Tablet users are big spenders compared to smartphone users: report

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/tablet-users-are-big-spenders-compared-to-smartphone-users-report

Work Tasks application from ArchestrA Workflow Software

This is an interesting report, not only because of the purchasing shift to tablets from smart phones, but the opportunity for the automation community to leverage this new format for reporting & analysis applications.

How to maximize the value of every drop of crude oil?

How to maximize the value of every drop of crude oil?

OK, here is the contest question:
"How to maximize the value of every drop of crude oil?"

According to Dr. Rachel McCarthy, which of the following are requirements for making good decisions when it comes to choosing crudes?

A. Accurate Data
B. Consistent Data
C. Ability to Share Expertise & Experience
D. Real-Time Information & Results
E. All of the Above

Safety Regulations: Food Safety Regulatory Outlook for 2013

Safety Regulations: Food Safety Regulatory Outlook for 2013

For the past few years, the demand for food safety has had a domino effect: it's not only the producers, but the suppliers to these organizations that have to be cognizant of the reporting, tracking and systems infrastructure that are necessary for compliance.  Invensys (and other automation suppliers) have offerings such as #MES, #Quality, #EMI and other visualization, reporting and analysis tools to help manufacturers/processors maintain or establish compliance.  This article is a good overview of the challenges facing us all in 2013.

Tom Pisello: The ROI Guy: Sales Enablement

why it is taking us so long to make a sale...

Tom Pisello: The ROI Guy: Sales Enablement: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly f...: According to a recent study by IDC’s Sales Advisory, the majority of sales reps are not able to effectively engage with today’s...

Why You Should Consider Overall Equipment Effectiveness

LNS Research just published a benchmark study of the efficacy of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) for discrete manufacturing companies. Without giving away the study, Industrial Equipment manufacturers were the strongest users (and beneficiaries) of OEE practices.  Read the report summary by clicking the link below:

 http://blog.lnsresearch.com/blog/bid/155988/Overall-Equipment-Effectiveness-Benchmark-Data-by-Industry

So what is OEE?

Automation World Readers Name Invensys a “First Team” Supplier

http://iom.invensys.com/EN/Pages/IOM_NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=526

Invensys Operations Management was honored to be recognized by the readers of Automation World as a "First Team" supplier.  The Company was recognized in several Leadership in Automation Program categories, including Process Safety; Simulation Software; SCADA; Asset Management/Optimization Software; HMI Software; HMI Mobile; HMI iPad Apps; HMI Hardware; and Manufacturing Execution Software.

From Fuel Fix: Global refining boom could challenge U.S. exports

From Fuel Fix: Global refining boom could challenge U.S. exports
Interesting blog post from Joe McMullen on Oil & Gas industry movements.

5 Ways to Leave Your MES Vendor

With apologies to Paul Simon for a “borrowing” of his song title, we continually come across customers that may have standardized on a #MES (Manufacturing Execution), #EMI (Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence), #Batch (Batch Recipe Management) or other enterprise automation (#Level 3) application. And then, for various reasons, they start to rethink their current strategy or implementation.  It could be precipitated by a management change; a hot new product line, a line or plant expansion, or a market shift.

So how do you know it’s time to look for another vendor?  Here are some tips that can help you to determine if you and your current provider are heading, or should be heading, for a separation.

Batch Processing Gets a Boost | Chemical Processing

#Batch Recipe Management has been one of those products that have been around for almost 20 years.  Its importance is that it was one of the first product categories to use an industry-standard model (ISA-88) to define its interfaces and functionality.  Invensys' Michael Schwarz discusses some additional insights into the current status of batch and the successes customers are having when implementing.


Batch Processing Gets a Boost | Chemical Processing

Better Yield Accounting Methods Improve Financial Results

"MES" has a lot of meanings, and when you look at the refining industry, it doesn't always have immediate applicability. An application like Yield Accounting takes the facets of MES (traceability, process control, model-driven execution) and overlays a costing function to ensure all aspects of operations are coordinated. Read on!

Better Yield Accounting Methods Improve Financial Results

Want to work for Invensys? - We Are Hiring!

Want to work for Invensys? - We Are Hiring!

Using MES in Your Centerlining Efforts

Centerlining, in simple terms, matrixes financial, quality, and product dimensions which can be measured and managed.  The simplest example of Centerlining would be a Continuous Improvement project around quality.  Understanding what affects quality (such as purity of ingredients, length of time processing, specific ways of material handling) makes it easier to establish the “norm” and thus manage the extent that you’ll accept outlier behavior.

So how does #MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and other operations management solutions help with Centerlining?

A smart glance into the future of mobile plant management

SmartGlance fully exploits the navigation and manipulation features found in the latest mobile devices," explained Susan Roche business unit manager at Wonderware UK and Ireland. "As a result, viewing complex, in depth reports and graphs is fast and intuitive, allowing the information to be digested and analyzed effectively."

Coupled with the easily interpretable analytical displays and the ability to share reports via email, this can lead to faster, better choices in terms of operations management.

Why Recovery is Imminent in US Manufacturing

2012 has been “interesting” from the perspective of the manufacturing industry.  Over the past years, perceived higher costs were driving many manufacturers offshore.

Beagle Research Group recently published a white paper, “Five Key Success Factors for Subscription Vendors.” Although the topic was responding to the changes a subscription-based business brings, one interesting factoid from this paper was:  “…the U.S. is no longer a manufacturing economy either as nearly seventy percent of the GDP is in services.” 

Yet, there are strong signs that manufacturing recovery is imminent…and the US the beneficiary. Read on.