Operate production plants more effectively and efficiently
In order to continue raising productivity and lowering maintenance costs, machinery and production plants must be connected in increasingly dense networks.

The challenge of big data
Automation technology must address the issue of rapidly growing volumes of data if it hopes to keep pace with the demands of modern production.
 

Online monitoring of production parameters
Sustained improvements in product quality can only be ensured through online monitoring and statistical analysis. What's needed is full transparency of cause and effect.
 

Simple real-time data acquisition guaranteed
APROL supports acquisition of raw data directly from the production level in real time. Integrated PDA features make it easy to manage operational and production data for machinery and plants seamlessly in a central location. The solution's scalability makes it possible to implement applications of almost any size with one and the same software – from a small project collecting data from 50 data points to a large-scale PDA implementation with several hundred thousand data points.
 

BI Suite – a powerful reporting platform
One of the most important components of the BI Suite is the reporting system. A user-friendly report design tool makes it easy to create reports with support for all types of data sources, including MySQL, JDBC, XML and CSV. The APROL SQL server and the optional MySQL database contain all the historic data.
 

Factory automation made easy
APROL PDA has a number of core components that provide an ideal foundation for factory automation. It can also be expanded flexibly to incorporate additional components.
 

Line monitoring boosts output
To achieve a competitive level of production efficiency, you need to monitor performance at the production level. Maximum transparency ensures that sources of inefficiency can be pinpointed and eliminated. The increased efficiency in turn boosts production output.
 

Make well-founded decisions in real time
To navigate the dynamics of hotly contested global markets and respond flexibly to economic forces, companies are in constant pursuit of savings at every stage of the supply chain. APROL's Business Intelligence Suite provides the framework for a manufacturing information system and offers key performance data to help identify potential for optimization.
 

To achieve a competitive level of production efficiency, you need to monitor performance at the production level. Maximum transparency ensures that sources of inefficiency can be pinpointed and eliminated. The increased efficiency in turn boosts production output.

APROL PDA structures machines, lines and plants according to the PackML state model derived from the S88 state model.

Plant level
APROL PDA can be used to monitor one or more lines of integrated machines. A clear overview of the entire plant, including aggregated status signals, makes it possible to assess the state of individual production lines or an entire plant at a glance. By optionally displaying the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), operators can easily identify deviations and call up detailed information at the click of a mouse.

Line level
The individual lines are shown in line control modules. The OEE, total production output and total scrap are shown for each line.

Machine level
Each machine has its own faceplate that displays the following data:

• Energy consumption
• Most recent error
• Quantity counters (total and scrap)
• Uptime

The machine's speed is shown both numerically and graphically. If the permitted range is violated, the color of the graphic changes.

Detailed information
Any relevant details can also be displayed, including energy consumption, OEE, machine mode/status, product names, parameters, etc. over time. In addition to absolute and relative values, it is also possible to display various illustrations, such as a Gantt chart.

Modern manufacturing processes demand extremely high levels of precision. Consistent monitoring and statistical analysis are the only way to ensure maximum product quality.

APROL PDA supports acquisition of raw data directly from the production level in real time. Centralized, seamless acquisition of operating and process data from machines and equipment is now much easier. APROL PDA has a PDA browser, PDA function blocks and a PDA visualization element.

Scalable, flexible, redundant
APROL PDA is easy to configure, fully scalable and perfectly suited for implementation by OEMs. For solutions demanding higher levels of availability, APROL PDA also supports redundancy. APROL PDA can be implemented centrally for multiple production lines, or as a distributed solution with an autonomous APROL PDA system for each line. APROL PDA can be used on its own as an off-the-shelf solution or as an integrated component of an overall APROL system

Highlights

• Acquisition and archiving of all process data
• Systemwide online performance monitoring and visualization
• Correlation analysis with all other data (from any database)
• Powerful and robust long-term archiving
• Quality certification for the entire manufacturing process
• Highly flexible reports with integrated analysis functions
• Production optimization (OEE, downtime analysis, "Down Time Loss", etc.)
• Combined display of data, alarms and events in the TrendViewer to trace cause and effect

PDA browser reads all available data points
The new PDA browser provides read access to all data points on a B&R controller without having to open the Automation Studio project. This allows all machines with B&R controllers to be integrated in the PDA browser.

