Data is an ever-present and growing benchmark in all industries. However, sometimes it may feel like it’s cloaked in mystery. There’s often a question of, why is collecting process data important? You then start to go down the rabbit hole trying to answer…..How do you get data out of your equipment? How do you decide what to collect? After assessing the previous questions, how do you test, and if necessary, validate that all of that data is being collected as expected? Understanding a holistic approach to data collection and validation from an AVEVA PI Historian System can help provide a high-level, big picture understanding to the importance of process data. With more than 10 years’ experience as a group engineering manager, Matt Martin has a depth of experience with integrating AVEVA PI Systems within sites of various sizes – here’s what I’ve learned: Why is the Importance of Data Increasing? The “why” question is the easiest one to answer. Everyone can agree that in the era of modern manufacturing, extracting data from your manufacturing processes is critical to a business’s success and ability to grow. This includes every level of production and management: Provides the operator at the plant floor level the ability to adjust and better control the manufacturing process on the fly Allows engineers better insight into trends and behaviors of the overall process to improve designs from both a throughput and efficiency standpoint Produces KPIs (key performance indicators) for managers and executives to assist in their decision making Having large representative data sets is becoming even more important with the advent of AI and more specifically machine learning. Allowing these technologies access to your systems data helps identify patterns, overall system behavior, and correlations that were previously near impossible for the human eye to uncover. Now, How … Continued
Congratulations to Kate Van Kirk. Kate was recently promoted to Director of Business Process. Kate has been with E Tech Group since 2017. In 2020, she moved from Life Sciences to Corporate and played a significant role in several company initiatives including the migration to Zoho-Intacct booking synchronization, the Project Forecast Tool, and the implementation of the Resource Management Tool. “Kate will continue to play a major part in working collaboratively with stakeholders across the Company to bring additional tools to E Tech Group, improve existing tools, streamline workflow processes, and implement best practices,” said Vice President of Operations Gary Powell. Congratulations to Kate on a well-deserved promotion and thank you for the dedication to E Tech Group and our operations team!
Control Systems Upgrade Maximizes Efficiency for Dessert Packaging Line
Challenge
In the fast-paced world of food manufacturing, efficiency and precision are paramount for maintaining a competitive edge. When a major player in the food industry wanted to upgrade their packaging controls for flan and pudding products, they turned to the trusted engineering team at E Tech Group. The packaging process required precise control and synchronization to maintain product quality and optimize packaging speed. However, the client’s outdated controls system hindered their ability to meet growing production demands. The challenge was to develop an efficient controls solution that could be executed within a tight one-weekend timeframe and with minimal downtime. The project encompassed addressing outdated PLC and HMI systems, aging control panel hardware, and the need for improved networking communications.
Solution
Recognizing the tight project timeline, E Tech Group leveraged their expertise to create the best solution. Through planning and collaboration, they formulated a comprehensive approach that began with a thorough evaluation of the existing control panel and its components, and identified which areas required improvement and retrofitting. E Tech Group consulted with trusted vendors to assist in the retrofitting process for servo drives, motors, and gear boxes, and strategized the most effective approach to implement the necessary program changes. Once these enhancements were identified and received, the project team utilized a planned shutdown period to validate the functionality of the retrofitted products.
Over the course of the weekend, E Tech Group put the project plan into action. The team disassembled the customer’s control panels and installed new components, migrated existing PLC code to the new controllers, and converted the customer’s existing HMI screens to a new PanelView HMI application. They utilized Studio 5000 for retrofitting PLC programs, FactoryTalk View software to make required alterations to the customer’s HMI programs, in addition to command line programing to support network segregation for the new Stratix 5700s.
Results
The controls upgrade was achieved swiftly and effectively, all thanks to the unwavering dedication and collaborative efforts of E Tech Group’s engineering team. The customer experienced minimal interruptions and downtime, enabling enhanced production and operational efficiency. The upgraded PLC and HMI systems brought improved functionality, while the new control panel hardware simplified system maintenance and reduced costs. Furthermore, the enhanced networking communications facilitated seamless data transfer and real-time monitoring, empowering the client to make informed decisions and uncover possibilities for further optimization. E Tech Group’s collaboration, expertise, and determination to overcome project challenges demonstrates their commitment to customer satisfaction and their ability to deliver successful project outcomes under time-sensitive circumstances, solidifying their reputation as one of America’s fastest-growing system integrators.
The original version of this article was pulled from Food Engineering featuring Kevin Romer, Principal Engineering and Matt Smith, network architect IT/ICS for E Tech Group. Click here to read the original article. Cybercriminals Custom-Tailor Their Ransom Demands To Your Budget. According to the FBI, the three most common IT/OT (operational technology) infection vectors are email phishing campaigns (aka BEC or business email compromise), remote desktop protocol (RDP) and software vulnerabilities. While some hackers may intentionally want to bring down your production systems using the second and third vectors, “we’re only in it for the money” is a far better motive for breaking into your IT/OT systems—and what better way to do it than through the phishing emails scattered among the zillions of emails you get every day. Accidentally clicking on one email link can quickly connect you with ransomware—which can not only shut down your business system, but also your production systems, if they’re not protected. The Role Subpar Control Systems Play in Cyber Attacks “Once inside an organization, ransomware groups and affiliates will often take advantage of the misconfigurations within an organization’s Active Directory security posture,” says Marty Edwards, Tenable deputy CTO of OT/IoT. “Gaining domain privileges provides attackers with the necessary capabilities to distribute their ransomware payloads across the entire network.” According to the IBM “X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2022,” ransomware was the number one attack type in 2021, accounting for 21% of all attacks. According to a 2022 SANS Institute survey, 40.8% of OT/industrial control systems (ICS) compromises came down from business IT systems. To safeguard production systems, manufacturers need to isolate OT from IT systems—or at the very least be able to have a quick disconnect when IT systems are infected. Secure Automated Systems Require IT/OT Separation In this article, we look at IT attacks and … Continued
