is your quality control system ready for the …...current qcs technology, especially advanced...
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IS YOUR QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM READY FOR THE FUTURE?
Sheet manufacturers cannot afford off-spec losses, production line under-utilization, or outages that disrupt order fulfillment and raise operating costs. Outdated QCS computers and software increase these risks and may be vulnerable to growing cyber-threats. An advanced machine quality control system (QCS) enables high-quality production, reduces raw materials and energy use, lowers total cost of ownership (TCO), and optimizes productivity—despite the rapid loss of skilled resources.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT?
— Maintain the highest product quality and reduce off-spec production
— Minimize lifecycle costs, downtime and production interruptions
— Compensate for loss of operational expertise
— Develop and enable inexperienced workers
— Extend the life and squeeze more value from manufacturing assets
Sheet manufacturing facilities continuously strive to improve return on investment (ROI). To achieve enhanced fixed asset performance and efficiency, they need advanced controls and optimization. Resources are stretched thin—more than 70% of the experienced workforce will retire in the next 15 years. In sheet manufacturing, the skills gap is growing even faster. Inexperienced operators may not know how to make challenging grades/recipes, which are often the most profitable.
TODAY’S INDUSTRYDEMANDS.
To meet customer commitments, sheet manufacturers require continuous production with minimal outages or deviations from quality specifications. Many producers struggle to improve production and have low visibility to key performance indicators (KPI) across assets. Widely varying performance between operator shifts, production lines, and sites may go unnoticed, especially with rapidly declining employee skills and outdated systems.
CRITICAL OPERATINGCONCERNS.
WHAT IS NEEDED?
— Visibility into process operations and KPIs, anywhere, anytime
— High control utilization
— Cyber-hardened, secure, fully-supported platform
— Robust and highly reliable systems and software
Meeting production and financial performance demands means running near or even above the machine design capacity. Current QCS technology, especially advanced multivariable cross-direction (CD) and machine-direction (MD) controls, enable continuous high yield, even with less-skilled operators. However, many QCS applications and platforms are severely outdated and at risk from obsolete computer failures and non-supported operating systems.
QCS LIFECYCLE CHALLENGES.
WHAT DO YOU FACE?
— High risk of system failure with minimal recovery options
— Increasing cyber threats due to operating system vulnerabilities
— End of software support from commercial hardware, software and antivirus vendors
— Limited and expensive resolution paths, with days of possible downtime
— Highly-specialized legacy/obsolete system skills
— Inability to leverage state-of-the art control software and strategies
— No support for advanced sensors and measurements that drive higher sheet quality while reducing TCO
NEED FOR A MODERN SOLUTION.
Mill and plant managers can’t afford operational upsets and outages. Obsolete QCS platforms threaten production—Microsoft will no longer support the obsolete operating systems, and compatible computer hardware is unavailable. A QCS computer failure can cause days of lost production and an emergency effort to recover. Dated QCS versions also lack advanced control capabilities and many improved features.
WHAT IS AT STAKE?
— Sustained production to meet customer commitments
— Cybersecurity and protection against increasing threats
— Deployment of the essential OS, antivirus, and functional software patches and updates to ensure system security and reliability
— Increased risk of sub-optimum production, lower yield, higher material, and energy costs, increased waste/rejects, and diminished customer satisfaction
Honeywell offers an affordable and fast QCS platform migration strategy for all Honeywell DaVinci, MXProLine™ and older Experion® MX releases. The process leverages a centralized, Center of Excellence-guided team and Virtual Engineering Platform (VEP) to speed and standardize QCS software migration. The new system is delivered and hosted on a virtual platform, eliminating future obsolescence and support issues. Most migrations can be completed over two weeks period, providing flexibility for cutover during the next maintenance shutdown.
HOW HONEYWELL CAN HELP.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
— Secure, robust, and current platform with the latest Honeywell QCS applications, incorporating many customer-driven enhancements
— Advanced MD and CD multivariable control packages for high machine performance and reduced grade/recipe transition time and losses
— Support for the latest measurement and actuator solutions
— Improved QCS-DCS integration value and flexibility
— Virtual approach ideally suited for new QCS Lifecycle Care Services that:
– Keep the system current
– Enable and leverage remote support to speed assistance
– Full integration and benefits of our QCS 4.0 cloud-based solution
Honeywell provides a proven QCS platform migration process that’s been “tested by fire” in emergency migrations for customers that experienced unrecoverable QCS system failures. Employing the secure Honeywell VEP infrastructure, a dedicated team uses your current system’s backup to migrate the QCS to our current, powerful release on a virtual platform.
