Category: Manufacturing

ATICS, Ltd./The Ceramic Factory

Botevgrad, Bulgaria

Warehouse at ATICS

Challenges

  • Needed visualization of furnaces & brick transportation processes as business grew
  • Required integration with existing VIPA PLCs, 150 I/O points & KEP OPC Server
  • Required integration with existing VIPA PLCs, 150 I/O points & KEP OPC Server

Results

  • Installation completed within 6 weeks with no additional scripts/programming needed
  • Cost savings from eliminating internal/external system development requirements
  • Enhanced reporting capabilities compile KPIs like equipment downtime statistics

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About ATICS, Ltd./ The Ceramic Factory - Botevgrad

The Ceramic Factory - Botevgrad is one of the leading suppliers of construction materials for this booming industry in Bulgaria. Botevgrad is a small town near Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, known for its industrial area, where many big companies have built factories and subsidiaries. ATICS, Ltd. is the Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions sales channel partner working with LogiSoft, a systems integrator, to bring advanced industrial automation software solutions to the Bulgarian brick maker.

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A Factory Control Screen at The Ceramic Factory A Factory Control Screen at The Ceramic Factory

Software Deployed

The Ceramic Factory - Botevgrad, working with ATICS, Ltd and Logisoft, elected to install GENESIS, our Web-enabled, OPC-integrated HMI/SCADA suite, as well as ReportWorX™ enterprise reporting/charting/analysis software, a component of Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions’ BizViz™ Manufacturing Intelligence/Business Visualization suite.

A Factory Control Screen at The Ceramic Factory A Factory Control Screen at The Ceramic Factory

Project Summary

The Ceramic Factory - Botevgrad has experienced recent growth as the construction industry continues to grow in Bulgaria. The company required visualization of the manufacturing processes involving its furnaces as well as of the transportation line for the produced bricks. The factory also sought an additional module for reports to help management mitigate downtime issues and increase productivity.

The company realized that as business grew, it would require premium, robust solutions to meet its visualization, control and reporting needs. The selected solution would need to integrate with the company’s existing VIPA PLCs, approximately 150 I/O points and KEP OPC Server for Siemens PLCs. In addition, they sought HMI/SCADA and reporting solutions that would also work with their Microsoft Access databases, desktops and servers running Windows.

Brick Transport Controls Brick Transport Controls

Benefits of the System

The Ceramic Factory – Botevgrad soon realized many of the benefits of implementing Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions' industrial automation software solutions. The construction materials manufacturer was pleased that the installation was completed within six weeks of request, and easily performed by its system integrator LogiSoft, with assistance by ICONICS channel partner ATICS, Ltd.

The company was also able to save on anticipated internal and external system development costs. Implementing GENESIS and ReportWorX required no need for additional scripts or programming. Additionally, the firm recognized the benefit of solutions, such as GENESIS, that are integrated with OPC technology – providing a basis for improved system communications and allowing for secure, open connectivity from plants and facilities to the enterprise level.

More cost-savings for The Ceramic Factory – Botevgrad are attributed to the resulting increase in the number of report options. The new reporting capabilities via ReportWorX allow the company to compile data from a wide array of different data sources in order to compile KPIs such as equipment downtime statistics that can be acted upon in order to increase efficiency and save money.

Brick Transport Controls Brick Transport Controls

Case Study Details

  • State-of-the-Art Visualization of Manufacturing Processes
  • Easy, Intuitive Process Control Options
  • Advanced Reporting with a Wide Range of Integration Options
  • Robust, Secure OPC Connectivity

Conclusion

Faced with record growth in its industry, The Ceramic Factory – Botevgrad ensured it could control costs as well as it could control its furnaces and transportation line by selecting Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions software. With GENESIS and ReportWorX, the construction materials supplier is building a firm foundation for its own future.