Industry with a future:Significant competitive advantages thanks to optical process monitoring

Having to comply with modernisation in the sense of sustainable competitiveness has also been known in the manufacturing industry for quite some time. The goals are clearly formulated: increasing productivity and economic efficiency through holistic process solutions in the areas of production, quality assurance and maintenance of plants and factories. However, the question of how to achieve this and the concern about high investment costs often lead to the clinging to outdated systems.

PIEPER video systems provide the right answer here thanks to optical process monitoring.

But what exactly is behind this term?

Features and advantages of optical process monitoring

In short, it is nothing other than the networking of trades by replacing analogue technologies with IP-based systems that communicate with each other. PIEPER The integration of digital video technology into existing systems increases the degree of automation in the process chain - and thus also significantly increases efficiency for manufacturing companies. Because where the human eye fails, optical process monitoring ensures the highest quality through virtually error-free and safe processes: the complete documentation saves costs, time and resources in an emergency, as possible sources of danger or deviations can be quickly detected and directly eliminated.

In short, it is nothing other than the networking of trades by replacing analogue technologies with IP-based systems that communicate with each other. PIEPER The integration of digital video technology into existing systems increases the degree of automation in the process chain - and thus also significantly increases efficiency for manufacturing companies. Because where the human eye fails, optical process monitoring ensures the highest quality through virtually error-free and safe processes: the complete documentation saves costs, time and resources in an emergency, as possible sources of danger or deviations can be quickly detected and directly eliminated.

If one pursues this idea further, there are additional aspects for process and thus resource optimisation. Here are two concrete examples from the glass and steel industries: in both cases, the support of optical process monitoring leads to the significant avoidance of material and machine errors: in glass production, the automation of the processes or the precise display of glass edges and positions enables the liquid glass to run precisely, which greatly minimises product failures. In steel production, on the other hand, slabs that follow each other too quickly in the walking beam furnace would result in a jam or wedging of the slabs. The result would be an unplanned production standstill, which in turn would cause enormous costs for the company. Detailed analysis and documentation options are another advantage that should not be neglected on the way to a competitive future for the industry.

In addition to increasing productivity, however, it is also about safety - for both man and machine. Through the integration of intelligent PIEPER-video monitoring solutions into the process control systems, the employee no longer needs to be directly on site for certain production steps. This makes sense especially at workplaces with a high risk potential - for example in the steel industry. Here, digital optical process monitoring equipped with the appropriate analysis software allows different production steps to be viewed from a safe distance in the control centre. Another advantage: in addition to the all-round view of the defined production processes, the employee also receives all relevant data and evaluations and can thus control in a targeted manner and protect at an early stage should unexpected irregularities occur. The thrust therefore comes from significant time and cost savings in the work processes.

Last but not least, another important advantage can be summarised under the keyword "predictive maintenance": Through optical process monitoring, maintenance and repair measures on machines can be optimally planned and, as a result, the intervals of planned downtime can be extended. The increase in productivity through the avoidance of unplanned downtime is thus ensured.

PIEPER-Video systems for every challenge

In listing all the talents of optical process monitoring, the most important point is certainly the ability to integrate the PIEPER-solutions into existing process control systems. This means that video-based monitoring is no longer a component detached from the production step, but rather "merges" with the machines and processes in the sense of an increased degree of automation and optimisation.

Let's illustrate this again with the example of a steelworks: with optical process monitoring, the visual integration of measurement data from the process control system takes place at the same time, which enables an automated and very timely check for deviations - for example when checking at hotspots during transport or the storage of flammable raw materials. If a measured value is exceeded and the corresponding alarm is triggered, the operator can immediately see, with visual support, what the problem is in detail. Subsequently, automated measures for remedial action are triggered, for example the driving of extinguishing monitors to the affected location with simultaneous automated emergency call to the plant fire brigade.

The hardware components used vary depending on the industry, environment and individual requirements: high-resolution IP cameras, thermal imaging cameras or special components such as furnace, line scan and high-speed cameras are used for the inspection and safety of all industrial areas - no matter how challenging the environment may be.

Within production, the cameras trigger the automation process by scanning barcodes or recording defined parameters (e.g. batch numbers), for example, so that the machines align themselves with the desired results. At the same time, the camera settings can also be calibrated automatically, so that even difficult lighting conditions can be mastered without any problems and the operator always receives meaningful images. In addition, the software-based video monitoring enables seamless documentation and analysis of running production chains, which has a direct impact on further process optimisation and planning.

PIEPER-Video systems are particularly heat-resistant

Where temperature is of essential importance in optical process monitoring - for example in waste incineration or in blast furnaces - an interaction of thermal image and visual display in real time is optimal, as the specially used thermal cameras allow very precise calibration under extreme conditions.

Here again, an example from steel production, specifically in ladle monitoring for the transport of crude steel. The thermal imaging cameras observe a constant path of a ladle. The temperatures are recorded and stored by the thermal camera in order to detect at an early stage whether a ladle could tend to break, causing the hot, liquid steel to escape. In this case, not only would the production process be interrupted, but there would also be a particular danger for people. In addition, the extension of maintenance intervals and the increase in productivity would also apply here. Because without a thermal check, the operator would have to plan and carry out the next maintenance or replacement of the ladle based on an estimate alone.

Full service: With PIEPER always on the safe side

Even if the advantages of optical process monitoring presented so far read as "simple and logical", there are very complex systems behind them that need to be combined into an intelligent overall solution. In addition, the market shows that every company and every industry has very individual challenges and requirements that must be taken into account in order to find a competitive solution.

It has been a matter of course for PIEPER For 50 years now, it has been a matter of course for us to support our customers not only in the development phase, but also in the planning phase beforehand, as well as in the maintenance and possible expansion of their systems afterwards - in other words, full service. Sound expertise and excellent market knowledge are the basic prerequisites for successfully bridging the gap between "tradition and modernity".

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We would be happy to analyse in a personal meeting which variant of optical process monitoring is the best solution for your company. Contact us now!

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