Automation systems integrator Astec Solutions will be returning to Birmingham’s NEC this September to exhibit on stand H84 at PPMA 2017.
For the last three years Astec has been an active member of the Processing & Packaging Machinery Association, and has exhibited at the annual PPMA show. The event attracts manufacturers and packers from all over the world, from sectors ranging from food and beverage to pharmaceutical and personal care.
As specialists in SCADA, Batch Execution, Analytics and Manufacturing Execution Systems, and experts in GE software, Astec will be offering practical guidance on how manufacturers can take their operations to the next level: from automation through to decision support, analytics and even IoT.
In particular, Astec will be seeking to address the void between what is being talked about in the media regarding developments in connected technologies, and what is actually happening in factories across the UK today. According to research firms such as Gartner, we are on the cusp of mass adoption of IoT solutions, but the associated disruption is causing some OEMs to look for less radical options.
The proper utilisation of IoT solutions demands significant business re-modelling, so to satisfy customer needs for an interim solution, Astec will be recommending the latest versions of proven software products that have been designed with industrial internet compatibility and support in mind.
Astec MD Andy Tripp comments,
“We are able to provide manufacturers with a clear strategy so they can progress and take the next steps of their digital journey. Highly regulated industries such as Food & Beverage and Pharmaceutical have so much to gain from the industrial internet – better stock traceability, safety, reduced wastage, improved quality control and reduced downtime to name but a few areas which can benefit.
SCADA is a great place to start as it already has connectivity to real-time intelligent analytics. GE’s iFIX 5.9 for example, enables web HMI. This OT/IT convergence with Predix and the industrial internet is driving improvements to user interfaces. Better visualisation, predictive early warning systems and even augmented reality SOPs [standard operating procedures] will empower the workforce to work effectively, instead of constant fire-fighting.”
About Astec
Astec Solutions has been delivering automation and production management software solutions into the Manufacturing, Utilities and Broadcast sectors for over 17 years. As well as solving the immediate operational challenges which often drive project engagement, Astec strives to ensure installed solutions turn the data within clients’ systems into insight, allowing them to achieve real improvements in the effectiveness and profitability of their business. As a GE Digital Alliance Partner, Astec leverages tools and technologies from GE to deliver real-time data solutions.