FANUC recently introduced a new AI Error Proofing function in iRVision designed for part inspection that uses machine-learning technology. Error proofing determines that a production process happens according to plans. During production, there are typically known problem areas that result in the creation of a bad part.
When you commit to improving processes, some of the benefits are obvious – and some are not. It’s those “hidden” benefits that can’t be overlooked when assessing the total value of a new system. In a recent project with a global beverage producer, it’s those benefits that are producing some added bonuses.
If your plant is unexpectedly shut down due to the current crisis, you can use this pause in production as an opportunity to review and improve safety procedures. Why should you make maintaining your electrical infrastructure a priority?
Emergency stops are a must-have for any safety system, as they are often the last resort for stopping or mitigating a major accident on the factory floor. We’ve discussed the specific requirements for the layout, color and shape of an E-stop pushbutton in a previous blog post, but there are also several requirements for E-stop behavior that we will go over now.
Smart manufacturing is the gateway to digital transformation. Connected smart devices open new windows of visibility into processes. Data and analytics enable better and faster decision-making. Seamless connectivity spurs new collaboration.
With electrical engineers in short supply as power distribution projects get more complex, Graybar trains GearSmart? sales reps to fill in the gaps. When a major big-box retailer expanded to Nashville a couple years ago, the contractor in charge of the project quickly spotted a missing piece in the plans.
During the past decade, the biopharmaceutical industry has made a rapid shift toward modular plants and single-use technology (SUT). In fact, more than 85% of pre-commercial scale biopharma now relies on SUT – and commercial production is quickly following suit.
During these weeks, with the COVID-19 outbreaks, it has been possible to observe how certain facilities (not only hospitals but also hotels, sports centers, libraries …) had to adapt to the emergency state by changing their original design, operation and action protocols, and structural, mechanical, pneumatic and electrical systems. In this following article, we will focus on these three last topics.
Brock Solutions is pleased to announce the recent award by the Region of Peel of the Clarkson and GE Booth Wastewater Treatment Plant Instrument Control Panel consolidation project. Over the next two years, the team will work alongside the Region of Peel to consolidate their I&C design and documentation and bring it up to current standard.
A local food producer required large volumes of water to clean and sanitize equipment. Once used, the water would be stored in an on-site lagoon before being processed, treated, and released back into the water supply. The producer’s water usage was increasing as the facility expanded and new equipment was implemented that needed to be cleaned.
When a machine component fails or operating conditions start to change, the first sign for workers that something is wrong is often an alarm in the HMI. Factors such as how accurate, detectable and informative the alarm is can directly affect how quickly workers see and react to it.
It has been possible to collect data from FANUC CNCs for almost 30 years. If you aren’t making use of that in this day and age of Industry 4.0, you need to start now. Don’t worry, FANUC has you covered, no matter where you are on your automation journey.
Manufacturing facilities employ a variety of hazardous machines, and safeguarding is paramount. While traditional safety strategies are designed to mitigate risk in hazardous situations, it’s possible to eliminate this risk altogether by letting robots cover the dangerous tasks. Let’s take a look at a few ways that robots make manufacturing safer overall.
When one major mining company underwent digital transformation, it achieved results that would be the envy of most mines. Production increased about 15%. Energy costs went down after ventilation demands were cut in half. And safety was enhanced with autonomous drills that moved workers away from potentially hazardous areas.
Machine downtime hurts. It hurts productivity and profits – and it causes frustration. Every minute that slips by with a machine unable to operate negatively impacts the bottom line. So, it’s no surprise that manufacturers are looking for the most cost-effective and time-efficient way to get the technical support they need to deal with downtime and repairs.
The more things change, the more they stay the same; it is an axiom that is true–and even comforting–during dark times and good. In fact, even at a time when the world is completely consumed, and seemingly transformed, by the Coronavirus, many of us can take stock in this generationally-tested truism.
This project is funded [in part] by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet est financé [en partie] par le gouvernement du Canada.
