Metal Fabrication.

Performance and efficiency.

Forming and processing durable materials is energy intensive. Profitability is often marginal. Essential fluids, including lubricants and solvents are expensive and hazardous and must be kept out of the environment.

Real-time monitoring will detect deviation from performance specification. Unexplained temperature variations in machinery should be alerted automatically, without waiting for breakdowns, polluting leakages, expensive repairs and unscheduled downtime.

Fluctuating demand.

Forecasting demand is hard. Material lead times can be long. High inventory levels give security but tie up capital. Excess time in any process is costly. Profitability and competitiveness require inventory levels to be balanced against actual demand.

Real-time, paperless visibility of production processes, downtime alerts and collaborative messaging within the factory ensure operational transparency and efficiency. Clear visibility helps to identify opportunities to shorten process time and take out waste. Shorter job times enhance responsiveness to market conditions and reduce the need for a large inventory.

Safety.

Production floors can be dangerous places. Problems with machinery can cause accidents or injuries, if undetected. Employee behaviour is crucial in maintaining a safe work environment.

Real-time monitoring will provide reliable data on machine conditions. Collaborative messaging and operator monitoring ensure compliance with performance standards.

Pollution and compliance.

Essential fluids are potentially hazardous, to operators and the environment. Poor fluid condition compromises machine performance. Excessive consumption and replacement compromises profitability.

Real-time industrial fluid condition monitoring, linked directly to production planning software, maintains machine performance and extends maintenance intervals and equipment lifetime. Automated data collection reduces downtime and helps to cut energy consumption.