Information Nuggets in the Track and Trace Data Stream

Track-and-trace applications provide more information and benefits than expected at implementation.

Track-and-trace applications have grown principally through the impetus of government regulations. Companies in industries ranging from pharmaceutical to food production must keep track of products, including the genealogies of lots of production and distribution. These companies needed the ability to react quickly to recall products when a problem is reported. A thorough track-and-trace system assures maximum recall of affected products, while also limiting the recall to just those products, greatly reducing the cost of a recall.

A track-and-trace system includes a data input system, software that includes a historian and analysis tools, and visualization and reporting. Data input ranges from manual to such automatic tools as bar code and radio frequency identification (RFID). While none of these systems is new, manufacturing professionals have discovered an important by-product of collecting all this data—information about the detailed working of the manufacturing process...

Getting Up the Profit Hill Faster

Manufacturers have an array of good tools to help them implement proven operational excellence strategies.

Manufacturing is a complex operation. There’s more involved than just bringing raw materials in the front door, performing some work and shipping finished product out the back door. The complex organization of people, machinery and equipment required for production needs visionary and skilled leaders. Theorists have developed methods for improving operations, and suppliers have rushed to provide tools to help leaders implement them. Some of the tools even help leaders sustain their advantages after the initial rush of implementing change.

The goal of manufacturing is to produce finished goods for sale by the company in an efficient, cost-effective and timely manner within the quality parameters set by customers and the regulatory decrees set by governments. The complexity of manufacturing demands study and reflection to keep production lines moving. One of the biggest challenges is finding where the problems are that cause reduced output of finished goods...

Faster, Cooler, Out-of-Box

No matter how fast, efficient, technologically advanced or well staffed any production process is, nothing matters much unless you acquire reliable operating data, preferably in real time, to understand how to maintain competitive manufacturing.

Recent Editions

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ANNOUNCEMENT

On-Demand Webcast- "Connecting and Managing Remote Devices with Wireless Technology"

In this Webcast from Automation World, experts discussed how digitally enabled devices can be read remotely and ultimately connected over the Internet using a variety of wireless topologies and IP-enabled gateways. Highlighting automatic tank level sensing as a typical example, our speakers address how to connect and manage process data from solids, liquids or gases in a wireless application. Register Now