seqent’s platform overview · with gateways supporting the collection of andon alerts from...

SeQent’s Platform Overview

4500 Blakie Road│Suite 137│London, Ontario│N6L 1G5│Canada│P: +1.519.652.0401│F: +1.519.652.9275│www.SeQent.com

Leveraging Plant Floor Messaging and Communication Solutions Reduces

Downtime

With the manufacturing industry clearly rebounding, global markets are expanding and capital expenditures

seemingly increasing to support worldwide demand. Domestically, plant capacity utilization is at all-time highs

for many verticals, especially for the automotive OEM’s. Business is good for most and many are forced to

make critical decisions as to how best to spend their capital. Do they invest in expanding their current

operations? Or, do they look to build new Greenfield

plants? Regardless, because you can’t improve unless

you measure, you need a proactive monitoring system.

Downtime is widely considered the “root of all evil” for

manufacturers and negatively impacts plant efficiency,

performance and the bottom line. Leveraging plant floor

messaging and communications solutions enables hourly

and salaried employees to make better informed

decisions as they have access to Real-Time information

that can limit downtime occurrences.

For those manufacturers who have adopted global

standards and common systems, the decision to expand or build becomes a little easier. Why is this, because

they have likely implemented some sort of production monitoring solution as well as adopted methodologies

such as Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or TPS to Lean out their operations.

Executive Summary

The architecture of the SeQent Real-Time Decision Solutions (RTDS) platform (See Figure 1) is very

straightforward and comprised of three (3) major components: Component #1 are the SeQent Servers (Server

in the middle) which are the actual products installed (based upon the scope of the project) that consist of

FirstPAGE Server,

FirstPAGE Alarm

Manager Server,

Marquee Manager

Server and/or

TeamCALL Server

products. Component

#2 is the system Inputs

(left of server) which are

the sources of data

from your plant

equipment and

applications/systems to

be monitored.

Component #3 is the

Outputs that are

supported which are

devices/destinations (arrows to the right of SeQent Servers) such as; pagers, smartphones, Motorola

MOTOTRBO™two-way radios, PC’s, Cisco Instant Connects clients, Tablets or LED/LCD displays.

One trend that many successful manufacturers

are following is the use of real-time visualization

solutions to ensure that problems are identified

as they occur on the plant floor. One of the

leading providers of these real-time

visualization solutions is SeQent.

Craig Resnick

ARC Advisory Group

Figure 1


FirstPAGE (FP)

FirstPAGE is a high-volume text messaging engine and provides a software bridge between Alarms and Events

that occur from plant floor equipment and applications and pushes information to textual devices. The

FirstPAGE product line consists of a core messaging server capable of processing thousands of messages per

hour/shift/day to hundreds of

messaging devices. In addition,

standard gateways provide a point

and click interface for gathering

information from OPC DA & HDA,

ODBC, SMTP and various other data

sources. Regardless of the

messaging device being carried,

FirstPAGE can unify your

communications to any staff member

carrying any text message receiving devices (And is cognizant of

shift schedules for Alarm mapping).

Features

Schedules (Assign shift schedules to destinations)

Open/Published Interface (SDK/API for custom integrations)

Remote Administration (Win32 & web tools)

Distribution Lists (Single or multiple destinations)

Easy Configuration (Bulk import/export tools and wizards)

Unicode support (v10) for multiple languages

FirstPAGE Alarm

Manager (FPAM)

FirstPAGE Alarm Manager

product line adds a

sophisticated Alarm and Event

management engine to our

FirstPAGE product line. Adding

FirstPAGE Alarm Manager

Server and various FPAM

Gateways (OPC/ODBC,

Activplant, CIMPLICITY,

RSView32, FactoryTalk View SE,

Wonderware System Platform &

InTouch..etc) allows thousands

of Alarms and Events to be

easily managed from a

"The FirstPAGE product from SeQent

has been very reliable and provides

the exact solution we need for our

paging and notification needs."

Will Schmied

Senior Systems Administrator

St. Jude Children’s

Research Hospital

Figure 2

Figure 3


centralized location. The FirstPAGE Alarm Manager module manages repeat messages as events age, delay

before sending initial message to ensure the event is not transient, and multiple levels of escalation. FPAM

only requires the source system to report "alarm active" and "alarm inactive", for any alarming event. This

means that additional logic need not be added at the process control solution to provide a very robust

escalation schema.

Features

Repeat Messaging & Multiple Layers of Escalation

Embed Real-Time Values (Levels, temperatures, vibration, etc.)

