Manufacturing companies need stable software platforms that are flexible, efficient, secure but above all easy to use. Our Manufacturing Operations Management team has more than 20 years of experience in integrating such software platforms across a variety of industries.

Consultancy and advice

The journey to a fully digitised plant requires several phases from concept to phased integration. Contec can guide you as an independent integrator starting from a feasibility study to possible implementation.

Guidance and integration to the digital factory

In times of constant change it remains important to set up a good production base platform (MES-MOM layer) in order to react flexibly to market changes. Contec supervises and integrates all required assets and work processes together with the client. Such a process requires a specific and pragmatic approach. The ultimate objective is to integrate the production floor and (work) processes in such a way that both old and new technologies can be linked easily and correctly. In this way you ensure maximum return and efficiency. We guide the client in their important technological choices and integration in order to make optimal use of their production assets.

Optimisation of production lead times and WIP (Work in Progress)

In particular, the requirements for MES and integration with existing production assets are taken into account. The production device will be enriched with an additional MES-MOM layer, fully conformed to ISA-95, which enables the following functionalities:
- Master data analysis (ERP and MES-MOM)- Planning (APS)- Production efficiency (OEE)- Recipe integration- Production optimisation- Performance optimisation- Quality optimisation (fast-automatic production order release)- Integration with ERP
The ultimate goal is to provide the production floor with a digitised platform where attention is focused on:
- Easy integration of all kinds of systems- A single operator platform on the production floor- Flexibility for customer specific production applications with the necessary quality assurance

Advanced Manufacturing

Integration of the following activities:
- Fast changeovers thanks to advanced recipe modules- Integration optimisation through AGVs, cobots and robots- Integration vision systems- Integration of specific devices via industry protocols

Smart working

In order to guide operators fully digitally in the execution of their daily tasks, we take care of the integration of workflow software concepts. All registrations are stored digitally for later optimisation and possible AI initiatives. Contec has its own framework for digitising such activities.

Sustainable factory

The complete digitisation of production requirements has laid the basis for optimisation and analysis of the required sustainable needs such as:
- Electricity consumption- Steam consumption- Optimisation of planning- Paperless factory- Feasibility studies for new initiatives

Connected factories

Integrating the specific software production layer simplifies the complexity of integration processes at the ERP level. This leads to simplicity, required flexibility and strength on the shop floor.

Digital factory

By optimising and digitising processes, we can use new technologies such as AI and deep learning to optimise energy, quality and production efficiency.

Servitisation

In addition to digitisation, the demand for support and leasing of assets has also become an important part of daily production. Contec assists clients in providing the right data at the right time, with the required security assurance (connectivity).

Case study: standard for a complete packaging line

A customer was facing several challenges on three packaging lines. Changeover time was higher than actual production run time, changeovers required a lot of manual touching and paperwork. As the customer focused on reducing inventory and a more responsive supply chain, the number of changeovers was set to increase, which would be unworkable if they still relied on paperwork and manual processes for quality control, inventory management and performing the changeovers. Moreover, there was no standard packaging solution. Our software teams have ensured that today there is a standard for the entire packaging line and that the work processes are fully digitised. All recipe parameters are configured digitally and information about necessary manual machine settings is sent to tablets. Manual sampling was replaced by logging flow meters, QA checks were performed digitally and reports were generated automatically. Finally, we managed to reduce the changeover time from 25 to only 5 minutes (including product release) by introducing several changeovers. These improvements allowed our customer to triple the number of changeovers and double its productivity.
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