Services and Solutions
Advances in digital modeling and simulation of complex systems have made it possible for designers and operators of manufacturing and industrial installations to develop detailed models of their processes and infrastructure. Until recently, smaller industrial facilities have been unable to justify the initial cost outlays needed to establish these systems. However, as access to design tools and analysis software becomes more affordable, Incióna can offer an accessible route to deploying sophisticated data collection and modeling systems. We do this by combining a suite of comprehensive engineering services in a single ‘Analytics-As-A-Service’ package. This includes operating status, trends, maintenance predictions and reports along with advisories for improving current process manufacturing operations.
Many traditional materials processing systems have limited or no ability to monitor real-time performance. Their ability to maximize throughput and efficiency is lost. So are improved margins and profitability. Plastics extrusion production systems are good examples of this challenge. Many extrusion lines have no data acquisition system (DAS) to monitor performance. For those that are DAS-equipped, the systems often have serious limitations, including slow data collection rates, inaccurate or unreliable telemetry, poor usability, and high cost of operation. Additionally, the feedback provided to the operators and engineers is often too late, unclear or unusable, which limits the scope for optimizing performance, reducing wastage, and improving manufacturing margins. All these challenges undermine the return on investment and profitability for the company.
Recent advances in digital modeling and simulation of complex systems enable our experts to deploy analytical models and simulations for small manufacturing and industrial installations. We design the specialized data collection sensors and specify the telemetry systems that enable our sophisticated analysis tools to provide a comprehensive picture of the plant’s efficiency and performance. The results are provided in a straightforward and clear graphical format for use by plant operators and supervisors. Incióna offers a suite of comprehensive end-to-end engineering services as a single Analytics-As-A-Service (A3S) package.
Incióna’s Expert Advisor collects data from sensors monitoring critical operational parameters of an instrumented extrusion machine. The sensor data is continuously streamed to our cloud-based Incióna Service Center. Here we process, analyze, evaluate and interpret the data. The Expert Advisor transmits our findings back to the plant and displays them in real-time on the dedicated Incióna Display Screen located at the extrusion line.
Access to the Expert Advisor output is available to operations management, and can be password protected for use by others. Most displays are hierarchical, meaning that more granular information can be accessed with the “More Information” button for additional technical or management level data such as run time, throughput, down time, material being run, machine efficiency rating, plant-wide extrusion efficiency, etc.
The process modeling approach focuses on achieving an optimum cost/benefit to the user by combining what computers do best with what human operators do best. In general, 80 percent of the benefits of full extrusion line automation can be achieved through significant production augmentation by optimizing five key operational parameters. The typical cost is around 20% of that for a fully automated system.
Melt Pressure
Melt Temperature
Extruder Energy Input
Screw Speed
Puller speed