PC-based HMI is more flexible for Pirelli

Pirelli Tyres is employing 39 Pro-face PC-based HMI systems to improve production and stock efficiency at its Carlisle tyre plant.

Pirelli Tyres is employing 39 Pro-face PC-based HMI systems to improve production and stock efficiency at its Carlisle tyre plant.

The Pro-face systems are a key component in a Kanban system designed by Pirelli.

They integrate seamlessly into Pirelli's factory-wide planning system, via wireless Ethernet links, and interface with an RFID tagging system, providing operators with comprehensive real time data to improve product quality.

Pirelli's tyre plant in Carlisle is a major manufacturing centre, employing over 1000 people and producing around 13,000 high performance tyres a day, mostly for prestige makes such as Jaguar, BMW, Audi and Porsche, as well as sports utility vehicles.

At the hub of the Carlisle plant's production facilities are 27 second-stage tyre assembly machines.

These control the flow to the final curing process.

Until recently, the tyre building machines were equipped with stand-alone, data capture hardware, which was nonexpandable and did not provide the flexibility required by Pirelli to achieve improvements in both the quality and efficiency of its production.

A decision was taken to replace these systems, the task of replacement being assigned to Tony Vorley, Business Manager For Industrial IT at the plant.

Says Vorley: "Our requirements in terms of a new data capture system were basically four-fold".

"First, we needed a system that was far more interactive, providing operators with more comprehensive data display and data input facilities".

"Secondly, we required a system that had control facilities and could easily integrate with our wireless Ethernet LAN and with our production planning system".

"Thirdly, the system had to be expandable to enable us to integrate other areas of our production (ie the curing process)".

"Finally, the hardware had to be robust enough to cope with the rigours of the operating environment".

"The system that came closest to meeting all of these demands - and our budget - was a PC-based HMI solution supplied by Pro-face".

"We had used their equipment before and knew that it could stand up to our operating environment.

Initially we purchased 37 PS2000B industrial PCs and 39 ST1210T touch screen monitors".

"These units are the first in a two-stage project that will involve an additional 60 Pro-face systems over the next two years to cover the first stage assembly and curing process".

"The first Pro-face systems, installed on tyre building machines, are making our production more efficient by providing operators with the real time information they require to make the right production decisions".

"We are using the Pro-face systems in conjunction with RFID tags".

"The tyre building process involves eight key components and our longer-term strategy is to employ RFID tagging on them all".

"At present, though, RFID is centred on the steel spool that holds the tyre tread".

"Each spool has a uniquely identified tag that, when loaded onto the tyre building machine, ensures the correct size association".

"When this component is presented to the machine, the system checks that it is the same size as the previous one".

"If this is not the case, the Pro-face system asks for conformation from the operator that he has changed the size".

"If the operator does not respond to this prompt then the Pro-face PC stops the machine".

"In the future this procedure will be expanded, with the Pro-face HMI able to ask if all eight components are correct for each size of tyre".

"We are also developing a real time view of the specification for the operator which eliminates the need to maintain paper copies on the shop floor, removing any room for error and helping us to ensure comprehensive right-first-time quality".

"The role of the Pro-face HMIs in achieving improved quality is a crucial one".

"However, at present, their main contribution is to a Kanban system that we have introduced to streamline production and improve stock efficiency".

"When a spool is loaded onto a tyre-building machine, the Pro-face system logs this event and signals the extruder to produce another spool, allowing a balanced stock to be maintained".

"Also, as each tyre is produced, the stock of green tyres is incremented".

"Green tyre stock is then decremented by the curing process".

"The stock profile, representing what the operator should be building, is displayed graphically on the Pro-face touch screen".

"In the event that any of the levels change to red, the operator is aware immediately that he is outside his production parameters and can take rectifying action".

"This display can refer to a number of sizes all of which can be produced on the same machine".

"We expect the role of the Pro-face systems to expand as our production planning evolves and becomes more flexible".

"This can be easily achieved as the Pro-face PC has dual Ethernet ports, which interface nicely with our Ethernet wireless LAN system".

"We have adopted wireless links, as the majority of our tyre-making machines are movable in line with the market demand".

"The alternative of fixed party line cabling would be a nightmare, both in terms of removal and replacement".

"Summing up, I would say that the project to install the Pro-face HMI systems has been essentially trouble-free and that equipment performance has been excellent since installation".

"Pirelli is a world leading brand and the installation of these systems can only help us to maintain our reputation for producing premier high performance tyres that meet the ever increasing demands of high performance vehicles".

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