Managing Obsolescence by Capitalizing on Planned Downtime
Unless you’re operating a new plant, chances are you’re running a variety of PLCs, VFDs, DCSs, and HMIs that ...
Blog
Obsolete Technology: How to Justify an Upgrade
Technology obsolescence alone isn’t normally enough to justify a large capital upgrade. But, two drivers that ...
The Changing Face of Operator Interface
Chris Parkinson is HMI technical lead at Polytron, a CSIA-certified member of the Control System Integrators ...
How Food Manufacturer Integrated 5 Lines During Building Construction
On April 16, 2021, Rockwell Automation featured, “How Food Manufacturer Integrated 5 Lines During Building ...
Automation and Controls: Hot Topics You Need to Know
As production demand increases, manufacturers are focusing on automation and control system upgrades. ...
Going Paperless Delivers High Returns
Going paperless has many advantages; it saves time by erasing data handling and entry, creates visibility ...
Manufacturers Go Paperless to Increase ROI
If you are interested in going paperless, even if leadership has already decided to move forward, then the ...
Control System Modernizations: Is It Time for an Upgrade?
Average Downtime Costs - Industry surveys have shown that the average cost of a downtime incident is ...
Bridging the Manufacturing Skills Gap on the Plant Floor
The manufacturing skills gap has been a national discussion for the last 15 years. In the most recent status ...
Mentoring on the Plant Floor in Moments of Need
In a previous blog, I wrote about using strategies for supporting performance when and where the need arises ...
Capitalizing on the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)
During new machine installation or upgrade activities some people seem to have a good handle on equipment to ...
Eliminate the Risks of PLC5
During the height of PLC5 adoption in the 90’s, this version of the programmable logic controller was a state ...
Eliminating Automation Technology Risks
Migrations to new technologies are inevitable. A smooth migration from old technologies to new technologies ...
Increase Efficiencies with Standardized HMI
Every manufacturer has a HMI or Human Machine Interface, but they might not know it. From physical pushbutton ...
A Simple Way to Communicate More Effectively
Most of us have had an experience where we have given someone an assignment only to come back later and hear ...
Leveraging Microsoft SharePoint for Manufacturing
Remember the days before computers were involved in almost everything that happened in the office. Wasn't it ...
A Small, Simple Change with Big Effects
Even though traditional paperback books remain enjoyable for reading, most businesses would admit that pen ...
3 Keys to a Successful Systems Integration Project
Once you have found a systems integrator that suits your needs, its time to execute. By conveying your ...
3 Factors to Look for in a Systems Integrator
Most manufacturers will start their search for a systems integrator by asking their component manufacturer ...
3 Questions to Help You Determine if You Need a Systems Integrator
“Don’t fix what isn’t broken,” is a common mantra among plant managers. As a result, many of our integration ...
The 4 Main Components of Proper Manufacturing Training
Recently, we were brought into a project where an equipment controls technician had been on-site for six ...