Exide Chooses ATS for Shop-floor IT Systems at All European Battery Plants
Purpose
Exide Technologies is one of the world’s largest producers, and distributors of batteries. The challenge was to improve traceability, efficiency and quality across the entire manufacturing process: raw ingots, melting pots, lamination, milling, batch mixing, internal storage, assembly, charging, labelling, up to ready for shipment to customers.
Project Scope
In this deployment ATS implemented systems for Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Tracking and Tracing. First project deployments started in Spain and Poland and rolled out in Italy and Germany. The further deployment will be in the USA. ATS was selected for our domain expertise and ability to project manage and deliver across multiple plants in different countries and the ability to provide 24/7 support in the local languages.
Solution Approach
A global Manufacturing Execution System (MES) was developed based on Ignition technology with OEE, SPC and Track and Trace functionalities. The solution provides the following:
- Forward and backward traceability
- Find warehouse availability
- Interface with ERP’s Bill of Material
- Enforce Poke Yoke in strategic points
- Production and Work Orders planned either directly via MES or through ERP.
The SPC solution developed by ATS allows the quality department to access real time SPC data. This offers a fast response in correcting the process. Maintenance can be alerted before the line is down and plan the maintenance work ahead of line shut-down. Instruments are connected directly to the solution reducing typing errors from operators copying in values.
Systems & Tools
- MES, OEE and SPC by Ignition
- ATS Support Services 24/7
The Results
Ability to manage lots and save time locating lots. Ability to track the history of a product in real time and automatic link with process KPI/KPV. Manage quarantine.
Since the SPC solution is running live in the plants, maintenance managers are alerted live by emails and are able to be more proactive in case of process adjustments therefore reducing downtime. The quality department is able to follow the process SPC data and pull reports with live data. Reports are ready before shipping the products.
Since the MES solution is running live in the plants, our customer can rely on full traceability of finished goods. Efficiency has been improved by having visibility on root causes affecting equipment availability, performance rate and quality of the parts. By using Statistical Process Control functionalities product quality has been significantly raised.
