Grain critical visibility at multiple levels of operation utilizing a wide range of sensory inputs.
By connecting SAM to the PLC, Sam will actively monitor your equipment with feedback from a variety of sensors to give real-time data with situational awareness. SAM will give you up to date information on asset monitoring, predictive maintenance, equipment optimization, possible health and safety breaches, energy management, as well as customized preset trigger events specific to your industry.
By selecting the problems, you want to solve, SAM can track and report the data you need the most when you need it most. Immediate action can be taken with SAM reports being sent to a dashboard which can be accessed on your PC or laptop, mobile devices and tablets, and even wearable smart devices such as watches. Often in manufacturing, if action is not taken at the right time it can result in a loss of profits.
- Gain critical visibility at multiple levels of the operation utilizing a wide range of sensory inputs
- With increasing the number of sensors on a system allows the customer to modularize their process and pinpoint bottlenecks
- This allows them to streamline their process and increase throughput
- With a customer having more sensors it allows them to have greater detail allowing them to diagnose an issue quicker and more accurately
SAM connects equipment and sensors to the cloud which allows for the data to be aggregated and reported back in easy to understand formats that are tailored to each individual process. SAM’s primary function is to help bring a focus to the data rather than collecting a bulk of random information which could overload the operators and plant managers. Key members of the team will have access to information such as equipment performance or predictive maintenance and allow them to make better, more informed decisions.
Get In Touch
For more information about SAM and how you can get better visibility in your process contact our experts here or for more information read our blogs on safety, awareness, and efficiency.
Be alerted to potential safety hazards before they arise. Receive critical information to enhance reporting on safety.
Workplace safety is essential to achieving optimal operation, avoiding substantial production interruptions and most importantly, protecting employees. With SAM, sensors can connect you to the data the machine is producing and help you to be proactive about the potential problems in your system. SAM will provide a real-time understanding of machinery compliance, anomalies in safety, causes of production shutdowns through the trends in the data collected.
Many processes rely on outdated methods of data collection where it is not connected to the plant floor systems or reported to the correct members of staff at the right time. SAM offers real-time safety data in an easily accessible format to better inform decision making. In relation to safety, operators can work towards a better understanding of system misuse, highlighting breached in your safety procedures and overall working toward zero safety related downtime. By having easily accessible safety data, SAM has the power to transform how safety is monitored. For example, how are day-to-day operations handling the maintenance and operation procedures? Inappropriate machine operation can dramatically reduce the lifespan of machinery and therefore productivity, not to mention violations of safety procedures. With the data from SAM, production managers can investigate the source of the misuse which could indicate the need for further training for the machine operators and adhering to your safety procedures.
Furthermore, improved diagnostics in the safety system can alert employees to any safety-related issues as they occur which could lead to faster resolutions in downtime and simplify the troubleshooting process. The analytics provided by SAM can be sent to anyone, at any time on a laptop, smartphone, tablet or even a smartwatch allowing for instant access to the data. This will allow key individuals to make instant decisions when a potential issue arises. With the data in a simple display format, the reports could be included in production meetings to distribute the information to all operators and enhance your safety risk assessments. Using the data from SAM, new standard procedures can be developed and current ones are redefined as part of a continuous improvement plan.
SAM gives instant access to the facts and allows the key individuals to analyse and then react to the results. By better understanding, safety and risks surrounding the process, the data can improve safety in the workplace and ultimately reduce safety-related downtime.
Safety Example:
Improving safety standards and training across the factory floor with data from SAM.
Magnetic safety switches on the quick release flanges of an FSC automatically stop report back to SAM any time the equipment is stopped because these have been opened.
For example – SAM sends a notification to the factory manager that on the same night shift the process is stopped because these level switches have been activated.
After investigating the factory manager learns that the same operator is misusing the equipment to clean out the FSC which is causing the whole production to stop and is a safety risk as outlined in your risk assessment.
Further training is offered to the team to avoid the same event happening in the future and bring the training in line with your safety operational procedures.
A pressure sensor is attached to the neck seal of a bulk bag filler (1)
SAM will send a notification to the manager that the filler has been shut down because the neck seal is either over inflated or under inflated
If the neck seal is under-inflated dust could escape from the bag causing a possible ATEX risk
If the neck seal is overinflated this could rip the bag and cause further possible ATEX risks as well as a cost to replace the bag.
The filler will automatically stop when a safety breach occurs with or without the SAM feature. SAM reports on when these safety breaches occur so continual safety improvements can be made in line with your facilities risk assessments.
Get In Touch
For more information about SAM and how you can get better visibility in your process contact our experts here or for more information read our blogs on awareness, visibility, and efficiency.
Spiroflow Introduces SAM
Bulk materials handling specialist, Spiroflow, has launched an innovative monitoring system that remotely provides real time information on the performance of their complete machinery range, from flexible screw conveyors to tubular drag and aeromechanical conveyors. The system, known as SAM – Spiroflow Active Monitoring, is an industry first.
The aim of the initiative is to automatically monitor customers’ equipment through sensor-based technology, thereby providing key performance related and operational benefits.
With IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) becoming increasingly established, the use of sensors, small computers and wireless networks to collect and analyse data across entire facilities, is enabling connected businesses to improve their overall effectiveness and reduce downtime. Relevant data could include the hours that a machine is running, motors operating at higher amps, unusual spikes, issues on site that may cause failure or under-performing parts.
As an ‘upgrade’, SAM is connected remotely via 4G/5G or Wi-fi and built into the standard electrical panel on Spiroflow’s machinery. By monitoring equipment performance, SAM can provide the customer with a custom set of graphs showing amalgamated data from all available sensors. And depending on a customer’s specifications, the data will show live trends based on pre-set variables. All data collected will be stored online and will be subject to high levels of security.
Spiroflow has incorporated the benefits of their active monitoring initiative into a ‘SAVE with SAM’ marketing campaign featuring a robotic character. The campaign highlights the unique selling points of the solution, these being: Safety – the ability to be alerted of potential safety hazards before they arise; Awareness – SAM can eliminate costly and unnecessary downtime by moving to a just-in-time maintenance schedule; Visibility – gain critical insight into equipment performance via a multiple sensor reporting and Efficiency – reducing disruption to the operation, avoiding downtime and in turn resulting in a cost saving.
Commenting on the new system, Spiroflow’s James Podevyn, said: “As an industry leader, it is important for us to embrace not only IIoT in all that we do, but also to support the private sector’s move towards industry 4.0. As an industry first, SAM will allow our customers to have unbiased facts at their fingertips allowing for an enhanced overview of equipment performance, together with the ability to quickly identify issues and rectify them. Clearly by having the means to implement precise measures, a catastrophic equipment failure and resulting downtime can be avoided.”
Spiroflow has been a Global leader in the field of powder handling and dry bulk solids processing for more than 45 years. To learn more visit spiroflow.com, email sales@spiroflow.com or call +44 (0) 1200 422525 in the UK or (1) 704 246 0900 in the US.