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i4paintshop

Imel’s global 4.0 and Lean solution foresees the complete integration of 4 environments, entirely developed by our R&D center, which can be implemented simultaneously or in subsequent phases. ImelSW4, the heart of the architecture, is the new PLC plant control software fully integrated with: 

  • i4paintshop, the 4.0 platform, can include the following modules:

    • i4efficiency, plant performance indices (OEE) and in-line quality control
    • i4production, batch and process traceability
    • i4environment, consumption analysis
    • i4costing, coating costs
    • i4maintenance, predictive maintenance and intelligent scheduling
    • i4smartdoc, digital documentation and spare parts
    • i4service, the 24-hour interface portal with Imel Service
    • i4call, the emergency notification system
  • i4visual, software residing in the dedicated PC 4.0, connected to one or more monitors to display real-time information useful for plant management and monitoring. It embodies lean-manufacturing applied to the coating plant.
  • i4quality-plus, a module that allows to integrate off-line quality controls (e.g. laboratory tests) to the on-line controls managed by the standard module, i4quality, located in i4paintshop.

  • Main features:

    • Global and detailed report of consumption.
    • Analysis for each functional area.
    • Control parameters for each process and alarm.
    • Quick access through QR code.
    • Identification and traceability of production batches.
    • OEE report.
    • Production cost analysis.
    • Maintenance calendar.

  • Advantages:

    • Made in-house by IMEL.
    • Integrated into plant control automation.
    • Secure storage on cloud platform.
    • Modular and customizable platform.
    • Easy implementation.
    • Real-time control.
    • Accessible from many devices.

i4production

The control SW tracks the production batches and records the moment when the last batch balance is unloaded. The module records the produced batches and the related process data on the i4paintshop platform, the data can also be integrated to the SAP system (or other ERP) of the customer through the implementation of a SQL Exchange Database.

The module allows the extraction and processing of the following additional data:

  • Production times (detailed history of plant times: start-up, production, plant stops, end of cycle …)
  • Plant availability intended as Run Time / Operating Time ratio
  • Causes of plant downtime associated with the lots of interest

Complete traceability of the painted lots: for each lot it is possible to know: production data (date, time of first gondola entry, time of last gondola exit, number of rejected pieces [data coming from i4quality], list of alarms and process anomalies detected during the production, real process parameter values and reference consumption and production costs. In addition to the parameters detected through the standard instrumentation of the plant, the package can include additional instrumentation to receive additional feedback on the process.

i4efficency

Processes the OEE index and its components such as availability, quality, and performance. 

Reasons for loss of availability are divided into:
– Security Alerts;
– Emergency shutdowns;
– Process alarms;

All data can be extracted in Excel format for further statistical business analysis.

Performance is a ratio that depends on the type of production, so it can be measured in different ways depending on customer requirements. Some metrics are: actual parts produced vs. rated value / painted surface vs. rated value / frames per hour vs. rated value / product of frames per hour painted surface loaded multiplied. 

Quality is the result of quality control which can be managed by the i4quality in-line module or the i4quality-plus off-line module. Reject reasons are decided by the customer and implemented in the module. A user-friendly panel allows the operator to select the reason for rejection and the i4quality modules automatically link the rejected part to the frame that contained it.

i4enviroment

The module detects and processes global and detailed consumption data by functional area.

Analysis and processing of global consumption parameters referring to the following types of utilities: Gas, Electricity, Water, Paints and Chemicals.  

The client is able to evaluate in real time the impact, in terms of cost, of choices linked to different shifts and different process parameters; as well as the possible presence of anomalies for excessive consumption. 

Moreover, the traceability of batches allows i4paintshop to associate consumption data to production batches.

