WebView enables remote support of thermal welding machines

Automation and controls giant GE Fanuc Automation’s Cimplicity SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) and visualisation software has been harnessed by system integrator Conquest Automation to enable monitoring of client Colpitt BV’s specialised blood bag welding machines from anywhere in the world. Colpitt machines are shipped all over the world, and the firm makes the point that customers in the Far East and South America are not as familiar with them as their counterparts in the West. Further, it says, the addition of new high-tech features on the machines increases the needs for technical support. Long distances between Colpitt and its customers could create losses in production before a specialised technician arrives. So production data from the machines, such as material usage, production rates, downtime and diagnosis of errors, is now being captured by Cimplicity and uploaded onto company networks for analysis and reporting. Since many of Colpitt’s customers are using, or planning to use ERP systems, Conquest is also working on integrating information from the machines into planning systems. “Many production companies are unaware of the capabilities of these latest machines, and are still relying on paper forms which are filled in after each batch,” says Michel Leppink of Conquest. “With the increasing demands of flexibility in production, companies need production statistics at all times of the day. Cimplicity can satisfy those demands.” The remote operating functionality was developed jointly by Conquest Automation and GE Fanuc Netherlands distributor TriMation, using the Cimplicity WebView application. GE Fanuc says it now works with all GE Fanuc systems. Electronic devices are connected through a TCP/IP network and can thus be monitored and controlled remotely. With GE F anuc VersaPro programming software, WebView and some bespoke software from Conquest, complete machine control can be directed to the service department of Colpitt. A remotely controllable high-resolution camera, also a part of this system, gives a complete view of the machine, and can be positioned to give engineers a detailed image of the problem area. This system has already saved customers and manufacturers considerable time and money. Instead of solving the problem with a service technician, it can be solved with a team of engineers “Since introducing GE Fanuc PLCs and Cimplicity software, we have been able to fulfil all our customers’ needs without any problems. As new features are announced we are able to offer enhanced automation capabilities,” says Leppink. “Though we have used a number of other suppliers, GE Fanuc is, in our opinion, always one-step-ahead of the competition.”