+Vantage Corporation prides itself on being your single source supplier and system integrator across manufacturing solutions, and this extends to our integrated manufacturing solutions we offer to all our customers. Often referred to as Industry 4.0 or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, integrated manufacturing systems, machine learning and “digital twin” based methodologies are profoundly changing the way we view and interact with the manufacturing process. Never ones to sit behind the curve, this fully integrated manufacturing approach has been our bread and butter for years. From commonality among PLC controllers, statistical process control and value-added software, we provide the tools, knowledge and support to help you build your factory of the future.

PLCs

Programmable Logic Controllers, or PLCs as they’re commonly abbreviated, form the backbone for many automated systems, allowing you to program logic paths either through a programming language or even a graphical interface, and then backtrace for fault analysis if necessary. Our bespoke systems feature PLCs from Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi and more. These PLCs provide clean, easily digestible status menus and data analytic tools; and with a complete system from +Vantage acting as your single source supplier, all your PLCs will operate off the same programming interface designed to match your facilities existing template file and preexisting systems, saving you time and money on the implementation phase.

Statistical Process Control

Statistical Process Control, often abbreviated to SPC, is both the backbone and primary benefit of a fully integrated cycle. In the abstract, SPC is a quality control methodology wherein you establish metrics and an acceptable threshold of those metrics for your components. As your component moves through the manufacturing cycle, at every inspection step, your components are evaluated and their position within the threshold is saved for later analysis. SPC also acts in tandem, building off the data provided by your existing inspection technologies. Whereas inspection technologies traditionally provide you with raw pass/fail criteria for evaluating compliance with tolerances, SPC allows you to collate large data sets and identify trends in your production cycle, preventing problems before they occur. SPC doesn’t just benefit your components, but your manufacturing systems too, since this method can identify the early signs of machine wear as it manifests in the quality and compliance of your parts.

The true value in Statistical Process Control is how you use the data to your advantage, and the myriad ways in which this can be accomplished. You can export the raw data from any of your +Vantage made systems to your SPC system of choice. WinSPC is a favorite of the industry for its robust suite of tools; containing the full SPC lifecycle from data intake, analysis and threshold alarms to utilization of results for process optimization. FactoryTalk by Rockwell Automation (the same supplier of our Allen Bradley PLC) is another system which can ingest and analyze your SPC data; handling operations, maintenance and analytics via cutting edge machine learning.

Value-Added Software

Integrated manufacturing isn’t always about raw data and analytics. Sometimes the efficiencies come from making things more accessible, no matter your familiarity with the system. Human Machine Interfaces, or HMIs, allow for interaction and control of manufacturing systems through straightforward, visual interfaces on the factory floor, and serve as an important tool in the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) apparatus which undergirds a modern manufacturing system. Ignition by Inductive Automation is one of our preferred HMIs, and comes with an included HMI design suite for your convenience, empowering you to streamline how you interact with your system. Having the ability to access your HMIs from the shop floor, your desk or even a smartphone brings the data you need at your fingertips, no matter where you happen to be.

Remote Support Capability

Industry 4.0 and the age of cloud computing may give us all the data we can handle, but this wealth of new systems also means ensuring your product support team is equally well equipped and connected. Should a system go down, spit out an error you don’t understand, or simply encounter a problem beyond the ability of your onsite staff to fix, it can be incredibly valuable for your system vendor to remotely access the PLC of interest. +Vantage is committed to ensuring the success of your system from conception through installation and support, and that’s why our customer service lines are up 24/7. With the ability to remotely access compatible systems for troubleshooting and fault resolution, we’re right here with you.