Following the publication of an April report demonstrating that UK monthly manufacturing output remained flat from January to February, a sector expert is highlighting the importance of automated process monitoring in the manufacturing sector.
According to the Office for National Statistics’ Index of Production report, the UK’s manufacturing output was essentially unchanged from January to February, at 0.0%. Taking these statistics into account, and considering the sector’s challenging economic headwinds, Leonardo Morabito, Business Unit Manager HFH for UK & Ireland at Alfa Laval, is advocating the role of automated process control in optimising existing operations.
It is with these concerns in mind that Alfa Laval have developed the ThinkTop V20 valve indication unit – the latest solution in the proven ThinkTop V-series family. Purpose-designed to digitalise monitoring processes, the new solution is maintenance-free, enables 360° LED visual status indication from all directions and does not require manual set-up or programming.
“UK manufacturing is vitally important to the economy’s long-term health, but as these latest figures show, growth figures remain stubbornly static,” he said. “Alongside this, the manufacturing sector has since been impacted by the removal of commercial energy bill support from the beginning of April, further underlining the need to ensure all operations are running as efficiently as possible. Process managers are therefore under increasing pressure, but it goes without saying that they cannot be everywhere at once.
Digitalisation is therefore moving from a preference to a priority for many companies, especially for integral plant equipment such as valves. Higher levels of process control, enabled through solutions such as the ThinkTop V20, will be crucial to manufacturers looking to increase their competitiveness, especially for those reliant on visual or signal feedback from open or closed valve positions.”
Crucially for Leonardo, the ThinkTop V20 has been designed for hot-swapping, meaning it can be simply plugged into existing, ongoing processes without any disruption to production. Additionally, its compatibility with most common communications platforms, including Digital, ASI and I/O Link, together with its self-setup, means it is a plug-and-play, fit-and-forget solution.
“Unplanned downtime can hugely affect the bottom line and productivity of organisations in the manufacturing sector, so being able to seamlessly replace older valve indication units while safeguarding hygiene and productivity is crucial,” he concludes. “Solutions such as the ThinkTop V20 will therefore be key to assisting manufacturers digitise their operations. Through the real-time data visibility and remote monitoring capabilities, it offers over process control, these organisations can realise competitive advantages that will help further improve productivity.”
Explore more at https://www.alfalaval.co.uk/products/fluid-handling/automation/sensing-and-control/thinktop-v20/