The quantities are reported in graphs and tables (Excel) according to the time interval selected by the user.

i4costing

i4costing is the module designed by Imel to provide the customer with a valid tool for analysis and reporting of plant costs. This module connects to i4maintenance and i4environment in order to receive consumption data and costs related to the maintenance performed. In the Setup of the module it is possible to charge all the costs budgeted for the management of the coating plant in order to have a constant comparison with the expenses actually incurred. The module also includes a tree navigation system that makes it possible to consult the maintenance costs incurred aggregated according to their areas of belonging. The system allows to extract the costs of maintenance divided by area, time, materials (spare parts and consumables). The module makes it possible to have an up-to-date comparison between budget costs and costs incurred, measured according to nominal/actual production. i4costing compares plant costs with productivity expressed in m2 painted, in order to analyze the incidence of process costs on the individual square meter painted. It is possible to extract all the data in the module in csv / Excel format and subsequently manage them with an external management system.

i4maintenance

i4maintenance allows the planning and printing of maintenance and control plans. During data-base loading, the parameters and the expected life of operation and wear of the plant components are recorded. The database that defines the expected life of these components is automatically updated at each intervention of the maintenance technician. 

Moreover, the maintenance calendar is easily readable and editable by the maintenance manager. The activities are highlighted on the calendar with a color that identifies the status (gray = operation carried out, red = operation to do but already rescheduled, green operation to do). Each operation on the calendar is “clickable” so as to highlight the history of the activity itself.

The system allows you to extract the ordinary maintenance plans for the selected time interval (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly …) and by class of activity e.g.: cleaning, lubrication, control, replacement. Based on the data already entered (set up module included in i4maintenance) and on the updates, the system automatically proposes the planning of predictive maintenance. The system allows you to extract the costs of maintenance divided by area, time, materials (spare parts and consumables).

i4smartdoc

i4smartdoc is the module that allows the operator to access the data of the important components of the plant (pumps, filters, fans, burners, instrumentation, etc.) and of the sub-components loaded in a reserved area.

The loaded data refer to: list of spare parts (priced per user with enabled access), diagrams, use and maintenance manuals, drawings and characteristic data e.g.: maintenance rules.

The module makes it possible to have an up-to-date comparison between budget costs and costs incurred, measured according to nominal/actual production. i4costing compares plant costs with productivity expressed in m2 painted, in order to analyze the incidence of process costs on the individual square meter painted.

The data can be accessed via PC according to the tree-based menu or via tablet/smartphone by reading the QR-Code affixed to the machine.

The connection handheld instrument => PC allows direct access to the restricted area once the operator logs on to his PC.

i4service

i4service is the system of direct access to the structure of Service-Imel structured by reservation according to various levels of priority and allows the customer to check in real time the progress and the responsible. This communication portal consen\te the customer to enter each type of communication / request with the service-Imel (ticketing). Requests are classified by type: (intervention, assistance, spare parts, offers) and, to each request, it is possible to associate simple descriptions but also any type of document and/or support (video, photo, audio). The customer has the possibility to verify the time of taking charge of the request by imel and also to monitor the progress.

i4call

i4call is the module that allows the call/warning to a certain number of operators when certain types of alarms occur and/or certain parameters exceed predetermined threshold values (e.g.: minimum-maximum temperature in the oven, in the cabin, handling, etc.).

i4visual

i4visual is a software package that resides in PC 4.0 and is connected to one or more monitors to display real-time information useful for plant operation and monitoring.

i4visual can be connected to external DataBase systems to provide operating instructions to line operators;

For example: the ImelSw4 tracking system can identify the part that is entering the masking area and i4visual displays the relevant masking instructions on the monitors located nearby (drawings/photos containing visual pointers to the areas to be masked).

i4quality-plus

i4quality-plus allows you to record the results of off-line QC tests, the number of rejected parts produced and the reasons for rejection. The collected data are stored on i4paintshop together with all the production information collected on line and the process parameters. This SW module is installed on a dedicated PC located in the customer’s QC area.

In the case, for example, of coating thickness tests: 

  • An off-line PC (QC area) loads from the customer’s DB, following the selection of the batch of interest, the photo of the piece with the evidence of the areas in which the thickness is to be measured. 
  • On the PC it is possible to see the data entry mask, which is automatically filled in by the thickness gauge connected in Wi-Fi to the PC. The table must be editable to “adjust” the values. 
  • In the presence of non-conformity characteristics, the batch information is sent to the scheduler PC to organize the rework lists. 
  • The information recorded by the software module is sent to i4paintshop to be historicized together with the reference batches.

Requires implementation of the i4efficiency module.

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Via Divisione Julia, 10
33033 Codroipo, UD, Italy

+39 0432 908578

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