Guarantee future security
Ensure that your systems already today meet the requirements of the future.
Plant digitalisation:
Your key to greater efficiency, lower costs and higher customer satisfaction.
Plant digitalisation:
Your key to greater efficiency, lower costs and higher customer satisfaction.
How manufacturers of plants for hygiene-sensitive industries can use remote maintenance to reduce the downtimes of their plants and make them more sustainable at the same time.
In recent years, digitalisation has changed almost every industry and offers enormous potential for efficiency gains and cost savings. In the manufacture of food, chemical and pharmaceutical products, digitalisation is also opening up new opportunities to overcome challenges and achieve long-term competitive advantages. This article looks at how the use of modern human-machine interfaces (HMIs) in combination with remote maintenance is revolutionising the industry.
Challenges in the manufacture of plants for hygiene-sensitive industries
Manufacturers of plants for the food & beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors face a variety of challenges. On the one hand, the systems have to cope with increasingly complex tasks while guaranteeing maximum precision and reliability. On the other hand, there is increasing pressure to reduce production costs and increase efficiency in order to remain globally competitive.
These challenges are difficult to overcome without digitalisation. Manual processes are time-consuming and error-prone, which leads to frequent downtimes and high time, labour and travel costs for maintenance. In addition, there is often a lack of transparency and real-time data to be able to react quickly to problems.
Digitalisation in the manufacture of production systems
This is where digitalisation comes into play. By using intelligent HMIs, production systems can be controlled and monitored more efficiently. Analysing plant data makes it possible to detect impending failures at an early stage and proactively initiate countermeasures. Remote maintenance allows problems to be rectified quickly and cost-effectively without the need for a technician to be on site.
The advantages are obvious: higher system availability, lower maintenance costs and better planning. The networking and evaluation of machine data also provides valuable insights that can be used to optimise processes and improve product quality.
Comparison of a production plant with and without digitalisation
Let's look at a concrete example: A manufacturer produces systems for the food industry. Without digitalisation, unplanned downtimes occur time and again, leading to high costs and dissatisfied customers. Maintenance is reactive and time-consuming.
The introduction of intelligent HMIs and an IoT and remote maintenance system can solve many of these problems. Sensors monitor the condition of the system and report deviations at an early stage, thereby preventing breakdowns. If a problem does occur, an expert can intervene quickly via remote maintenance and put the system back into operation.
The result: system availability increases, maintenance costs fall and customer satisfaction increases. The transparency gained also allows weak points to be identified and eliminated, which improves the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) in the long term.
Advantages for plant manufacturers
The benefits of digitalisation are enormous for manufacturers of production plants. By increasing efficiency and reducing downtime, production costs can be sustainably reduced. At the same time, maintenance is improved, which extends the service life of the systems and increases customer satisfaction.
This creates clear competitive advantages in the long term. Plant manufacturers who consistently focus on digitalisation can produce faster, more flexibly and more cost-effectively than their competitors. It also opens up new opportunities for data-based business models.
Minimise downtimes
Recognise and rectify potential problems at an early stage with predictive maintenance.
Expand databased services
Use collected data to gain valuable insights and develop new service offerings.
Reduce your CO2 footprint
Reduce your CO2 footprint through optimised processes and less travel by your service technicians.
Optimise customer service
Employ highly qualified personnel in a more targeted manner and reduce unnecessary on-site appointments through effective remote working.
Expand your competitive advantage
Increase the attractiveness of your plants with digital services and set yourself apart from the competition.
Do you have any questions on the subject of ‘Digitalisation of production facilities’? Please contact me.
