Machine Builder (OEM) Solutions
What Matters
Relationships Matter
A Tale of Two Christmases
In an era of never-ending cost pressures, it can be easy to discount the importance of strong relationships between machinery manufacturers, control system suppliers and machine end users. Focusing purely on up-front machine costs without recognizing the value of industry and application expertise can result in missed opportunities… or worse.
The following two stories involve fictional companies in all-too-real scenarios. Which company's treats will make it home for the holidays? You decide.
Scenario One: Lonely on Christmas Day
Twelve weeks before Christmas, confectionary foods company SnaFoods, contacted machine builder CrunchTime Systems to purchase a standard low-cost pick-and-place machine that would package its chocolate candies in festive holiday boxes. SnaFoods made the assumption that CrunchTime had a very basic, standard machine, and that customization would increase engineering time and delivery costs. Since SnaFoods wanted to keep costs down and needed to get the new machinery installed on the plant floor within four weeks to meet retailer deadlines, it purchased an off-the-shelf machine. In addition, they dictated that CrunchTime use the cheapest possible control system – figuring that the short life cycle of the machine wouldn't warrant the cost of higher-functionality controls.
Four weeks later, CrunchTime engineers arrived at the SnaFoods facility to install the new system. However, the pick-and-place machine ran at a rate that was too fast for the throughput of the upstream infeed machinery and, therefore, could not operate at full capacity. Also, the infeed machinery sent two pieces of chocolate candy at a time down the conveyor leading to the picking location, but the end effector on the picker only had one suction cup and could only pick one piece of candy at a time. To make matters worse, SnaFoods realized that the control system on the new pick-and-place needed to integrate with the existing one on the infeed. Because the two systems weren't compatible, SnaFoods needed to bring in a specialty integrator to write custom interfaces between them.
The re-engineering of the end effector and the development of custom interfaces delayed the process by four weeks and increased the total cost by 25 percent. Worse yet, SnaFoods missed major customer deadlines and was left with excess inventory that it had to sell at a discount.
Scenario Two: A Happy Holiday for Three Wise Companies
At the same time, a competitor across town, Fast Foods Inc., contacted machine builder Uptime Equipment Corp. to collaborate on a similar system. Immediately Uptime contacted automation supplier Rockwell Automation, with whom the OEM had a long-standing relationship. Rockwell Automation requested a joint meeting with Uptime and Fast Foods to complete a product initiation document (PID) that mapped out functional specifications of the machinery, resources, timelines, budgets, and the roles and responsibilities for each of the three companies.
Because Fast Foods' upstream equipment was running at 200 parts per minute, Rockwell Automation recommended replacing the drives and motors on Uptime's standard pick-and-place model with lower power solutions. Uptime also recognized that its standard end effecter would need to be customized to grab two pieces of candy at once, since upstream equipment fed the candies in pairs.
Because machine cost was a concern for the small food manufacturer, Uptime used the throughput information from the PID to determine that lower-powered and lower-cost motors and drives could be used, saving Fast Foods 10 percent on total machine cost.
Uptime Equipment and Rockwell Automation also wanted to ensure that the new system would pay further dividends down the road. They aligned the design of the machine with the ISA S88 manufacturing standard to save valuable design, implementation and maintenance time, and also ensure consistency and increase machine efficiency.
Four weeks later, engineers from Rockwell Automation and Uptime Equipment worked with machine operators at Fast Foods to install the machinery. The entire line was up and running in sync within one day at 95 percent efficiency, in time to meet production goals by shipment deadlines.
When it comes to the relationship triangle between OEMs, end users and automation suppliers, it's important to separate the myth from the facts.
- Myth: End users can save money if they purchase off the shelf equipment with low cost controls.
Fact: The purchase price is a small piece of the cost puzzle. Re-engineering a standard machine so that it integrates with existing plant floor equipment can cost end users significant time and money. The end user that has clear machine control specifications will save money by getting a solution that fits the first time. - Myth: The end user can assume sole responsibility for machine and line design.
Fact: Not fully engaging all three parties can be detrimental to the end users manufacturing success. Bringing in an OEM and control systems vendor from the beginning to end of a project helps end users obtain higher cost efficiencies, faster time to market, regulatory compliance and streamlined integration. - Myth: Long-standing relationships with leading automation suppliers will limit an OEM or end user's ability to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Fact: When a manufacturer breaks away from automation solutions that are established industry standards, and turns to proprietary solutions, they make it inherently difficult to execute and maintain their own machinery.
"Companies differentiate themselves when they can offer customers something they cannot get anywhere else," said Mike Wagner, business development manager, Rockwell Automation. "Complete integration is something that only a complete automation supplier can provide."
- Myth: Seeking low cost solutions is a better strategy for end users than standards-based solutions.
Fact: When writing a book, the author controls the content, but still works according to pre-existing standards for publishing, including adding a title, table of contents, pagination and chapter headings. Similar format rules apply to manufacturing suppliers, OEMs and end users.
For example, the ISA S88 standard follows the State Model, a manufacturing standard that uses a defined set of terms and definitions to describe the process being controlled. OEMs are not told what words to choose, but the State Model defines the vocabulary so OEMs are speaking the same language and using the terms appropriately. This creates a predictable, reusable model that helps ensure consistency. For end users, standards greatly increase machine efficiency and interoperability while helping end users achieve maximum operational excellence.
As businesses strive for greater efficiency, consistency and interoperability, OEMs, suppliers and end users alike look to standards to help them reduce costs, boost productivity and accomplish their goals.