Run-away Alarm Throttling (Automatic suppression with notification to Admin)

Tip Level Alarm Notification / Wildcard Alarm Configuration

Marquee Manager (MM)

Marquee Manager family of products monitors manufacturing environments and sends real time, automated

messages (Alarms, Events, KPI's, OEE) to visual or audible devices including LED display/Andon boards,

LCD/Industrial Digital Signage, stack lights and sounder devices the moment a tolerance is breached. An

integral part of any lean initiative,

LED/LCD displays provide visibility into

the activity on the plant floor but need

to be driven by a robust, easy-to-use

software solution.

Marquee Manager is the only multi-vendor

Andon/visualization solution, supporting the

majority of LED display/Andon boards on the

market, including legacy models.

Using Marquee Manager, lean manufacturing Andon solutions can be fully implemented in a few days rather

than weeks or months. With gateways supporting the collection of Andon alerts from HMI/SCADA solutions

(GE CIMPLICITY, Activplant, Rockwell RSView32 & FactoryTalk View SE, Wonderware System Platform &

InTouch,…etc.), Building Management Systems (BMS), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems and Life

Safety systems - Marquee Manager ensures that wherever your Andon data is stored it can be accessed.

Features

Easy Configuration (Configuration cloning, bulk import/export)

Data Collaging (Intermix data from different gateways on the same display)

Audio Control (Synchronize both audio and video to enunciate updates)

Template Switching (Triggered based upon time or event)

Distribution Lists (Single transactions populating one or many displays)

Figure 4


VideoSERVER (VS)

The SeQent VideoSERVER allows any standard Marquee Manager installation to incorporate any video driven

device (LCD or Projector) into the network. This allows utilization of all the capabilities available in Marquee

Manager with no changes to the

gateways or servers.

The VideoSERVER solution is available

as a hardware appliance (Embedded XP)

that bolts on the back of an Industrial

LCD display or is available as a

software only solution (Installed on a PC).

The solution is comprised of a configuration editor tool

which allows you to create and draw your templates (Figure

5). Once this configuration is completed, the configuration

file is uploaded to the VideoSERVER appliance or PC and

you see the emulation of the display (Figure 6). You can

easily create, manage and publish your content. The main

“use case” is displaying real-time production information

such as; target vs. actual, machine & production faults,

material call, quality checks, OEE, health and safety messages. And even displaying a web page or HMI

screen

Features

Configuration Editor tool allows for point and click template creation

Efficient Network Protocol – No Video Streaming

Web Page Publishing & Application Control

Flexible Mounting

Share Display Real-Estate across Multiple Sources/Applications

Object Types Supported (Single/multi line marquees, counters, web, sounders, progress bar, visual

alerts, clock, text marquee, labels, graphic, etc.)

“After spending roughly $12 million and a

development staff of 20 that produced and

implemented an internally built Andon

solution. We rolled this product out to

numerous facilities and eventually it was

scrapped as fault ridden, inflexible, and

non-scalable and expensive to implement.

We contacted SeQent and successfully

converted our plants to SeQent’s Marquee

Manager product in 3 months, this

included development of custom

gateways”.

Director of Manufacturing IT

Chrysler Group

Figure 5

Figure 6


TeamCALL (TC)

The TeamCALL solution is architected as an extension of your Work Order Dispatch or Enterprise Asset

Management (EAM) solution such as IBM MAXIMO. TeamCALL sends messages/requests to skilled trades

informing them that a task has been assigned to them and manages these in a batting order rotation.

TeamCALL provides a wireless device dispatch interface via our FirstPAGE portfolio and call visualization

interface via Marquee Manager.

Features

API/SDK enables user written applications to invoke TeamCALL Server functionality from development

environments such as VB or VBA

Batting Order/Non-Batting Order – Notify team members individually or en masse.

Call Management – Call, Attended, Cleared states with optional notification on state change

Schedule Management – Win32 or Web admin tools for team/shift scheduling

Figure 7


Wi-Fi Messenger (WFM)

Wi-Fi Messenger (WFM) is a self-contained messaging system consisting of a software server providing a

standard IETF SNPP input for message transactions, and handset applications for message delivery and

management. With completely autonomous operation, handsets connected to the facility’s self-contained Wi-

Fi have messages delivered without a public carrier network. One Wi-Fi Messenger Server can accept inputs

from any number of SNPP clients simultaneously.

When paired with a FirstPAGE Server the Wi-Fi Messenger (WFM) solution can automatically forward

messages sent to devices not currently registered with the local Wi-Fi to a public carrier’s SMS network or any

destination FirstPAGE Server supports. This automatic routing occurs when the device leaves the Wi-Fi network

and is automatically disabled when the device returns to Wi-Fi connectivity. For devices with VPN access to the

facility network WFM delivery can occur over carrier data networks as well.

