GE Releases Proficy Smart Factory Manufacturing Software Suite

GE Digital has recently released a new manufacturing software suite featuring compatibility with on-premise, cloud, and mixed architecture applications. The new Proficy Smart Factory suite promises to help companies reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) by 30 percent over five years.

The solution is already available for purchase on the GE Digital website.

 

The Proficy Smart Factory suite dashboard. Image used courtesy of GE Digital

 

The Proficy Smart Factory Suite

Proficy Smart Factory has been designed to bridge the gap between the digital and physical world by delivering “holistic operations performance management for today’s connected enterprise.” The operations management solution is particularly useful for process, discrete, and mixed manufacturing environments.

“Today we are witnessing a transformation of mission-critical factory processes led by the need to collect, connect, and analyze plant data to keep operations running flexibly and efficiently,”  said Lorenzo Veronesi, Associate Research Director of IDC Manufacturing Insights.

According to Veronesi, many manufacturers are increasingly realizing the advantage of using cloud solutions to analyze data coming from the shop floor, consequently allowing them to convert it into actionable information for enterprise decision-makers.

 

An overview of the new platform. Image used courtesy of GE Digital

 

To help companies reach this goal, Proficy Smart Factory collects and analyzes data to manage both highly automated processes and labor-intensive jobs, integrating information related to activities and optimizing performance.

 

Enabling Lean Manufacturing

Proficy Smart Factory includes cloud-based manufacturing solutions for overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), production management, and quality management.

Additionally, the suite provides metrics to track production across all equipment, find deviations to avoid wasted materials, predict overruns and shortfalls, reschedule orders based on material, equipment, and personnel availability.

In terms of digital manufacturing capabilities, Proficy Smart Factory aims to deliver efficiency management, quality management, production management, and batch and process analysis.

It also promises to include production scheduling, digital operations, hybrid cloud industrial data management, advanced industrial analytics, and interactive work process management.

 

From On-premise to the Cloud

GE Digital’s on-premise solutions are already deployed at thousands of sites worldwide. With the release of its cloud offering, the company intends to aid control engineers and automation experts in lowering operational costs, reducing equipment maintenance, and improving security.

 

All data gathered by the Proficy suite is intuitively and automatically organized. Image used courtesy of GE Digital

 

“Proficy Smart Factory helps companies improve their operations in a lighter, smaller footprint that accelerates time to value and reduces costs,” explained Richard Kenedi, General Manager of GE Digital’s Manufacturing Software business.

The new Proficy Smart Factory suite includes accelerated cloud deployment with concierge services for setup and validation within four weeks.

This could allow users to quickly monitor OEE and other key performance indicators (KPIs) with root cause analysis and identification of countermeasures.

“This new innovation [...] enhances our ability to provide a manufacturing solution for any company regardless of the size of their in-house staff, their budget, or the level of their digital transformation maturity,” Kenedi added.

The executive concluded, the new solution is proof that cloud-based manufacturing solutions can make operational excellence and IoT-fueled digital transformation accessible for all. GE is hopeful that this new software suite will allow engineers to accelerate cloud deployment and better manage their data.
For more information about Proficy Smart Factory, you can see the solution’s brochure.