PROVEN MIGRATION APPROACH.
WHAT WE DO?
— Start with a backup of your current system
— Migrate to the latest QCS release
— Migrate older MD/CD controls to our latest MD/CD software
— Preview the system with you in the VEP virtual environment
— Deliver the migrated system on a new virtual machine computing platform
— Cutover the QCS at your next maintenance down
— Deliver an Automation Plan roadmap for all remaining outdated components
— Enable a “QCS 4.0-ready” system
Sheet manufacturers can realize significant operational and business performance gains from migrating to the advanced, virtualized Experion MX or MXProLine QCS. Current QCS functionality incorporates years of customer-driven enhancements and ensures a highly reliable, cyber-secure, fully supported platform that is sustainable for many years to come.Leverage the major benefits of Honeywell’s QCS platform migration strategy.
BENEFITS TO SHEET MANUFACTURERS.
IMPROVED QUALITY Honeywell’s latest QCS software solution provides operating personnel with enhanced product/process quality, visibility and control capabilities, and real-time insights to ensure the utmost product quality.
– New QCS software improves control performance
– Superior multivariable MD and CD control packages optimize processes
– Seamless QCS-DCS operation enhances MD control
GREATER USABILITY The latest QCS software is easier to operate, support and maintain, and is suited to a new generation of less-experienced workers, allowing mills to drive higher machine performance with fewer skilled resources.
– Advanced controls anticipate declining operational skills
– Control with higher levels of automation and optimization
– Common operator interface across machines and sites simplifies training
– Enhanced HMI, alarming and diagnostics increase operator effectiveness
– Enhanced historian provides two years of production visibility
– Browser-based displays, including the advanced color map, simplify the quality analysis, provide better access and reduce computer infrastructure
ENHANCED SUPPORT After migrating their legacy QCS software, Honeywell customers qualify for new, affordable service and support programs. The QCS software is transformed from a customized, outdated, at-risk system to current, fully supported software on a robust and cyber-secure virtual platform. The primary support model transforms from on-site-centric to remote-enabled.
– QCS Lifecycle Care provides “one-click keep current” service and perpetual software updates
– QCS 4.0 delivers real-time reliability and performance insights anytime, anywhere, via 24x7 automated cloud analytics and fault detection logic
– Robust, remote-enabled system diagnostics and support services
– Remote, expert-guided tuning and optimization
– Full support for all the latest scanners, sensors, and actuators
LOWER COSTS By leveraging a common, Center of Excellence-guided, centralized migration process, the delivered virtual system eliminates system-to-system build variation and unnecessary customization. Outdated QCS software is replaced with our feature-rich, enhanced solution—resulting in a lower TCO. The new QCS platform employs state-of-the-art technologies that are easy to connect, deliver and extend over the asset lifecycle.
– A value-centric approach based on continuous technology evolution
– Shared control platform and applications
– Significant price reduction for QCS software and virtualization licenses
– Efficient to maintain, upgrade and migrate
– Patching, updates and upgrades delivered remotely
WHY CHOOSE HONEYWELL?
– Proven QCS migration solutions
– A stepwise path to get and keep current without the cost and disruption of entire system replacement
– The QCS Automation Plan provides a roadmap identifying further obsolescence vulnerabilities, facilitating multi-year CAPEX and OPEX planning to maximize and sustain the production capabilities of critical machine assets
Modernizing your Honeywell QCS platform and applications reduces risk, drives higher production yield and economic results, and protects your operation from unplanned outages. This method provides a quick, affordable, stepwise migration to update your production capabilities, helping to bridge the increasing skills and knowledge gap in your rapidly changing workforce.
CONCLUSION
THE FUTURE IS WHAT WE MAKE IT.
Copyright © 2020 Honeywell International Inc.
To learn more about QCS Platform Migration Solutions, click here or contact [email protected]
As a global automation leader, Honeywell can help you plan your technology roadmap and stay current with the latest solutions. Furthermore, our turnkey capabilities deliver the successful outcomes you need.