Hi List,

I want to know if in some plants who is in charge of the work of integrate the ERP and automation software? The managers of the company think the information systems area will be the best option some guys like me think the automation people will be the best choice, anyone has experience in his plant about this kind of affairs .

Regards,


Pedro M. Carri

 

I would recommend using people with experience in industrial automation, controls engineering and software engineering. IT People are generally
very dangerous, and are not trained in safety issues and don't have the background in controls and real-time systems.

- bill hullsiek

 

Hello.

I have experience in this topic and I think the automation people must, but the information systems people must give support.

 

I have seen three possible ways to do this (in a previous life. . .)

1. No integration is allowed, usually by IT policy.
2. IT and automation people each do their half without talking to one another, usually making a _point_ not to talk to each other.
3. Neither, it is done by the lowest cost contractor.

Once I did work on a project where IT and automation actually worked together, and a small group was broken off the automation section for the duration of the project. This small group partnered with a small group of IT people to make an integration team. This was the smoothest system I ever saw, but doing it this way is rare.

Automation people have to stop badmouthing IT and IT has to admit that automation people actually know what a computer is and how a network
functions. Solve _that_ and the rest is easy.

Ed

Speaking for me and not fo Starbucks. . .

 

They couldn't "work together" could they, or is that being to unrealistic?

Rick Dewees

 

Of course anybody can work together. The question is 'who is in charge of the work'.

The ideal candidate is someone who is APICS certified and has a PE in Control Systems. A PMI certification is also very handy.

Our team consists of people trained in ERP, MES,
controls and quality methods. In order to minimize the gaps you need to work top-down (set points) and bottom-up (process variables) at the same time.

Bill Hullsiek

 

Well, they could, and they eventually will.

But based on the projects that have been successful in this space, what is needed is an overall supervising integrator with a clear and consistent methodology to lead the consolidation of an IT and CE team to implement the project. And, above all, the project needs active support from as high in the company as it can get: the CEO, CFO, CIO, Chief Engineer, etc.

Walt Boyes

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That last point is absolutely crucial. Almost anyone in the chain can make the project work or not. Without committment and buy in, taking ownership to fully implement and moving
processses towards best practices and working with the system, the value of the systems will never be realized. It doesn't take many obstructionists to ensure failure. And these flops
are expensive enough to kill companies.

Regards

cww

 

Automation people are the best choice for the particular area of automation-IT data exchange. However the ERP system implementation will
probably be a bigger team with several people led by an IT person with relevant ERP experience. Automation person should however, undergo at
least a three to five week training program on the basic ERP package and tools, Manufacturing-production planning, process control and related
modules.

I am an automation engineer and did a course ERP in 1999-2000 using BAAN-IV. I had the following observations made:

Non-Automation personnel have little idea of safety interlocks.

IT people will look for convenience and speed over security inside the plant network.

Operations personnel are likely to miss out a couple of key sequence restrictions in the process, as they will assume that automation takes
care of these.

To further convince yourself ask these questions with automation systems as key to plant safety and plant operations in mind:

What happens when a logic needs a subtle modification (does the ERP package restrict this in any way or will ERP read incorrect data when
you make this change).

What happens when a logic changes in a multiproduct plant. Do you need to modify the ERP package (not an easy task)

What happens when there is a change in the ERP package. Does these affect automation systems. How have you designed them.

Anand

 

In our plant the automation person is in charge, just happens he is also the site contact for IT.

 

Hai Anand ,

Where have you taken the training of the ERP Packages manufacturing, process control modules.

I am very much interested in these topics, related to DCS/ Plant Automation

Could you please give it me the college/ institute name , where these courses are offering

Ravindra
my e mail address is
[email protected]

 

I did ERP for Effective Business Solutions using BAAN-4, at NITIE, Powai, Mumbai, India.
You could also get training on SAP at Sapient institutes worldwide or at Mumbai at Worli.
Anand