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Man and machine
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04/01/2008
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Technology uptake in the industrial automation sector has invariably responded to price pressures and the need to increase the productivity. Whilst cost and speed of production are still crucial, efficiency and quality improvements – the current emphasis in automation – can also be achieved by giving skilled workers the technical assistance and information they need to make appropriate decisions.
Gradually, the industrial automation sector is moving from a philosophy that involved simply automating every task possible. Today, the focus is on arming the right people with the right information. One impact of this trend is the average machine is more connected – to other machines, to the enterprise and even to suppliers.
Complex supply chains in the industrial sector require round the clock systems operation. This may mean expensive maintenance visits and complicated upgrades. Remote monitoring and problem diagnosis, plus automatic upgrade programs, are already saving factory downtime and therefore money, for customers and their suppliers.
Increasingly, the web is used as a medium for integrating business enterprise systems and the factory floor. This development is driven by factors such as supply chain integration and flexible manufacturing.
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Author
Vanessa Knivett
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