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Wireless world
Going wireless isn’t just about business communications. Brian Tinham discovers a fast emerging world of mobile production possibilities |
11/07/2007
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From shopfloor to top floor
It’s been possible for many years, but with ISA95 the lofty goal of shop floor to top floor integration is easier to attain and even more worthwhile. Antony Adshead reports |
02/05/2007
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Scheduled for massive growth
A cool $70 million of additional annual revenues is being recorded by steel producer Companhia Siderúrgica de Tubarão (CST) in Espírito Santo, Brazil, thanks entirely to an advanced planning and scheduling system from Preactor, implemented by local reseller Tecmaran. Preactor schedules operations in line with several rules and strategies, using orders to be satisfied as the input. Some parameters are fixed while others can be modified – for example, availability of pig iron can modify speed of steel production. The rules adopted are primarily: balance orders to keep the casting machines working (with priorities); minimise WIP; and balance the converter machines with casting machines. |
31/10/2006
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Transformed whole business with ERP
Chemicals, fibres and plastics manufacturer Acetate Products wins this year’s Best of British Manufacturing IT Award for its outstanding IT-enabled business transformation |
26/09/2006
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Corus Engineering forges lean plant
CESASC’s ERP system has been successfully configured for lean operations business-wide, despite the company serving some of the most demanding industries on the planet |
26/09/2006
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KK Finefoods grows 54% on process ERP system
KK Finefoods, one of the largest, fastest growing frozen foods manufacturers in the UK, has been highly commended for its ERP implementation from Ross Systems, which not only now manages its entire manufacturing operations, but has presided over growth and profitability that are the envy of many. |
26/09/2006
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Dales seeks 75% growth from Oracle
Paper-based systems are well suited to delivering on the compliance requirement, but they’ve had their day. Brian Tinham looks at Dales Pharmaceuticals’ latest move into the digital age |
31/08/2006
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Special report: Lean and agile thinking - appropriate IT for successful manufacturing businesses
The application of lean concepts, methodologies and supporting tools, techniques and systems to whole businesses, not just to the factory – continues to grow in popularity. As manufacturers experience worsening competitive pressures from rivals in the UK as well as those around the world, management teams seem to be realising that, while ‘going lean’ is neither trivial nor short and sharp, it’s the only way they’re going to survive and hopefully revive their fortunes.
This report examines what’s working, how well, where and under what circumstances. It looks at current preferred lean initiatives across manufacturing industry and across different departments – the choices, uptake, barriers and outcomes – with statistics derived from a comprehensive online survey conducted for Manufacturing Computer Solutions. Importantly, it provides detailed analysis of relevant IT uptake, appropriate application and potential benefits. |
16/08/2006
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Make this your online home page
www.mcsolutions.co.uk has been massively upgraded. Brian Tinham test drives the amazing new free online resource for news, reference and supplier information covering all of IT for all of manufacturing and engineering industry |
14/07/2006
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APS' true colours come shining through
When additives manufacturer Holland Colours needed to tighten up its production and supply chain operations it turned to an ERP/APS combo. Brian Tinham reports |
26/06/2006
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Art meets science in glorious technicolour
Advanced planning and scheduling systems and lean thinking aren't often bracketed together, but ColArt paints a picture of perfect harmony. Brian Tinham reports |
19/06/2006
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Making the plant connection the all digital way
Two decades of so-called fieldbus wars are coming to a close as far as the business world is concerned. Standards-based digital factory and plant networks are now by far the best way to go, says Andrew Ward |
22/05/2006
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Powering up for the green economy
For larger greenhouse gas producers, European directives have presented real challenges. Brian Tinham reports from Elsta in the Netherlands on its successful transition |
18/05/2006
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So how good is your planning?
Fire fighting may have a lot going for it from the personal perspective, but it’s no way to run a business. Brian Tinham examines the roles and scope for modern planning and scheduling systems in enabling and underpinning lean initiatives |
11/04/2006
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Finding the key to plant security
As we need ever greater access to plant and factory systems and machines, ensuring IT security requires special attention. Andrew Ward explains |
11/04/2006
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How factory data leads to business value
By collecting data directly at the shopfloor, some manufacturers are discovering that they can cost jobs more accurately, resolve problems, provide accurate delivery dates to customers and, above all, arm themselves with information to react more quickly to unexpected events. Shopfloor data collection (SFDC) covers a wide range of different technologies, from simple to sophisticated, including systems that not only interface directly with machines but also sensors, controls and, of course, people. But not everyone needs everything. Some need comprehensive monitoring of everything that moves, with additional layers of software for analysis and control; for others, data entry terminals at machining centres or cells, for example, are enough |
01/09/2005
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Integrated business is key to success
When £42 million turnover Ossett-based Matthews Foods acquired the New Ivory business in Elland, West Yorkshire, it quickly found that its earlier investment in a food industry-specific ERP system paid off – even though operations there were very different to its own. But that was just the start of what’s turned into a major integration project that’s still ongoing, but is already successfully synchronising real-time production management, with product development, supply chain operations and business analysis and improvement |
01/09/2005
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Salad days: scheduling packs a punch
When Tilmanstone salads decided to drive its business from an advanced planning and scheduling system, it got much more than a bargain |
16/05/2005
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Chilling out on advanced planning
SK Chilled Foods, based in Middlesbrough, is flouting the generally accepted rules around what comes first in IT – and rolling out an advanced planning and scheduling system
(APS) before implementing ERP. Its Workplace APS will work with the firm’s departmental Excel spreadsheets – planning its people and shifts throughout production. |
16/05/2005
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Fault tolerant IT supports production
United Biscuits, the largest biscuit manufacturer in the UK and second largest in Western Europe, with sales of £1.3bn in 2003, produces a staggering 350,000 tons of biscuits and snack products per annum. To maintain that, it works hard to improve utilisation levels and operational efficiencies. This story concerns part of that drive, and involves two initiatives. |
16/05/2005
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Your manufacturing plant is not immune to attack
Anywhere that has a control or automation system in a manufacturing environment needs to undertake a risk assessment for potential cyber attacks as a matter of urgency. As hitherto softer business and personal targets become better protected, while industrial systems, perversely, move onto more mainstream communication and operating systems, but without adequate protection, numbers of incidents are on the up. There are serious accidents out there, not just loss of production and embarrassment, waiting to happen |
01/05/2005
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