Plant Unity is a network-based data-integration tool for cement manufacturing plants. The concept of Plant Unity is to apply network conductivity to tie together various data systems within the industrial environment. The overall objective is to link data systems from the plant to the executive floor.

Every cement plant monitors its operations and strives to minimize downtime. The key to this is collecting the right information and presenting it to the right people who then take the appropriate action. What actions does the cement plant take to minimize or eliminate downtime? Currently, when a conveyor motor fails, an operator may page the on-duty electrician and send an e-mail to the shift operations manager notifying them the motor has failed.

By automating these steps, Plant Unity seeks to unify the automation process, notify personnel of outages, and provide targeted graphical views (known as HMIs) to plant personnel anywhere-even at home. Plant Unity frees the plant operator to perform other necessary functions and insure the problem is being resolved. Where cement plants have multiple independent automated processes, this system works to coalesce the information gathered from the independent processes.

Plant Unity, created by G.E. Magnum Technologies, also is a predictive analysis tool of plant operations. One method of proacting would be to perform scheduled replacement on a particular motor. Although better than nothing, scheduled maintenance can be costly if the replaced motor still has 1,000 useful hours on it. The Plant Unity concept of proactivemaintenance is to monitor conditions on the motor. Once conditions reach a prede termined limit, the motor will be replaced during the next scheduled down time. Plant Unity will not only notify operations and management of equipment failure, but of potential equipment failure.

The following list describes some of the implementations of this system:

* Real-time secure access to HMI screens via the web to help make informed decisions;

* Link to parts inventory to see if a replacement for the faulty unit is in stock;

* Send e-mail to supply, or actually place an order for a new part, when stock reaches set threshold;

* Provide central repository and access to equipment specifications, drawings, and connection diagrams;

* Provide central repository and access to plant drawings and standard operating procedures; and

* e-mail and pager notification of current or potential failures.

The technology described above will work in most cement plants, but certain questions are raised:

1. Does it have a place in your plant?

2. Will it save money or increase the profit margin?

3. Will it help make a better product?

4. Will it increase safety?

5. Will it reduce production errors?

Plant Unity should be regarded as a tool, defined as "a device or instrument that allows you to perform a given task in less time and with less effort." Information technology should always be thought of as a tool and should help you perform your job. There are times when computers were misused or complicated otherwise simple tasks. This does not make the computer a bad tool.

Instead, cement companies should be diligent in using the right tool for the right job. Information technology cannot and should not be used without discretion. Concerning Plant Unity, there is much critical information one could gather in a cement plant. The key to using Plant Unity correctly is knowing what to measure and how to present the results to the proper audience. The net effect should provide something positive to the operation staff.

A complicated tool that is difficult to understand will never be used to its full potential. A good tool is easy to use and has few quirks. Few would allow the plant operator to operate a $100,000 process automation system without proper training, and this same concept should be applied to information technology. Plant Unity is designed to be a tool, and training is an integral part of every Plant Unity solution.

Plant Unity should only be entertained for cement plants if "yes" is the answer to at least one of the following questions.

* Has your plant ever lost revenue that could have been prevented by early detection of equipment problems and failures?

* Has your plant ever lost revenue due to slow response to correct equipment failures?

* Has your plant ever lost revenue due to errors in ordering spare equipment?

* Would remote monitoring of your plant serve a useful purpose?

Plant Unity will tie together cement plant automated processes, monitor the entire process, and assist with notifying key personnel of equipment outages and potential equipment failures. It is a proactive approach to plant operations reducing daily operating costs and improving the efficiency of plant operations.