Production data acquisition (PDA)

Operational data comprises a wide range of information that is generated during a company’s operational processes. This data is collected, processed and analyzed to gain insights into the performance, efficiency and effectiveness of operational processes. Operating data can be grouped into two categories: “organizational operating data” and “technical operating data”.

1. Working time data: Information on attendance times, breaks, overtime, vacation days, sick leave, etc.
2. Personnel data: Data on employee qualifications, training, performance appraisals, salaries, benefits, personnel planning and development.
3. Production planning data: Information on production plans, order processing, work orders, priorities, delivery dates and production capacities.
4. Logistics and warehouse data: Data on stock levels, orders, deliveries, suppliers, shipping documentation, transportation costs and delivery times.
5. Quality data: Data on quality inspections, defect rates, recalls, complaints, customer satisfaction and quality standards.
6. Financial and cost accounting data: Information on production costs, labor costs, material costs, operating costs, sales, profits, budgets and financial ratios.
7. Planning and budget data: Data on budgets, planning targets, investments, cost centers, budget variances and financial forecasts.

1. Sensor and process data: Information from sensors and measuring devices on temperature, pressure, humidity, flow, vibrations and other process parameters.
2. Energy consumption data: Data on the energy consumption of machines, systems, buildings and processes, including electricity, gas and water consumption.
3. Production data: Data on production quantities, throughput rates, production times, downtimes, speeds, cycle times and machine utilization.
4. Technical quality data: This includes data on the quality of products and processes, such as defect rates, reject rates, quality inspections, complaints and rework.
5. Maintenance and servicing data: Information on planned and unplanned maintenance work, repairs, spare parts, maintenance cycles and maintenance costs.
6. Machine data: Technical data on machines and systems such as serial number, model, manufacturer, maintenance logs, operating hours, running times and downtimes.
7. System and control data: Technical information on control systems, control loops, automation systems, circuit diagrams, programming and alarm messages.
8. Tool data: Information about tools, such as type, manufacturer, service life, wear, calibration, availability and usage history.
9. Material data: Data on material consumption during the production process, including material types, quantities, batch numbers, stock levels, supplier information and intended use.

The separation into organizational and technical operating data helps to structure and understand the various aspects of operating activities. Organizational operational data focuses on the personal and organizational aspects of the business, while technical operational data focuses more on the processes and technology that support production and operations.

PDA, MDC and MES are closely linked concepts, but they cover different areas of responsibility:

• PDA (production data acquisition): Records and manages data directly related to production processes, such as working hours, machine utilization and material consumption.
• MDA (machine data acquisition): Focuses specifically on the collection and analysis of data generated by machines and systems, such as production quantities, speeds and error messages.
• MES (Manufacturing Execution System): A higher-level system that enables the control and monitoring of all manufacturing processes in a company, including planning, control, execution and analysis.

While planning data is transferred from the ERP and MES system to the store floor, the PDA/MDA system feeds feedback data from the store floor back to the MES and ERP system.

A typical system structure:

1. Recording terminals at the workstations or machines for manual (with PDA terminal) or automatic recording of operating data.
2. Software for production data acquisition
   1. Interfaces to machines and systems for machine data acquisition
      
   2. Interfaces to other systems such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) or machine data acquisition (MDA) for integration and data exchange.
   3. A central data management system for storing, processing and analyzing the collected data.
   4. Reporting and analysis tools for evaluating operating data and deriving recommendations for action.

PDA terminal – enter operating data manually.

A PDA terminal is a recording device that is installed at workstations or machines and enables employees to record operating data manually. Typically, PDA terminals have a user interface that can be used to enter and record various information, such as working times, production quantities or downtime reasons.

How do I record operating data automatically?

PDA data can also be recorded fully automatically via interfaces to machines and systems(see MDA). In most cases, the system controls are connected via standardized interfaces. If the machine does not have such access, a retrofit can help. Existing systems are retrofitted with sensors and technology to enable the automated recording of operating data.

Software for production data acquisition is used to record, monitor and evaluate production and operating data in real time.
It typically comprises various function modules that enable efficient operational management.

