As paintshop processes become ever more sophisticated and throughput continues to rise, a holistic approach to visualising and analysing plant operation is called for
Efficient production processes require continuous monitoring and optimization and manufacturing execution systems (MES) are often used for this task in modern production lines. These MES record the necessary information from the system level as well as the production data, and evaluate it. The data acquired in this way is provided in a clearly arranged form to the equipment’s operating team as well as to the management, and it serves as the basis for optimizing production processes.
One leading equipment supplier, Dürr, responded more than 10 years ago to the demands of plant operators for better visualisation of the whole production process. With the motto: “software by professionals for professionals”, a flexible MES solution was developed under the brand name EcoEMOS.
This provides a uniform platform for the entire production chain. It enables continuous acquisition and analysis of data from the entire production process.
In EcoEMOS, Dürr has combined decades of experience in plant engineering for the automotive industry with intelligent software functions that are easily understandable by any user. The use of commercially available hardware and software (Server, Windows, Powerpoint, etc.) allows for rapid implementation and easy operation. The most important and practical analyses are already included in the basic package and need only be configured for specific applications.
A central database allows operators to manage all data and, via a single log-on function, offers uncomplicated access to information from different areas. The required clearances for all users are maintained with a “User Management” function.
The easy-to-use visualization is based on PowerPoint, and is easily adaptable for each customer's workforce. Numerous individual functions can be gradually integrated and allow for implementation as needed. Due to its modular structure the system is expandable during operation without limitations.
EcoEMOS is in use in more than 50 plants worldwide.
Its multilingual capabilities are a major plus when used in international production lines: no time-consuming switching plus direct communication worldwide. This direct access in real time is usefully complemented by the software's web capability.
The uniform user interface gives users a high degree of flexibility and direct access to important information. Access is not only available from the workplace directly at shop floor level, but also by means of the web-based software worldwide. Many customers also take advantage of this option for remote service communication with the provider’s software experts.
Andon monitoring and energy saving
The ever-growing software team at Dürr continuously uses the diverse everyday experiences of its customers for the development of new functions. A current example is “Visual Management” for automotive assembly lines. This includes the recording and analysis of Andon cord usage. Through this communication channel, the operator receives overviews on the number, duration and reasons for the shutdowns at workstations. This helps make direct actions for improvement possible and prevents unnecessary downtimes.
Another innovation with EcoEMOS is energy management, an increasingly important requirement for paintshops. Energy consumption is recorded and analyzed, and the operator receives information on bottlenecks; this can provide a reduction of energy consumption during operation by using automatic switching procedures.
More than 50 production facilities in 16 countries are already working with EcoEMOS. The range of customers stretches from the automotive and motorcycle industry to their suppliers and even the aerospace industry.