Easily defined SQL table structure
The new PDA function blocks make it very easy to define the required data archive on the APROL SQL server in a simple block language. The pin layout of a scalable function block is used to automatically define a table structure on the APROL SQL server.

The APROL VNC viewer allows you to display multiple HMI applications simultaneously in a single process graphic.

APROL PDA provides a wide range of options for displaying and presenting data. Multiple machine HMI applications can even be displayed on a single dashboard. The individual applications can be scaled as needed, independently of the respective platform. A web widget is also available that allows web pages to be embedded, for example for HMI applications based on HTML 5, IP cameras and business intelligence reports.

The PackML machine data interface makes it easy to implement a convenient monitoring and management system for line operators with minimal engineering. The machine data interface is frequently taken into account when designing plants and awarding contracts to machine manufacturers.

The standard PackML machine data interface contains control modules for machines and lines that provide convenient access to relevant details. Faceplates and sub-faceplates display key data and important details.

Based on the history archive
Archiving of continuous process, operating and production parameters can be tailored to the needs of any machine manufacturer or plant operator. The foundation is provided by the integrated APROL trend system. PDA function blocks make it very easy to define the required data archive. Discrete data (batch data, operator data, etc.) can be archived in any of the APROL SQL server's table structures using PDA blocks.

Highlights

• Higher-level system for line integration
• Transparency across all plant levels through detailed and aggregated information
• Universal support for OMAC's PackML standard
• PackML machine data interface control modules for simple and fast line integration
• Drag-and-drop analysis using the integrated report server
• Maximum availability through optimal perspective
• Reduced downtime

With APROL PDA, all asset-related operator activities are recorded and analyzed using Audit Trail. The recorded data cannot be modified or deleted, making it virtually impossible to manipulate and satisfying a key FDA requirement according to 21 CFR Part 11.

All operator actions are coordinated using the rights system and securely logged with the integrated Audit Trail. This makes it possible to meet documentation requirements with a paperless, complete record of all operator activities.

Impossible to misconfigure
Audit Trail is always started automatically, with no configuration needed, so it is impossible to configure it incorrectly. This means that the Audit Trail data is always available.

Seamless traceability
Audit Trail is essential in industries that require seamless traceability throughout all stages of production. Among others, APROL Audit Trail satisfies the requirements of FDA Title 21 CFR Part 11, EU regulation 178/2002 for the food, beverage and tobacco industry and the GAMP (Good Automated Manufacturing Practice) guidelines for the pharmaceutical industry.

All user actions at a glance
Depending on the actions performed by the user, various types of detailed information are recorded in a database. This can include: security login (operator logs in or out), interactive process execution, external process execution (web interface), process visualization (image opened, faceplate operated), system control actions (start, end, initialization of various applications), controller management (start, end, service/diagnostics mode), alarm suppression (lock, release), parameter history (download of parameter sets, modification of parameters) and the modification of protocol data (entry of replacement values).

Record a full description of every action: time and date of changes, operator login, device, project ID, APROL system, server and operator terminal, controller action, old and new values, alarm and alarm group, event/function, comment/reason for change, image description and display driver function block, web access and modified process variables, parameter set, ParameterCenter mode, reason for change, category and name of changed protocol data.

Additional authentication for interactions
It is possible to configure double authentication (2-man rule) and use advanced electronic signatures for PDF reports to identify and prevent attempted manipulation.

Traceability through comments
The ability to add comments for switching operations that require confirmation in the HMI application satisfies requirements such as those in FDA 21 CFR Part 11.

Many industries require that the items produced are tracked seamlessly throughout all stages of the process chain. International standards and regulations (21CFR11, FDA, EU regulation 178, etc.) place strict requirements on producers of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, packaging material and safety-related parts with regard to traceability and documentation of all raw, auxiliary and operating materials used.

