Solution for cost-effective connection of legacy systems

The collaborative project, which has the umbrella title Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), was demonstrated for the first time at this year's CeBIT in March. The companies are showing how machine uptime and productivity can be increased significantly with easy-to-retrofit hardware components and a business platform with special analysis tools.

This means that even older systems can be connected to IT systems and modernised in line with Industry 4.0, without any major investment. TE's Gateway Spark and the SmartBridge from Pepperl+Fuchs take data recorded by sensors and the machine controller and transmit the totally up-to-date data to the Software AG business platform, thus enabling visualisation and the application of complex analytics.

The interlinked manufacturing process featured at CeBIT and Hanover Fair is based on typical manufacturing processes at TE Connectivity. Plastic parts are injection molded, metal parts are stamped and the different components are then assembled together. The process is controlled in such a way that the individual steps fit together seamlessly to ensure the best possible productivity.

"Short machine downtimes of a few seconds in the manufacturing process are usually rarely perceived or evaluated," says Daniel Walldorf, Manager, Innovation Platforms, TE. "Our approach allows these ‘micro-downtimes’ to be detected and ultimately reduced, due to the automatic recording of just a small number of process parameters. Data is transmitted to the business platform, where it is then consolidated and evaluated. In our factories, we see that productivity can be significantly enhanced even more as a result."

The machine networking solution allows interlinked manufacturing processes to be optimised and permanently reduces the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) at the same time. That's because it allows cost-effective service management via constant monitoring of the machine status, as well as documentation of parameters such as wear and tear or contamination of individual components.

"The data required for this purpose frequently already exists in the factory,” says Walldorf. “Now it can also be transmitted and evaluated. All in all, this solution shows how processes can be implemented efficiently in line with Industry 4.0 using smart connection technology and the know-how of partners from the worlds of automation and IT."