Matrix Technologies Inc., A Better Process for Success.
What to do about legacy systems?
A legacy system can be described as one that no longer is produced or supported directly by the manufacturer. Much like an antique, it is nearly impossible to replace when broken. It most likely does not match anything you installed in the last ten years and therefore it is very difficult to change or integrate in today’s environment. On most days it works fine but there are quite often lengthy and costly downtimes associated with maintenance issues on the system. If you are like many of our customers, you spend a lot of time and money maintaining it and worry about what will happen on the day it no longer functions.
The first step in eliminating this problem is to do an evaluation of the existing system to understand what the options are to eliminate the dilemma. Remediation steps may mean complete overhaul of the equipment or simply a control system replacement. Knowing the level of effort required and the cost associated with that effort is an important step in the upgrade process. Matrix Technologies can help you evaluate your existing systems and determine the best path forward for replacement. We will consider many factors in this process including available upgrade paths, company equipment standards, critical nature of the equipment or process, costs for installation as well as evaluation of the potential costs associated with not replacing the system.
Contact Matrix today to discuss your legacy system situation and we'll help you develop a plan to eliminate your concerns.
Read more here: www.matrixti.com/legacy.php or call to discuss your needs.
3D
As computing power increases, engineering tools also advance. A prime example of this evolution is 3-D modeling. Just as CAD programs replaced manual drafting as the drawing method of choice, 3-D modeling has replaced 2-D drawing as the preferred design method. Early versions of 3-D modeling software were slow and inefficient. Today, a project can be modeled in 3-D in the same amount of time as developing designs in 2-D. Additionally, the 3-D modeling software provides several additional advantages:
• Proper Piping Specifications: The modeling process begins by developing the database of all of the components to be used in the model. By building these from your specification, it becomes impossible to choose the wrong part for your plant.
• Real-time updates: The structural and piping designers work in the same model. Changes made by one designer are instantly available for all others to see.
• Better design reviews: Client reviews using the 3-D model are more productive as everyone can truly “see the future.” No special software is needed for the customer to review and manipulate the model.
• Interference checking: Where pipe, steel, insulation, or cable tray may intersect, the software alerts the designers about problem areas.
• True Plan and Section Drawings: 2-D drawings are created by “slicing” the 3-D model. These drawings are also “live” and automatically updated as the 3-D model is changed.
• Easy Piping Isometric Drawings: The 3-D modeling software creates piping isometric drawings through the ISOGEN module. The output can be customized to meet your drawing standards.
• Accurate Bills of Material: Since each item within the model is chosen from the project specifications, an accurate count and description of all of the components can be obtained from the 3-D model.
The final result of this effort is a rendering of the steel, equipment, piping, and cable tray that reflects the actual way the project will look at completion. With more productive project reviews, physical interference checking, and accurate bills of material, the 3-D modeling process greatly reduces costly changes and delays during construction, without additional engineering design costs.
Matrix is constantly expanding our capabilities, technologies and tools to be the most efficient, accurate and cost effective resource for our customers. Call today for a free consultation on your project.
Beyond OEE- How to maximize your investment
Every management team is interested in measuring the performance of their productions lines. Most have Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that they monitor to gauge the health of their production. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a very common method used in the industry. OEE is based on the theory that total efficiency cannot be maximized by operating your equipment at its top speed. There is a delicate balance that has to be reached between speed and the conflicting need to control quality and limit downtime events. OEE Index is a number that illustrates how well an equipment or line is performing. It does not help shed light on the reason for the performance and how to improve it.
OEE analysis, on the other hand, is all about locating the root causes for the lost production. It also helps identify additional investments in the equipment that will yield the best ROI. Fault Metrics plays a key part in OEE analysis. It tracks all the faults that occurs on the equipment while generating mean time to repair and mean time between failures numbers for the maintenance department to track. However, a lot of the productions events, like speed changes and restarts of the line are not captured by the fault metrics. Therefore, it's important to have a tool that combines OEE calculations along with the fault metrics tool.
In all these calculations, it is critical that data is captured in real-time. Manually collected data is prone to errors and has an inherent delay. When data is collected automatically from the equipment, the quality of data is greatly increased. The data can however be refined by the operator providing additional information. Automated data collection helps drive a strong reliability program that is relied upon by operators and management alike. Making sense of the large quantity of data generated by the automatic data collection makes it important that data be presented in an easy and intuitive manner to users throughout the organization. The user interface must enable the operator to quickly identify the exceptions rather than get lost among the routine data. Data must be presented in a manner applicable to their role within the organization. The same data is looked at differently by the production, quality, maintenance and continuous improvement departments.
It is important to implement a complete OEE system supported by tools to help rectify reasons for under-performance of assets.
Call or email us today to discuss your OEE or performance tracking needs.
Focus on the positive to Achieve Success
A positive attitude is important for achieving success at work, or in any endeavor. In fact, a positive attitude is synonymous with success. It often characterizes a person who moves with direction of purpose, and skill of attainment – who has conviction that life and work are important. Such people often have enthusiasm that provides the momentum to carry them to success.
In a recent survey, 90% of the executives polled cited negative attitudes as one of the most common reasons why people are not successful. According to the survey results, a positive approach, coupled with enthusiasm and optimism, is the key that opens the gate to success. The people with this attitude usually know where they are going and how to get there, and how to get other people to help them in the process.
Management experts offer these tips on how to accentuate the positive:
| • | Be positive toward both new and old ideas. An attitude that reflects optimism and enthusiasm – what athletes call desire – is positive. |
| • | Look for the good things to point out in other people and in your own work. |
| • | Seek to change and improve conditions you don’t like instead of simply complaining. |
| • | Look at the bright side of problems as much as possible rather than the dark or bad side. Remember, Problems are often opportunities in disguise. |
| • | Don’t dwell on your misfortunes. |
| • | Be cheerful. Avoid a sour disposition even on bad days. |
| • | Avoid telling others what they should not do. Ease up on the negative and accentuate the positive. |
| • | Be a “can do” person rather than a “can’t doer.” Don’t dwell on what can’t be done or focus on reasons why something won’t work. It’s far more effective and interesting to be for something than be against something. |
In business, just as in sports, you have to plan how to win. If you plan negatively and simply focus on how not to lose, you’ll lose. As a famous football couch once said, “Having the right attitude is 90% of winning.”
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