The unsung heroes of productivity, efficiency and safety
Author : Cliff Ortmeyer, Farnell
10 January 2023
Factories of the future are often closely linked with buzzwords including the Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 and other high-tech movements. However, as Farnell’s Global Head of Technical Marketing, Cliff Ortmeyer, explains, it is often the simple, low-key products and components that can be just as important for achieving productivity, efficiency, and safety in a modern plant.
When people envisage the factory of the future, they often think of autonomous transport vehicles and other robotic machines efficiently performing tasks around the clock, with no interruption or limited need for downtime. It is true that new technology innovations are being increasingly adopted in factories and bring with them unprecedented productivity and efficiency improvements. Yet, a production line is only as strong as its weakest link. In a typical plant, there are countless components that operate ‘under the radar’, but nevertheless carry out critical functions, particularly when it comes to safety.
If a switch, button, dial or light fails to operate properly, this can put the resilience of a production line in jeopardy and potentially put lives at risk. The safety of personnel working in proximity to heavy machinery is paramount and cannot be compromised. Even the smallest components must be dependable and continue to work flawlessly.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up a significant proportion of the total number of businesses around the globe and are considered to be the backbone of a healthy economy. A dynamic SME sector provides employment and generates growth locally and for the wider economy. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), SMEs account for around 70 per cent of jobs and generate between 50 – 60 per cent of value- added, on average. In emerging economies, SMEs contribute up to 45 per cent of total employment, and 33 per cent of GDP. Their collective contribution to regional and global economies highlights the critical need to keep these businesses operating as efficiently, safely and productively as possible.
Riding the post-pandemic wave
Currently, the post-pandemic resurgence for SMEs is translating to more robust order books and accelerated expansion for SMEs. Consequently, investment in automation, digitalisation and other innovative technologies continues to grow. Rather than competing with large companies which can leverage greater economies of scale, many SMEs create their value by dealing in specialist or niche markets. As such, their production lines are often highly specialised and bespoke. Moreover, they often can’t afford significant capital investment to automate an entire production line or overhaul production processes with robotics. Generally, the move to adopt digitisation occurs at a slower rate and includes disparate systems and parts from multiple manufacturers to create a seamless whole.
Whilst innovative new production methods can unleash new levels of productivity, it is critical for business operators to get the basics right. In this instance, the ‘basics’ refer to the less fashionable elements of the modern production line which carry out mission-critical tasks. These components include safety buttons, stack and indicator lights and alarm systems that never grab headlines – unless they go wrong.
Critical safety functions
The emergency stop button is one of the most basic components used within a plant, but it is also one of the most important. This critical component can prevent damage to equipment, injury to personnel, and in extreme cases, can mean the difference between life and death. This single piece of equipment must be 100 per cent reliable. Global electronic component distributors, such as Farnell, offer a range of stop buttons from reputable manufacturers in a variety of designs and configurations to suit a plant or workforce’s particular needs. Emergency stop buttons can feature key or non-key activation, pull-release or turn-to-release functions as well as devices with illuminated buttons for added visibility.
Eaton has a comprehensive range of safe shutdown and emergency power-off buttons which can be mounted on the front of equipment or directly on the factory floor. The self-monitoring contact elements ensure operational safety, even in the event of faulty installation or operation with excessive force. Eaton’s emergency-stop buttons are ideally suited for use in harsh environments due to the robust design offering a high degree of protection (IP67, IP69K) and wide ambient temperature range. Ultimately, the emergency stop button is a critical component to ensure people, machines and systems are thoroughly protected.
Stack lights are another example of equipment that rarely grabs attention yet performs a vital function by enabling the possibility of the visual factory. The intelligent use of lighting, combined with good automation system design, allows human machine interfaces (HMIs) to provide a more visual approach to troubleshooting. Stack lights often use signal lights to display exactly where a problem has occurred. Traffic light systems or indicator lights can also be used to provide easy-to-understand and intuitive visual cues for factory workers to communicate the state of production and any potential risks present, particularly in noisy environments.
Examples include the SL7-100-L-RG-24LED Signal Indicator Tower from Eaton and the JT028-RYGBC-CD Stack Light from Mallory. When it comes to fault finding, stack lights can save valuable time in identifying and isolating a potential problem, improving plant safety and efficiency of maintenance work to be carried out.
Stack lights coupled with an audible alarm system can further improve safety. Again, these devices are not generally associated with futuristic production lines, but nonetheless perform a vital function. Distributors carry a considerable range of options to help improve the safety of heavy machinery and ensure that assistance can be quickly directed where needed in the event of an emergency. Market-leading solutions for indoor and outdoor use include the 57005268 Wall-mounted Horn from Werma Signaltechnik GmBH.
As plant design becomes more sophisticated, new technological solutions for safety that complement tried and tested components such as alarms and buttons are entering the market. For example, safety light curtains, which create a virtual barrier around a hazard, essentially function as proximity sensors and can be used as an alternative to mechanical barriers. They use light to create a virtual barrier around an object or area. When triggered, they can instantly and automatically activate safety functions such as alarms or power down equipment to reduce the risk to personnel completing maintenance on moving machinery.
Unsung heroes of the modern factory
Like the canary in the gold mine, many safety components in the modern plant will ideally never need to be called into action. However, when they must work when required. It’s critical for factory owners to be certain that all equipment is certified, tested and up to date. Humans and machines working side-by-side carries inherent risks and requires the use of devices that can protect workers from unsafe practices, expedite fault finding and ensure quick and effective shutdown in the event of an emergency.
It’s proven that increased industrial automation drives increased productivity, although it can also bring increased risk. Technology has helped the modern factory to become more connected, and therefore achieve improvements in speed and throughput. However, when considering the factory of the future, do not overlook some of the unsung heroes that are required to build a production line and ensure a productive and safe working environment.
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