A Guaranteed Way to improve Manufacturing Process Performance ..

We recognise that achieving Best in Class status for manufacturing companies is an ongoing challenge that is being addressed by many companies across the UK to meet the challenge of competition from lower labour cost countries. From our experience we know that there exists a recognised growth path from poor performance to Best in Class performance and that there are well established tools for each stage of the journey. Our Perceptive Audit is used to identify the current position on the process improvement curve, identify the gaps, then recommend a path forward. This may involve addressing many of the important operational management issues, establishing a suitable production measurement infrastructure and the application of lean manufacturing techniques through co-operation with our industrial alliances.

PERCEPTIVE AUDIT

The Manufacturing Improvement Journey - modified from Benchmarking in the Process Industries; R. Benson, M. Ahmad

It is typical for Perceptive Engineering to take the process improvement baton when the site or production unit has reached approximately 60% of Best in Class performance. Perceptive Engineering then use a structured approach, following the Six Sigma methodology, (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control) to deliver the next level of performance. Our audit goal stated simply, is to identify the Lost Opportunity that exists on each production asset. We are one of few companies prepared to guarantee performance improvement levels that are identified as part of our audit.

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

The Process Performance Management Methodology The Perceptive Audit is structured to identify the real gaps between good and excellent operation. Bridging the gaps often requires relatively complex engineering techniques to truly optimise performance, however we strive to simplify the systems to be supportable and sustainable. The method defined below uses our experience and a set of practical software tools to identify the lost opportunity within the production line.

Process Walk Through

Gain a full understanding of the key process Units. Identify relationships between Business Economics and Quality, Throughput, Yield, and Environmental constraints. Identify all available measurements. Obtain statistical analysis of current performance. Comparison with industrial benchmarks. Quantify the errors associated with instrumentation, procedures, practices and the process. Calculate the potential headroom for improvement, energy losses, re-work etc. Discuss and present finding to key stakeholders.

DELIVERABLES
a) A benchmark of current production unit performance. Assessment of Process Capability and Process Performance indices compared with other companies. b) Calculations of Overall Equipment Effectiveness and Efficiency. c) Determine accuracy of relevant instrumentation or sampling methods. d) Financial Estimate of Lost Opportunity for the Production Units under evaluation. e) Recommendation of the required instrumentation, control engineering practices and Performance Metrics to move closer to Best in Class f) Development of a strategy to improve productivity and product quality through the application of Intelligent Control techniques. g) Perceptive Engineering specialise in model based engineering technologies, including Model Predictive Control, Model based Process Monitoring and Model based fault detection and will demonstrate these techniques during the audit.

Set up Business KPIs

Data Collection & Benchmarking

Instrument Assessment Gauge R&R Study

Lost Opportunity Assessment

Presentation & Report

What follows the Perceptive Audit and how will it sustain performance improvement?

ADVANCED AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS

If Advanced Automation Technology (AAT) is able to improve performance at the site, the Perceptive Audit will summarise the necessary actions required prior to the start of a project. The Audit will also provide qualified estimates for potential improvements which will form the basis of a business case and cost justification for the AAT project. Underpinning the sustained delivery of improved production are a set of solutions contained within the PerceptiveAPC toolset. By using the available process knowledge and integrating with process models, it is possible to reduce the process variability and push capacity to a practical optimum. The user friendly software tools uniquely provide integrated process control and monitoring for complex industrial systems in an environment that can be configured to interface with shop floor systems such as DCS, PLCs, LIMS and PIMS and browser based MES.
WEB BASED INFORMATION OPERATOR/ ENGINEER SUPPORT
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WORKSTATION

KEY POINTS PerceptiveAPC toolkit provides the enabling technologies to achieve: 1. Reduced Downtime 2. Improved Quality Cpk, Ppk 3. Increased OEE 4. Minimised Lost Opportunity 5. Increased Capacity 6. Operation within Environmental Constraints 7. Energy Savings 8. Optimised Yield

CONTROL & OPTIMISATION

PROCESS DIAGNOSIS Model Based Diagnostics/Case Based Reasoning

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MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL

PROCESS OPTIMISATION

PROCESS CONTROLLER MONITORING

SENSOR MONITORING

PROCESS PERFORMANCE MONITORING

PROCESS INTERFACE (DCS, PLC, PIMS, LIMS)

FACTORY

A sustainable solution for performance improvement.

Our alliances with leaders in the field of process automation, analytical instruments, system validation and manufacturing improvement enable a complete solution to reach Best in Class performance. Our particular service consists of focussing on an overall strategy for improving monitoring, control and optimisation of processes and breaking down the way forward into phased projects that incrementally demonstrate benefits as the improvement strategy is implemented. The road to manufacturing excellence takes time and it is critical that the appropriate tools are exercised at the right time and in the right manner with the necessary expertise. Perceptive Engineering with its partners has this expertise.

EXPERIENCE

The engineering team at Perceptive Engineering are skilled in solving process control problems and seeking opportunities for process optimisation and quality control. Our experience covers food, power, pulp & paper, chemical, steel, mining and minerals, petrochemical and gas processing industries, with control and monitoring applications on boilers, distillation columns, evaporators, spray, flash, rotary dryers, to mention just some of the common process units. To date, all our projects have an Return On Investment (ROI) of less than 1 year.

Perceptive Engineering Limited Brindley House, Bridgewater Court, Barsbank Lane, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0ER. t. +44 (0)1925 750170 f. +44 (0)1925 752464 e. sales@perceptive-engineering.co.uk w. www.perceptive-engineering.co.uk