Integration across the enterprise
A partnership initiative aims to deliver a converged manufacturing and IT information infrastructure. The resulting factory-wide information availability and accessibility through a single information solution will present immense opportunities for manufacturers.
To remain competitive, manufacturing businesses are investing in software solutions to leverage information in enterprise IT through ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), PLM (Product Lifecycle management) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management), and subsequently in production through MES (Manufacturing Execution System) and integration platforms. Whilst these assets already deliver improved performance, realising the potential of converged manufacturing-IT infrastructure to deliver real-time shop floor data through synchronous information systems, available plant-wide often remains elusive.
The lines of communication between shop-floor production and executive level management are complex in manufacturing businesses, yet both require the same set of data to draw intelligence and make informed decisions in real-time. Manufacturing businesses understand the power of data. They understand the need to optimise their enterprise IT investments in maximising manufacturing performance by extracting, processing and leveraging real-time data throughout the organisation to improve strategic capability, transform production flexibility and ultimately to capitalise on competitive advantage.
The ISP programme combines the special functions and skill sets of Rockwell Automation and its IT partners to deliver effective plant-wide information solutions |
With the necessary software infrastructure elements in place, what manufacturers now need is a solution to effectively marry knowledge and skills in their enterprise solutions with experience in manufacturing plant automation and MES.
Enterprise IT and shop-floor manufacturing environments are highly specialised and unique. This in itself can present a barrier to effectively integrating factory-wide information solutions due to the disparate skills and organisational experience held by suppliers within each area. Through its Information Solutions Partner (ISP) programme, Rockwell Automation aims to resolve this by bringing together complementary competencies: industry-leading expertise in enterprise IT integration and its own experience in information-enabled manufacturing automation, to provide a complete solution to manufacturers that fully links enterprise solutions and production within a unified infrastructure.
Rockwell Automation’s knowledge in plant-wide information applications and MES comes through its Logix control platform and FactoryTalk suite of production and performance management software which generate the raw data that powers the business. FactoryTalk delivers data across all production phases. It then organises and aggregates data effectively to deliver KPI and quality management information.
“Introducing information-centric expertise from the bottom-up through Rockwell Automation allows extended process and quality management capabilities within enterprise systems, improved return on enterprise solutions investment plus access to a broader geographical shop-floor footprint.” |
IT partner experience within the Information Solutions Partner programme offers middleware integration, software development, business process management integration with leading vendors such as SAP, IBM, Microsoft, Lawson and IFS, and proficiency in enterprise IT organisational infrastructure such as three-tier and service oriented architecture (SOA) environments.
Combining these specialist functions and skill sets within the parameters of Rockwell Automation’s knowledge of shop-floor constraints and the IT partners’ understanding of software integration capabilities, a complete and workable converged manufacturing-IT information solution can be delivered to the manufacturer.
Standards–based architecture
Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk offers standards-based architecture that allows integration with existing third-party software from a top-down organisational perspective. This means in any manufacturing environment there is no need to ‘rip and replace’ current enterprise IT systems. Infrastructure and data can be fully retained within the business as can plant and production automation assets. In this scenario FactoryTalk technically and organisationally delivers seamless integration between IT and manufacturing disciplines.
By partnering, the skills and knowledge of the incumbent enterprise solutions supplier are retained and implemented to leverage investment and deliver the optimal integrated architecture within the context of the existing IT organisation. Rockwell Automation and the integrator add further business value through their on-site understanding of the manufacturer’s unique organisation. Putting the needs and culture of manufacturer into context alongside the range of limitations of automation and software development helps ensure the delivery of viable, effective, plant-wide information solutions.
The alliance of skills and technical capabilities through the ISP programme not only helps deliver benefits to manufacturers, but also presents new opportunities for enterprise systems integrators in manufacturing industries. Consulting within the enterprise layer of a manufacturing business can limit the geographical reach and influence of the enterprise solutions provider, as can limited visibility and critical understanding of processes beneath the information layer. Introducing information-centric expertise from the bottom-up through Rockwell Automation allows extended process and quality management capabilities within enterprise systems, improved return on enterprise solutions investment plus access to a broader geographical shop-floor footprint.
In discrete manufacturing businesses such as medical devices, electronics, automotive and mechanical assembly, the need to track multiple parts, manage on-time production, monitor work in progress and review processes and quality is critical. Large amounts of automated and manual data are generated during production that directly impact business performance, output and decision-making. With the right IT integration, efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and cost management can be more closely managed at the enterprise level in discrete environments, whether on-site or remotely. Similar opportunities for enterprise integration exist in hybrid industries such as life sciences and in process manufacturing in the food and beverage sectors for example.
Conquering the divide
The last barrier to the panacea of fully integrated, converged information solutions within manufacturing is resolved through the strategic partnering of complementary capabilities in IT and in production with a common specialism in information enablement.
Quality assurance of the ISP alliance through stringent partner accreditation criteria; collaborative project scoping and full integration of experience will allow manufacturers to fulfil the potential of their infrastructure investments through a trusted solutions provider. With a dedicated, highly specialised team that understands today’s organisational needs ready to ‘turn on’ a company’s information-enabled business, a new era for manufacturing has arrived.
For more information, please e-mail us at: info_at@ra.rockwell.com with ref: ISP programme
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