Production data acquisition (PDA)

Digital transformation is shaping the economic environment and offering companies new opportunities for efficiency and greater competitiveness. Data has become the central variable, the “oil” of the digital age. Production data acquisition (PDA) is an important tool for generating data. It forms the basis for Industry 4.0, helps to optimize processes, and ultimately contributes to increasing competitiveness.

When it is collected, enormous amounts of big data are initially generated, which have to be processed into smart data – just as crude oil has to be refined into petrol, diesel, or kerosene. Data processing for smart production is almost impossible for companies without digital support from MES solutions. Below you will find answers to the necessity and benefits of PDC in the corporate value chain.

What is the importance of production data acquisition (PDA) in a company?

Production data acquisition plays a crucial role in companies in all sectors because it provides the basis for well-founded decisions. PDC systematically collects, processes, and analyzes data generated during daily factory operations.

Factory teams gain an accurate overview of production processes, machine conditions, resource consumption, and product quality by aggregating signals into objective information in real-time. This enables companies to identify inefficient processes, improve, and react quickly to changes.

Especially in a production environment where many different machines and systems are in use around the clock, PDA is crucial: it helps to minimize downtimes, plan maintenance work better, and make the entire production process more transparent and efficient.

• In an increasingly dynamic manufacturing world, the ability to record and analyze operating data in real-time is a decisive competitive advantage.

What is production data acquisition?

PDC describes the automatic or manual recording of operating data in a company. The data comes from various sources, for example

• Production data: Information on manufactured quantities, machine running times, or working hours.
• Quality data: Measurement results and test logs to ensure product quality.
• Order data: Data for tracking production orders, e.g. the current processing status.
• Machine data: The machines’ condition, utilization, and maintenance due.
• Personnel data: Recorded working hours and employee performance.

By combining data from various sources, the PDC documents, analyzes, and optimizes operational processes. It is a central instrument for making the production process transparent, comprehensible, and efficient.

Depending on the company’s size and the application area, specific values for production data acquisition can also be collected manually by the workforce. In principle, however, the automated collection of required data by sensors offers significantly more significant efficiency benefits.

What are the benefits of production data acquisition?

PDC offers companies a wide range of benefits:

• Transparency in the processes: Digitally recorded operating data allows production processes to be tracked in detail and identify weak points.
• Higher productivity: Real-time data allows for the adjustment of production plans, optimization of machine running times, and more efficient use of resources.
• Reduced downtimes: Monitoring machine conditions and early detection of wear or malfunctions prevent unexpected downtime.
• Improved quality: Recording quality-relevant data can identify sources of error and enhance product quality.
• A sound basis for decision-making: Data-supported decisions lead to better corporate management and more efficient processes.
• Adherence to compliance requirements: PDA helps to comply with legal requirements for traceability and documentation obligations.

How does production data acquisition work?

The process of production data acquisition begins with signal acquisition at the source. Manual input by employees or automated systems can do this:

• Automatic acquisition: sensors and measuring devices on machines or systems continuously collect data. This data can be transmitted directly via the network to a PDA system, which stores it in a central database. This includes machine data, temperature or pressure sensor values, and other vital parameters. This information is the basis for further processing and evaluation in MES and ERP solutions (Manufacturing Execution System / Enterprise Resource Planning).
• Manual recording: In certain areas where automation is impossible, employees manually collect relevant data, for example, by scanning barcodes or entering data into a system.

Once the data has been collected, processed, analyzed, and stored in a central database, it can be retrieved in various formats and used for reports, analyzes, and decision-making processes, for example, in an MES solution.

Data integrity and timeliness (real-time) are of particular importance for a reliable basis for decision-making.

What areas of application are there for production data acquisition?

