E Tech Group Lead Automation Engineer, Kevin Tom shares his knowledge and expertise on the Best Practices for Effective Automation Applications in a three part series featured on Control Engineering.
No matter the automation technologies being considered or implemented, universal rules apply; a significant portion includes collecting the right information for the automation project. Whether just starting or a seasoned expert, heed this advice when applying automation. Automation can do quite a bit, but do not over-reach automation’s capabilities. Automation cannot cure overly complex operations. Get the right design first, then apply the right automation. Real-world examples will help fill skills gaps with smart manufacturing. This has been edited for clarity.
Explore Kevin’s three-part discussion on system integrators’ role in improving automation applications:
What’s Inside? Automation SparkNotes:
Part 1: Automation effectiveness through data collection
Part 1 covers automation as a data-driven process built on collaboration. Multiple points of view are necessary to understand what needs accomplished, what’s expected, and how to get there. But opinions aren’t the way to make decisions. Data is.
Recommendations for best practices include a full rundown of E Tech Group’s process of collecting data for initial project design, including personnel interviews, IT/OT risk assessments, equipment mapping, and pulling in every relevant department for input. The more data there is to collect, the more an opinion becomes an authoritative consideration.
Specifically, a 5-step process for uncovering candidates for automation application is proposed:
- Dull. A dull process is repetitive or boring. An operator who is not engaged will frequently make mistakes, hurting quality benchmarks and production consistency.
- Dirty. Is the process or the environment dirty? Hazardous? Consider tasks like welding, painting or mixing.
- Dangerous. Can the process harm an operator? Consider heavy loads, high temperature environments or harmful gases.
- Difficult. Is the process hard for a human operator to execute? This could mean things like excessive walking, tight spaces, intricate assemblies, or large, hard-to-handle parts.
- Dear. Is the process or the part critical? Expensive? Tight tolerances can usually be more repeatable using robotics or other automation, and also the cost of a botched part due to a human error.
Part 2. Automation case study
Part 2 covers a case study in applying automation at a pharmaceutical pilot plant, where a control system integrator had to modify a control system in the field to remedy a blind spot in the original process. It details the complex project and how E Tech Group’s automation team managed the design/build process via analytics and modeling, as well as testing and validation.
Part 3. Automation Q&A session
Part 3 is comprised of excerpts from the post-talk question and answer portion of the original webcast, and covers conceptual, industry, case study, and technological insights on applying automation in industrial settings. Topics covered include:
- Settings automation goals
- Deciding what to automate
- When to bring in a system integrator
- Overlooked benefits of automation
- Where to start with applying automation
- Dealing with control system upgrades
- Overcoming challenges with automation applications
For more on E Tech Group’s capabilities, visit our Control System Integration page.