To provide seamless production records, all relevant details are saved to the APROL SQL server throughout every stage of production. This data provides the basis for tracking and tracing. One of the ways that APROL safeguards against tampering is by only allowing read access to this data. Highly flexible reports with integrated analysis functions provide support for production optimization. A comprehensive production record can be generated at the push of a button.

Recorded data

• Machines and tools used
• Quality data (test equipment, measurements, etc.)
• Operating materials, raw materials, auxiliary materials
• Calculated process and machine data
• Personnel involved (machine operator, etc.)
• Descriptive attributes for items (production data, weight, etc.)

APROL PDA provides an ideal foundation for solutions in the area of factory automation. Plug-ins in the form of APROL solutions or 3rd-party applications can be added to customize the functionality to each user's unique requirements.

Condition monitoring
APROL ConMon is a perfect solution for optimizing your maintenance costs. In addition to significantly reducing costs, is also helps improve product quality and equipment availability. Condition-based maintenance utilizes information about the condition of your production equipment to optimize maintenance scheduling – ultimately boosting production quality while minimizing maintenance costs. Intelligent maintenance that begins long before a machine or system malfunctions is known as predictive maintenance. Large volumes of heterogeneous data are aggregated and mined to predict the ideal time to schedule maintenance work.

Energy monitoring
APROL EnMon is an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001. In addition to reducing energy costs and helping to identify correlations between energy and production costs, APROL EnMon can also help prevent unplanned downtime and switch consumers on and of based on the availability of electrical power.

Advanced process control
APROL APC provides simple, efficient and safe automation for complex production processes. Advanced Process Control (APC) makes it possible to control systems more precisely and make better use of processing resources. When faults are corrected faster, the setpoint can be reached again more quickly and can be moved closer to the operating limits. Actuators are also subject to less wear since the manipulated variable has a lower variability.

Control performance monitoring
APROL APC also offers a tool for monitoring the performance of closed control loops. This can help identify creeping degradation of control quality so that control parameters can be optimized or maintenance performed. Studies have shown that two thirds of control loops are either set poorly or require periodic manual adjustment to maintain stability. In these cases, control performance monitoring offers significant potential for savings.

Line management (IEC language based)
Commercially available discrete-event simulation tools can be used to generate digital models of production systems and their processes. These models make it possible to study the properties of the system in order to optimize its performance. Optimization measures can be implemented in IEC languages, with the higher-level logic (Continuous Function Chart, ANSI C) that handles coordination runs directly on the APROL PDA control computer.

ETL server
The ETL server extracts, transforms and loads raw data in preparation for analysis. Before it can be analyzed, raw data must first be filtered, cleaned up and collated. Raw data can come from an ERP system, database or file. APROL supports connections to virtually any data source.

Among the many applications supported are sources of big data such as NoSQL. ETL also provides native connectivity to databases, application packages (ERP, CRM, etc.), SaaS and cloud applications, mainframes, files, web services data warehouses, data marts and OLAP applications.

OLAP server
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) is a hypothesis-based approach to business intelligence analysis. The results of the analysis either verify or reject the hypothesis. The OLAP server generates an OLAP cube based on the data it draws from a data warehouse.

Model-based simulation
Industrial production systems involve large numbers of different components with complex interactions. The better that these interactions are understood, the better a company is able to automate them in a way that maximizes its competitive edge. Modeling and simulation can help identify and utilize potential for optimization in both planned and existing production sites.

Predictive diagnostics
APROL ConMon provides a broad range of condition-based maintenance features. If specialized predictive diagnostics methods are required, they can be added as a separate plugin.

Data mining
Data mining is used to identify patterns and correlations in large data sets. The goal is to extract information that could not be detected through conventional analysis. Data mining allows users to discover patterns and trends without searching for them explicitly.

Statistics
Statistical data analysis frequently relies on the R programming language. R offers a large library of functions that can be used for statistical analysis and graphical representation. The library is constantly being expanded with new functions.