While many manufacturing industries have embraced Industry 4.0 technologies to enhance efficiency and productivity, the foundry industry has been slower to adapt. This is, in large part, due to older factories and harsh working conditions. Another significant hurdle for the foundry industry, in particular, is the aging workforce. Many older employees are reluctant to embrace new technologies, and employers are often met with push back when it comes to implementing new processes. However, the industry is facing a significant reduction in workforce over the next 10 years due to retirement. It’s critical for metalcasters to incorporate some of the advanced manufacturing technologies being utilized in other sectors to attract the younger, tech savvy workers that will be needed to replenish the workforce.
The Foundry 4.0 Initiative
Foundry 4.0 aims to modernize the industry through smart manufacturing, incorporating robotics, artificial intelligence, data and process automation, and other emerging technologies to ensure profitability and sustainability for years to come. Beyond operations, Foundry 4.0 initiatives are also focused on enhancing worker safety by removing some of the inherent risks associated with foundry work. For example, robots can take over hazardous tasks, allowing workers to monitor processes from safer environments – reducing exposure to loud noises, harmful dust and debris, and other risks associated with the manufacturing process.
The Foundry Industry 4.0 Conference
The American Foundry Society recognized this need within the industry and began hosting The Foundry Industry 4.0 Conference in an effort to advance the industry as a whole. The conference brings together forward-thinking metalcasters to openly discuss how the industry can leverage current and emerging technologies for data collection and management, data-driven decision-making, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, wearable technology, robotics, automation, and cyber security, as well as the related issues of workforce development, recruiting, and training. This open forum facilitates discussions about common challenges and possible solutions. The conference also features several case studies demonstrating how these concepts have been successfully implemented and improved operations today.
The Fundamentals of Data Collection
Eric Stockman, Group Manager of Smart Automation and Visualization for Automation Solutions of America, spoke at the 2022 Foundry Industry 4.0 Conference about the Fundamentals of Data Collection – shedding light on how foundries could access data generated by current machines and use it to improve overall manufacturing efficiency and reduce unplanned downtime. One way this is accomplished is by monitoring trends in the data. If a manufacturing process continually bottlenecks at a specific point, consider adding a step to the process to allow product to move through more efficiently. He also emphasized the benefits of data driven predictive maintenance. A machine that goes down unexpectedly will result in greater losses in revenue. Not only is the line down and production stopped, but employees are also standing by idle until the repair is complete. By monitoring the data and predicting when a failure might occur, a machine can undergo repairs during scheduled downtime, saving both time and money.
In terms of investment, Stockman debunked the common misconception that smart manufacturing is an all or nothing concept. It doesn’t need to be over complicated, and the transition to smart manufacturing doesn’t need to happen overnight. Small changes, implemented over a period of time, can have major impacts on overall operations and are more easily accepted by the general workforce. This also allows for strategic planning, budgeting, and distributing the cost over time.
Extracting and Interpretating Data
Stockman was honored to be invited back to speak at the 2024 American Foundry Society Foundry Industry 4.0 Conference to breakdown data collection and address common questions like what data to collect, collection frequency, where is data stored, and how to interpret data to have an impact on overall processes. Stockman also detailed the steps needed to build a simple dashboard for monitoring a foundry floor to demonstrate how a fictitious foundry (Acme Foundry) could extract existing data from PLCs to monitor foundry processes. This included connecting to the PLC, storing the data to SQL, and creating a customized dashboard. He went on to explain how each piece of data is interpreted and presented in an easy-to-read format allowing anyone, from a plant manager to a company stakeholder, to make quick, educated, business decisions.
While incorporating smart technology to foundries is a relatively new option, it’s one that is worthwhile. Events like The Foundry Industry 4.0 Conference are vital to advancement to the industry and Automation Solutions of America is honored to be included in the discussion. By demonstrating the simplicity of data collection and connectivity, we can begin to remove some of the barriers and unlock the power of Industry 4.0.
To learn more about how ASA can improve specific foundry processes, contact Eric Stockman at estockman@asofa.net.