The application areas for production data acquisition range from production to quality assurance and maintenance. Some necessary fields of application are

• Production monitoring: in the manufacturing industry, production data is used to monitor production orders, throughput times, and machine running times. This enables flexible adjustment of production plans in the event of fluctuating demand or machine breakdowns.
• Quality assurance: PDA helps to record and analyze quality data. Production errors can be detected early, and corrective measures can be initiated.
• Maintenance: Continuously monitoring machine data can identify maintenance requirements and reduce downtime. Thus, predictive maintenance can be implemented.
• Personnel deployment planning: In personnel matters, the PDA records working times, breaks, and shift changes to better plan deployment.
• Warehouse management: Stock levels can be managed more efficiently by recording and evaluating material flows and stock data.

Industry examples for the use of production data acquisition

1. Automotive industry

In the automotive industry, PDA systems are often used to record production data such as machine running times, material consumption, and quality controls. They help optimize production processes and identify bottlenecks, for example, in the assembly of vehicle components.

PDA makes it possible to plan machine maintenance cycles proactively and thus minimize downtimes.

2. Mechanical and plant engineering

In mechanical engineering, PDA supports recording operating data to calculate production costs and optimize throughput times. For example, the processing times for individual work steps can be precisely documented.

In addition, PDA monitors energy consumption and optimizes resource use, which helps increase efficiency and reduce costs.

3. Metal and plastics processing

In the metal and plastics processing industry, PDA monitors machine running times and production downtimes. This enables companies to identify bottlenecks at an early stage and improve the efficiency of production facilities.

The systems also record scrap rates, enabling optimization of material use and reduction of production costs.

4. Electronics production

Traceability plays a central role in electronics production. PDA systems record production data here to document the use of components and their manufacturing process seamlessly.

PDA is also used to carry out quality checks and identify error sources, improving product quality.

What is the significance of production data acquisition for Industry 4.0 and the automation of manufacturing processes?

Data collection plays a central role in Industry 4.0. It allows for the collection and evaluation of data in real-time, thereby obtaining an overview of all production processes.

Data collection networks, machines, systems, and sensors enable continuous data transmission between different systems – the basis for the automation and digitization of production. Data from other sources can be merged and analyzed centrally.

FORCAM ENISCO offers an entirely new software generation for digital networking on the shop floor with its “AC4DC” solution. The solution can significantly increase flexibility, scalability, and reliability in production. Data-driven production management allows for minimizing downtime and flexibly adapting production to dynamic market conditions.

Quality management supports PDA because errors can be detected early and scrap reduced. The traceability of production processes is significantly facilitated. Through continuous monitoring and optimization, resources can be used more efficiently and costs reduced, especially about energy and material usage.

The data collected by PDA also serves as a basis for artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and machine learning applications. These systems use the data to recognize patterns, make forecasts and automate decision-making processes.

• Digital BDE is essential to create the necessary data basis on which modern shop floor management and smart manufacturing processes are based.

Support from FORCAM ENISCO and SAP Digital Manufacturing MES solutions

Modern MES solutions, such as SAP Digital Manufacturing or FORCAM ENISCO, provide comprehensive functions for collecting and processing production data. They integrate seamlessly into existing IT infrastructures and enable the real-time collection of production, quality, and machine data.
To organize the data flow between production and planning, production managers have two options: they can either connect their SAP/ERP system to a cloud-based MES solution or an on-premise solution. As an SAP partner, FORCAM ENISCO offers both options.

• In the SAP world, the cloud-based MES solution is SAP Digital Manufacturing. As a Silver and Service Partner of SAP, FORCAM ENISCO’s certified teams advise and support you in implementing the cloud-based MES solution SAP Digital Manufacturing – from connecting heterogeneous assets to global real-time analyses in the SAP application world.
• Companies can rely on robust and seamlessly integrable solutions from partners such as Forcam Enisco, which can be run on-premise. With our modular MES solutions, companies achieve measurable added value through new transparency and efficiency in manufacturing. From parts manufacturing to final assembly, from minor to complex, we offer automation solutions for every stage of discrete manufacturing.