Plant data collection software can contain a large number of function modules, which can vary depending on the specific requirements of the company. Typical function modules of PDA software include:

1. Machine data acquisition (MDA)
2. Personnel time recording
3. Order tracking and control
4. Performance and quality control
5. Material and inventory management
6. Feedback systems for work progress
7. Service and maintenance management
8. Fault and error message
9. Cost center allocation
10. Production and process monitoring
11. Evaluation and reporting
12. Production planning and control (PPS)
13. Tool and equipment management
14. Energy consumption recording
15. Data interfaces to ERP and MES systems
16. Mobile data collection (via handhelds or tablets)
17. Operating order documentation
18. Machine and system parameterization
19. Detailed planning and control
20. KPI dashboard (key figure analysis)

These function modules enable comprehensive recording and evaluation of operating data, which can significantly increase transparency and efficiency in production.

The following features are crucial for the effectiveness and benefits of production data acquisition (PDA) software in the production environment:

1. Real-time capability: The PDA software should be able to record and process data in real time in order to provide immediate insights into the production process and ensure fast reactions to deviations or faults.
2. Ease of use: An intuitive and easy-to-use interface is important so that employees at all levels can use the store floor data collection software efficiently without the need for extensive training.
3. Integration capability: The PDA software should be easily integrated into existing IT infrastructures such as ERP and MES systems to enable a seamless data flow and centralized data management.
4. Scalability: The PDA system must be scalable to keep pace with the company’s growth and production capacity.
   This includes the ability to easily add new machines, systems or production lines.
5. Flexibility and adaptability: The software for store floor data collection should be flexibly configurable so that it can be adapted to the company’s specific requirements and processes.
6. Reliability and stability: High availability and stability of the software for store floor data collection are essential to avoid production interruptions and data loss.
7. Security functions: As operational data is often sensitive, the software should have robust security mechanisms such as user rights management, encryption and access logging.
8. Analytics and reporting: Powerful analysis tools and flexible reporting functions are necessary to gain meaningful insights from the collected data and to continuously optimize production.
9. Mobile availability: Support for mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones enables access to operational data from anywhere, which increases the flexibility and responsiveness of employees.
10. Ease of maintenance: Regular updates, simple maintenance and reliable support from the provider are important to keep the software up-to-date and functional at all times.

A future-proof PDA system or PDA software is characterized by the following features:

• Scalability and flexibility to meet the changing requirements and processes of a company. This also includes easy expandability to new use cases.
• Integrated interfaces to other systems for seamless data exchange and holistic data analysis.
• Use of modern technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things) and artificial intelligence to automate processes and generate predictive analyses.
• User-friendly interface and individual customization options for easy operation and maximum efficiency.
• Regular updates and further developments to keep pace with the latest trends and developments in the field of store floor data collection.

A scalable production data acquisition (PDA) system is designed to adapt to a company’s growing requirements and changes, be it through expansion, diversification of products, changes in production processes or other business changes. Such a PDA infrastructure is characterized by flexibility, expandability and efficiency. Here are some features and practices that make up a scalable PDA:

1. Modular structure: A scalable PDA infrastructure consists of various modules that can be added, adapted or removed as required. These modules could include recording terminals, results dashboards, data management software, analysis tools and interfaces to other systems.
2. Flexible architecture: The architecture of the PDA should be flexible enough to support different company requirements and processes. It should make it possible to seamlessly integrate new functions and modules without disrupting existing processes.
3. Scalable infrastructure: The PDA infrastructure should be scalable in order to keep pace with the company’s growth. This means that it should be able to process an increasing amount of data without sacrificing performance.
4. Standardized interfaces: The PDA should have standardized interfaces to enable seamless integration with other operational systems such as ERP, MDE or MES. This facilitates data exchange and ensures compatibility with future technologies.
5. Automation of processes: A scalable PDA should rely heavily on automation to increase efficiency and reduce manual effort. This includes, for example, automated data transmission, alerts in the event of deviations and predictive maintenance.
6. Consideration of security and data protection: Scalable PDA systems must also take security and data protection requirements into account. This includes protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access and adhering to legal regulations and compliance standards.

Scalable store floor data collection enables companies to react flexibly to changes, increase their productivity and improve their competitiveness.