The Topper Line has 17 main process areas comprising of machines making high volumes of complex parts. The ability to integrate with existing machines and corporate plant monitoring software was key to this implementation.
The solution provided PC based Line Control Stations for the various process areas and machines from third party suppliers plus provided Artifex personnel control, maintenance and process change routines via secure RFID authentication and access control.
Sorion’s Sextans-RT runtime software is the heart of the solution. Running on each local machine, Sextans utilises configuration data and custom scripting centrally managed from an Artifex server.
As the products progress through the manufacturing line, they are identified via barcode scanner. Sextans integrates with the machines via an OPC server to guide, control and verify the process.
Once the product reaches the end of the line, it is inspected and palletised using the stillage management app.
Data for each process step completed at the station (such as shift, time, build no, component serial numbers, measured values and visual inspection data) is recorded in the Orion™ database. This data is identified against a unique ID, allowing to retrieve each unit’s complete history with a scan of a barcode. Once in the Orion™ database, quality assurance and performance reports can be easily accessed via web browser interface from anywhere within Artifex.
Having seen the benefit of the system to meet their traceability and quality requirements, Artifex requested the implementation of a similar process control and traceability system on their Topper Sew and Wrap facility.
