Category: Manufacturing

ATICS, Ltd./The Ceramic Factory

Botevgrad, Bulgaria

Warehouse at ATICS

Challenges

  • Process visualization needs - Required visualization of furnaces and brick transportation processes to support rapid business growth in Bulgaria's booming construction industry
  • Legacy system integration - Needed integration with existing VIPA PLCs, approximately 150 I/O points, and KEP OPC Server for Siemens PLCs without major overhaul
  • Downtime mitigation - Sought advanced reporting module to help management identify and reduce equipment downtime issues while increasing overall productivity

Results

  • Rapid deployment - Complete installation finished within 6 weeks with no additional scripting or custom programming required
  • Development cost elimination - Saved anticipated internal and external system development costs by implementing ready-to-use GENESIS and ReportWorX solutions
  • Enhanced analytics - New reporting capabilities compile KPIs like equipment downtime statistics from multiple data sources to drive efficiency improvements

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.

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 quickly realized the benefits of implementing industrial automation software solutions from Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions. The construction materials manufacturer was particularly pleased that the installation was completed within six weeks of the initial request and carried out smoothly by its system integrator, LogiSoft, with support from ATICS, Ltd, a Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions channel partner.

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.