Industry 4.0 for the plastics sector

MES SYSTEM FOR THE PLASTICS SECTOR

In the plastics processing sector we find very particular characteristics that condition the management operation. The control of the set-up of the machines affects very much the result of the final parts, having also to control very precisely the efficiency since the unit contribution margin is usually very low.

In this scenario, where high turnover is a maxim and where the raw material cost content in relation to the final cost has less influence than the cost of the added value, it is essential to focus on the process.

Processes such as plastic injection molding, material extrusion, blow molding, rotomolding, thermoforming or combinations of these, for example, require control over critical process variables and high quality in the tools and molds used.

Challenges in the plastics industry

Maximizing production capacity in these processes is essential to avoid investments in new machines when we have installed machines that we do not exploit to their full potential.
Machine configuration recipe traceability is critical for production knowledge management.
Critical process variables such as temperatures, pressures, times, are essential to achieve the required quality in each part, so their control in real time is fundamental.
Ensure that energy consumption is controlled for each part manufactured.

To control the quality of production to avoid rejection costs and to ensure quality standards for plastic parts, especially for highly demanding sectors.
To be able to manage the sequencing and planning of machine loading for better machine utilization, taking into account resource constraints.
Manage the production evidences required to be in compliance with certifications such as IATF - 16.949, ISO 9001, IFS, among others.
Improve product changeover processes linked to mold changes, press changeovers, etc.

Solutions with MESbook

Agile visualization of production progress.
100% support for certification audits like IATF 16.949, ISO 9010, IFS, etc.
Control without human intervention of machine performance losses related to lost OEE.
Continuous monitoring of critical process variables such as pressure, gas consumption, speed, temperature...
Elimination of human error in record keeping through hyper-connectivity of peripheral devices to avoid human intervention: vision, weighing, measuring and quality systems in real time.
Detection and alerts of deviations in manufacturing cycle times.
Automatic and intelligent processing of all production metrics and indicators to anticipate problems.
Facilitates decision making in the face of production problems by identifying their root cause.

Matrix of productivities in long lines where we have different cells or machines connected to understand who originates the highest inefficiencies in the overall line.
Identifies shrinkage and labor cost holes in real time, highlighting those that have the greatest impact on the bottom line.
Thorough and continuous control of the phases of the product change processes to manage SMED improvement projects.
Industrial life cycle control from pre-transactional to post-transactional.
AQPQ digital especially for automotive parts.
Customizable dashboards that can be adapted to the needs of each company and each sector.
Digitization of the fundamental tools of the LEAN methodological framework (LEAN Manufacturing, LEAN Design, LEAN Management and LEAN logistics).

Benefits of implementing MESbook in your plant

REAL-TIME CONTROL

Low-cost data capture, with high reliability and immediacy, which, processed with digital intelligence, allows the elaboration of patterns.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT

It allows the design of control plans to adjust quality costs and reduce non-quality costs without losing the reliability required by both internal and external customers.

RESULTS CONTROL

The processing of large amounts of data following an algorithm adapted to the sector allows us to establish significant patterns to facilitate rapid decision making.

CONTROL OF PRODUCT CHANGES

In order to reduce changeover times, it is essential to know the reality of the time spent in each of the phases and operations of each changeover.

SHRINKAGE CONTROL

Having immediate knowledge of overconsumption, scrap, defective parts, etc., allows establishing improvement action plans on those machines, materials and manufacturing orders where the greatest losses are concentrated.

MOD COST CONTROL

Reaching the real knowledge of the cost of the labor involved in each manufacturing process with respect to the theoretical cost, allows us to identify errors in the definition of standards, as well as to correct bad practices or decisions in daily operations.

PRODUCTION CONTROL

Conveying the right and necessary information and ensuring that it is the latest validated information is a critical requirement in manufacturing processes.

DATA HISTORY

Being able to access not only the information in real time, but also the entire history of the last few years, allows us to know very precisely the structural situation of the performance of machines, people and processes.

OEE CONTROL

Control machine performance losses by knowing the taxonomy of each of the reasons and their impact.

TRACEABILITY CONTROL

It allows to find at the click of a button all the history of auto-controls, manufacturing batches, people involved in the process, quality and non-quality results, times, etc., so that we have instant access to all the "medical" history of a manufacturing order.