Features

Autonomous Wi-Fi operation

Unlimited SNPP clients and support for 2500+ handsets/configuration

Support for wireless handsets, phablets, tablets or notebooks running:

Android 4.x+

IOS 6+

Windows 8.x

Customizable notifications: Sound, Vibrate, Flash (based on device capabilities, some tablets do not

contain a vibration motor).

Handset generated reminders of un-read messages

Use Cases

Monitoring Production Environments

SeQent solutions are used for monitoring both the product and the process. By gaining greater visibility into

the plant floor and individual production lines, manufacturers proactively gain valuable production

information on performance metrics, root cause disturbances and slowdowns in Real-Time.

Ford Motor Company and SeQent have a strategic partnership and have been working together

for over 20 years. SeQent solutions are strategically linked and part of the Factory Information

System (FIS), which is the global corporate standard for production & equipment monitoring & reporting.

Deployments: 40+ Plants Globally (Asia Pacific, Europe, North & South America)

Operations: Assembly, Powertrain & Stamping

Systems: Enterprise, Maintenance, Production and Quality

Products: FirstPAGE, FirstPAGE Alarm Manager, Marquee Manager and VideoSERVER Family

Gateways: Activplant, ANS, OPC & ODBC data sources

Devices: Alphanumeric pagers, cell phones, legacy LED displays & LCD displays


General Motors and SeQent have a strategic partnership and have been working together for

over 20 years. The relationship started by installing one-way paging systems in the truck plants

coupled with an OEM software partnership with General Electric (CIMPLICITY HMI/SCADA

solution). SeQent solutions are part of Global Production Monitoring & Controls (GPM&C) solution. Within the

past 18 months, SeQent, along with our partner Motorola Solutions have been working on a Next Generation

communications solution and the platform GM is standardizing on is SeQent and MOTOTRBO™.

Deployments: 40+ Plants (Asia Pacific, Europe and North & South America)

Operations: Assembly, Powertrain & Stamping

Systems: Enterprise, Maintenance, Production and Quality

Products: FirstPAGE, FirstPAGE Alarm Manager, Marquee Manager and TeamCALL Family

Gateways: CIMPLICITY & SMTP data sources

Devices: Motorola MOTOTRBO™ two-way radios, smartphones, legacy LED displays & LCD

displays

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1615

1210

55

1313 1111

85

1212

1010

66

4140

33

31

1916

Nu

mb

er

of

Pla

nts

Assembly

Powertrain

Stamping

Total

Chart 1 – Domestic Automotive OEM North America install counts of SeQent Products


Monitoring Facilities and Life Safety Systems

Whether it’s a building management system, fire alarm panel, power monitoring, or gas and chemical

delivery system, SeQent seamlessly integrates these systems into a centralized messaging

architecture/platform. Interoperability with these systems along with the use of manual messaging tools allows

for security personal to notify staff of security or weather related events.

Intel utilizes SeQent’s FirstPAGE product line globally to monitor key aspects of its production

infrastructure, process and facilities. Facilities monitoring includes power quality and life safety

systems. Production monitoring includes chemical and gas delivery, maintenance and

production events. FirstPAGE is entrusted to provide near real-time notification of any alarms or events

occurring within these systems at all Intel production facilities worldwide.

Deployments: 13 Plants Globally

Operations: Wafer Fabrication and Assembly and Test Facilities

Products: FirstPAGE and FirstPAGE Alarm Manager (Marquee Manager and VideoSERVER

installed in numerous plants)

Gateways: CIMPLICITY, RSView32 and OPC


SeQent & Motorola Partnership

SeQent has been named a Motorola PartnerSelect ISV partner, a program offered to an elite

group of software vendors who leverage Motorola's communications technology to help their

customers operate more efficiently and therefore profitably.

The FirstPAGE Link products for MOTOTRBO™ provides an SNPP interface into the Conventional,

Capacity Plus or Connect Plus systems and allows these systems to receive automated Alarm & Event

information.

In addition, our NEW Mobile ANDON solution will enable any HTML5 WebSocket compatible browser

(Android 4.x+, IOS 7+, Google Chrome, Windows IE 10+, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) to display ANDON

data on smartphones, tablets and LCD displays.

© 2017 SeQent All rights reserved.

FirstPAGE & FirstPAGE Alarm Manager are trademarks of SeQent. Other brand and product names are

trademarks, or registered trademarks, of their respective holders.

seqent’s platform overview · with gateways supporting the collection of andon alerts from...

Documents