Industry 4.0 is all about data. IIoT enables manufacturers to track various metrics highly granularly across the entire production cycle, from material usage to production yields to total cycle time. Centralized data analysis within a manufacturing execution system (MES) allows unprecedented insights into production capacity, equipment uptime and utilization, maintenance requirements and other critical aspects of plant performance. Using data to drive decisions helps plant managers and executives identify areas for improvement, optimize processes and improve productivity and cost control.
One crucial metric is often missing in all this data: operator identity. We may know exactly how much time a piece of equipment was powered on, what tools and materials were used and precisely what was done the entire time the machine was operational, but not who was in control.
In most factories, workers gain access to the building and clock in using a company ID badge, but use other, less trackable means of authentication to access individual production cells, machines or vehicles on the production floor. Shared physical keys, RFID fobs or PINs are still common for access to production equipment and material handling vehicles. Some machines have a human-machine interface (HMI) that requires a username and password, but these may be commonly shared in some company cultures. This means that managers have limited visibility into the activities of specific workers beyond the clock-in and clock-out times and no way to track which workers were operating certain machines at specific times.
Reliable operator authentication at the machine level is needed to link metrics such as material use, product quality and production output to individual workers. By tracking workforce activity at the machine level, manufacturers can gather valuable insights into individual and team performance, allowing them to optimize processes, improve productivity, minimize variation and enhance overall plant performance.
How Workforce Tracking Enables Manufacturing Optimization
Workforce tracking refers to the ability to accurately identify individual workers and monitor their activities as they interact with various machines and equipment within the manufacturing facility. This is achieved through reliable and secure authentication methods that link their unique operator identity to a specific piece of equipment at a particular time. Linking operator identity at the individual machine level-and not just at the cell or line level-provides much more granular detail into how workers spend their time across each shift and how individual machines are utilized, by whom, and for which projects. Adding operator identity to all the other data collected in a manufacturing facility provides critical insights that allow managers to make better workforce and production management decisions.
In addition to user identification, a machine authentication system also allows access levels to be set for individual users. This prevents unauthorized or untrained personnel from operating expensive machinery, thus protecting assets, production processes and valuable IP that may be held on the machine, such as part or tool specs. Machine authentication and workforce tracking support compliance with increasingly strict industry and government standards and insurance requirements for occupational safety and cybersecurity.
Access levels can also be set for different types of users based on training levels, certifications or job responsibilities. For example, different access levels may be set for line operators, supervisors and maintenance technicians that dictate which machine functions they are authorized to access, change or control. Secure access control improves plant safety and minimizes the risk of intentional or accidental damage to equipment and production line disruptions.
When a company knows exactly who is operating each machine at all times, they can use that data to drive workforce and production optimization in various ways:
- Labor costs: What are the actual labor costs for each piece going through the production line? How much time are different employees spending on each piece, and during what processes?
- Workforce utilization: Is the workforce fully utilized at all points in the shift, or are there times when some workers are waiting for a machine to be freed up or for a more experienced technician to become available? Do adjustments need to be made in scheduling or in the physical layout of the production line to ensure that machine availability matches worker availability?
- Operator efficiency: How does each operator's performance compare to others? Are there variations in output, quality or speed that can be attributed to individual workers? Can these differences be used to identify best practices or areas where additional training is needed?
- Machine preferences: Do certain operators perform better on specific machines or tasks? Can this information be used to assign workers to the most appropriate machines or tasks, optimizing both individual performance and overall productivity?
- Safety and compliance: Are there any patterns of non-compliance or unsafe behavior among operators? Can targeted safety training and enforcement be implemented to reduce risks and ensure compliance with regulations and best practices?
- Skill gaps: Are specific skills or competencies lacking within the workforce? Can targeted hiring, training or mentorship programs be implemented to address these gaps and improve overall workforce capabilities?
Machine Authentication with RFID
To make workforce tracking effective, manufacturers need a reliable way to track employee activities down to the individual tool and machine level. A machine authentication system that crosses all tools, machines, robots, vehicles and equipment provides complete transparency into worker activities across the shift; managers know exactly where each person was at any time and what they were working on.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) provides secure, reliable user authentication and access control for industrial machines. For most manufacturers, an RFID reader that can read the same badges that employees already use for building entry is the optimal choice for several reasons:
- RFID is easier to manage and more secure than a password or PIN system, reducing IT time and minimizing hacking risks.
- Unlike shared physical keys or fobs, it enables identification of the individual operator.
- In contrast to biometric systems, RFID does not require workers to remove masks or gloves for identification.
- RFID is reliable even in hot, hazy, dirty or high-humidity environments, where technologies like biometrics, magstripe cards or optical readers can fail.
- In environments where mobile device use is practical and safe, RFID readers can also be configured to allow authentication via NFC or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
RFID readers enable workers to sign into individual machines quickly and easily as they go about their day. Authentication is fast and contactless; workers simply wave their ID card (or, in some cases, a smartphone or wristband) near the reader, which is connected to the HMI and/or programmable logic controller (PLC) for the machine. A unique operator identity number is used to identify each user. The reader can send information to the MES or other backend systems to enable efficient workforce tracking and confirm that the operator is authorized to use the equipment.
Access Solutions for the Smart Factory
Machine authentication is just one access application for the smart factory. In a unified access system, employees can use their company ID badge to access everything they need across the plant, from physical access to production areas and elevators, to sign-on to workstations and printers, and even company amenities such as parking, EV charging, vending and the cafeteria. A harmonized access system provides even more granular detail into worker movements and activities across the shift. It also offers convenient access for employees while enhancing security and safety for the plant.
To make it all work, manufacturers need a reader compatible with the access technologies they already use for building entry and time-and- attendance. That way, workers do not have to carry multiple cards in order to access different machines and applications throughout the factory. Workers are also much less likely to share their primary ID cards. A unified system is more convenient for workers and simpler for IT to set up and manage.
ELATEC's universal RFID readers provide an optimal solution. With a universal reader, manufacturers can leverage the identification media they already have in place for easier implementation of machine authentication and other access applications. And with various form factors and a powerful software development kit, the readers can be integrated into a wide variety of machine and device types.
While a critical component, the RFID reader is but a part of the total solution. ELATEC brings in appropriate partners to develop and implement the optimal solution based on the end customer's needs, including such requirements as communication with the factory network via MQTT.
Authored by ELATEC
For more information contact:
ELATEC Inc.
1995 SW Martin Hwy.
Palm City, FL 34990
772-210-2263
americas-info@elatec.com
www.elatec.com