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BFA winner UPM-Kymmene transforms plant inspections
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July 2007
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The speed and efficiency of vital plant inspections at the BFA winner and leading newsprint producer UPM-Kymmene are being improved by using innovative data capture and inspection system.
The system, Transform, has been developed and supplied by industrial software specialist Terrington Data Management.
A wide range of plant and machinery inspections at UPM in Shotton, North Wales, have transferred from written checklists and an earlier software package to the PC-based, hand-held data capture system.
UPM, which produces newsprint from recycled paper for virtually all local, regional and national newspapers in the UK and as far away as the Far East and Canada, trialled a bespoke Transform system in 2004 and now has the programme installed onto 25 PC terminals which, coupled with portable hand-held data capture systems, are being rolled out for plant and machinery inspections throughout its entire site.
Transform, which has a sister system, IndEX, used for hazardous area electrical (ATEX 137) inspections, is compatible with many handheld terminals and operating platforms.
Any paper-based form can be replicated electronically within Transform, usually for industrial inspection applications. Asset management information, such as equipment installation date, manufacturer, serial number etc can be built into the system and inspection forms added underneath to automatically update existing information. It also incorporates flexible data analysis and reporting such as missed inspections so managers can be sure that work has been carried out on time.
UPM planning engineer, Mark Bigelow, says: “Previously plant inspections were carried out with pen and paper using check sheets where production operators and engineers would walk round checking plant and machinery, ticking boxes and submitting their reports to a central team.”
“Transform is far more efficient. There is less time spent sifting through material to find the relevant data because it is specially configured to be readily available.
“Inspection data can be quickly downloaded to the PCs, enabling an overview of how the plant is performing to be gained far more quickly. The quality of information gathered through Transform is far superior which improves the judgments which can be made as a result. If there are problems we can nip them in the bud.”
Bigelow adds: “The fact that we are extending our use of Transform is an endorsement in itself. The operators and technicians dealing with it are very happy. It is a very good system and far easier to use than the previous software. We are very pleased with it.”
Terrington managing director, Mark Williams, says: “Transform is faster, more cost effective and far more accurate than paper-based records. The system improves efficiency and reduces costs as well as enabling users to automatically comply with necessary regulations as part of the standard package.
“A growing number of companies are using Transform because, if an incident occurs, they have total confidence in the system to provide instant detailed records of their inspection and prevention measures which could prove crucial in avoiding down time and saving costs in the event of a technical failure.”
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Author
Chris Rowlands
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