Can a factory be too smart?

How to specify the right level of connectivity for manufacturing facilities

26 October 2021

13:30

Creating a manufacturing facility that is connected and smart is a process that can take many years, and there is a myriad of digital solutions on the market to choose from.

Smart factory. Credit: Phonlamai Photo / Shutterstock

Credit: Phonlamai Photo / Shutterstock

Many solutions providers will suggest installing the most advanced levels of connectivity early on in your digitalization journey, but Albert Martinez, Global Machinery and Industry Application Category Leader, for ABB Smart Power, believes in specifying the right level of connectivity for your business. Here, he discusses the importance of evolving at the right pace towards a digitalized facility and shares a useful three-tier approach to specification.

For those businesses starting out on their digitalization journey, or for facilities still in the early stages of introducing connected functionality, the industrial connectivity market can feel overwhelming.

Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT) signify a huge shift from traditional manufacturing techniques with advantages in automation, improved process efficiencies, and even managing energy consumption and costs. Getting it right the first time will save money and facilitate a much smoother transition towards smarter processes.

Before we examine the three levels of specification that can help manufacturing facilities to specify the right level of connectivity for their specific needs, let us first understand why taking a site-by-site, or sometimes even a machine-by-machine approach is beneficial.

There are three main drivers for specifying the connectivity you need rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. They are education, cost, and business objectives.

Educating an industry

The manufacturing industry has long been a cornerstone of the global economy, and over centuries it has been shaped by technological developments. With each new technology, there has been, and will continue to be, an inevitable period of adjustment – just like the shift from handcrafting to machine manufacturing. We are now learning the skills we need to use computerized systems that operate and monitor the machines we are familiar with.

It is important to understand that whilst the shift towards connected manufacturing is essential in order to remain competitive, it requires education in order to optimize the systems you choose to install. As an industry, the need to learn and adapt isn’t something we should shy away from, especially when the financial and environmental rewards are so great.

The cost of connectivity

The cost of connectivity will vary depending on the functions you need to perform and the size and complexity of your site. That said, even the most complicated of manufacturing processes are likely to have machines that simply do not need to be digitalized or can be optimized for performance on minimal connected functionality.

With pressure mounting for manufacturing facilities to demonstrate their commitment to connectivity, it can be tempting to take a blanket approach to automating a process, but this could be a costly mistake.

It is important to work out precisely which functions will be beneficial in improving asset management, speed of production or energy reduction before specifying connectivity solutions. This is because paying for a level of connectivity you simply do not need will not deliver a return on your investment, and could over-complicate operations, creating delays and making educating a workplace harder.

Meeting imminent and future business objectives

The key to specifying the right level of connectivity is to really understand your business objectives now and in the future. In doing so, you can select connectivity solutions that provide the functionality you need to meet your imminent objectives, while opting for products that can be quickly and easily scaled up via the cloud to offer additional capabilities in the future.

Only specifying the requirement you have now, and not considering how your needs will change in line with business growth may result in additional and unnecessary costs further down the line. Specifying your short to mid to long term objectives and resulting requirements upfront means you can take advantage of quick and easy cloud-based functionality upgrades when further capabilities are needed, eliminating the need for complete infrastructure replacements.

Three tiers of specification for the right level connectivity

For us at ABB, there are three clear tiers of specification when it comes to choosing the right level of connectivity for a manufacturing facility. For many applications, asset owners will start on one tier and progress to the next as their business develops, but as already mentioned, there will be some applications that will simply require a lower level of connectivity even in a fully automated factory.

We use the terms ‘essential’, ‘enhanced’ and ‘advanced’ to describe these three tiers, but other manufacturers may use different terminology. No matter the wording, this three-tiered approach can help asset managers to identify which level of connectivity will be the most cost-effective and functional for their specific requirements.

Let us examine these three tiers in more detail:

Essential specification

This level of specification refers to standalone machinery that is not connected to any smart or digitalized system. It is operated and maintained in the traditional sense so that it works for its intended purpose.

Even though we as an industry are evolving towards total automation, it is realistic and economical to identify that some adjacent applications that are not directly connected to the main processes do not require digitalization. In fact, connecting them to an Edge Industrial Gateway, for example, would be of little value and would not deliver a return on the investment.

Some examples of applications that would fall under the essential specification tier could include (depending on the facility), a compressor controlling the pressure of the air within machining tools, or a pump that provides constant pressure to the main process. It is important to identify systems that would deliver beneficial results if connected or monitored, so investment can be focused elsewhere in order to maximize ROI.

Enhanced specification

The tier above essential specification is ‘enhanced’ and is named as such because it includes monitoring and safety features that allow operatives to monitor system performance and control the quality of the network so that it can run smoothly.

Enhanced specification enables data-driven decisions to be made on-site to improve machine performance. Changes to operational parameters or required maintenance are carried out in traditional ways, by human operatives. These systems are not connected to a broader asset management system and the data collected by the sensors remains local to the machine. Alarms are used to alert operatives when preventive maintenance is required, and enhanced functionality offers improved safety features to protect those using the machinery.

Enhanced specification can be an effective place to begin for many facilities starting out on their connectivity journey and serve as a solid foundation for data collection. Choosing ‘future ready’ enhanced tier solutions will enable a smooth transition to the next level when required. Researching such technologies during the planning phase, and working with an experienced solutions provider, is a great way to ensure the products you specify can support and enable this transition.

Advanced specification

The most comprehensive level of connectivity, advanced specification, takes advantage of a range of state-of-the-art predictive maintenance and condition monitoring features that can be fed into one convenient centralized monitoring system. A system like this allows asset managers a full and real-time overview of multiple machines or even the entire process from one screen, with a network of sensors monitoring key variables across the breadth of the facility.

With advanced specifications, machines are connected to one another and can communicate key decisions autonomously, making processes leaner, faster and more cost-efficient. For some facilities, this level of specification will be something to work towards, having mastered simpler functionality first. For others, on a faster digitalization journey, or with large energy and cost savings at stake, advanced specification can transform a facility quickly and deliver impressive ROI.

To optimize your installations, work with a specialist partner that can offer advanced-level technologies that are simple to install and operate.

With this much data in one centralized system, digital twins and ‘clones’ can be used to analyze performance data and predict problems or changes before they happen. Digital twins can also be used to forecast supply and demand when used in tandem with wider supply chain connectivity techniques.

Scaling up connectivity

By specifying connectivity solutions that offer scalable cloud connectivity, increasing digital functionality is quick and easy. One example is the Tmax XT moulded case circuit breaker from ABB, which can be upgraded from the middle ‘enhanced’ level of specification to the higher ‘advanced’ level in just 10 minutes thanks to cloud connectivity. This simple process opens up 50 additional connectivity functions, to better serve a growing business in need of further digital functionality.

Another example is the standard ABB AF contactors motor starting ‘essential’ and ‘enhanced’ solutions that can be upgraded to ‘advanced’ by using the all-new ABB Novolink, which enables predictive maintenance and increases efficiency. Novolink devices are easy to design into existing wiring plans - minimizing engineering efforts and making the installation fast and simple.

Scalable solutions prevent the need for costly infrastructure replacements or the purchase of further solutions when more connectivity is required. They also keep things simple from the outset for facilities that are just starting their IoT education.

Evolving towards a connected manufacturing industry is an essential part of economic growth the world over. It is vital for factory owners and managers to feel in control of their digitalization journey and helping them to understand the different levels of connectivity available to them is an important part of this process.

For more information on ABB’s connected devices for the industrial sector, visit https://global.abb/group/en.

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