator extensive up-to-date status information about production.
Automatic nesting places hollow-core slabs in the casting beds optimally, ensuring high utilization rates of the production capacity while reducing material consumption. The centrally controlled system also ensures efficient control over the production machinery in the factory. Moreover, fluctuations in production that consist of elements with different difficulty levels can be evened out.
