Today's Automation News Headlines from Automation.com

October 25, 2011 - Red Lion Controls introduces ProducTVity Station (PTV), a solution for collecting, recording and displaying critical key performance indicators (KPIs) and machine status messages on any TV, monitor or projector equipped with a DVI/HDMI interface.

The ProducTVity Station is able to collect data from a wide range of automation components. Using a library of over 200 communications drivers, the ProducTVity Station can communicate to PLCs, motor drives, motion controllers, bar code scanners and more. Additionally, the PTV can be expanded with CS series I/O modules, allowing it to accept digital and analog inputs from a range of sensors.

An easy-to-use, fully-programmable graphical interface allows users to create high-definition visual management displays—without the limits imposed by traditional LED-based Lean manufacturing displays—visually combining KPIs along with andon messages. The ProducTVity Station’s 720p (1280 x 780 resolution) DVI output is compatible with both 720p and 1080p/i TVs with DVI or HDMI interfaces. A built-in data-logger can record key performance indicators, as well as andon events, for later review, and can synchronize the log files with any FTP server and/or Microsoft’s SQL Server for further analysis.

The ProducTVity Station extends production monitoring to remote personnel by providing email and text alerts, and its built-in webserver allows productivity information to be monitored via any networked PC or smart-phone. If enabled, personnel can take partial or full control of the system remotely, allowing a maintenance person to affect changes without a site visit.

The ProducTVity Station ships complete with a 2GB CompactFlash card, as well as a DVI to HDMI cable (15´) and HDMI/DVI adapter. The device is programmed with Red Lion’s Crimson software.
 

“Lean manufacturing, six-sigma, total quality management, continuous improvement—all of these terms refer, in some form or another, to the efforts of companies as they strive to become more competitive in a global economy,” said Jesse Benefiel, Red Lion Product Manager. “While various strategies are implemented in order to improve productivity, they all have two things in common: the collection of KPIs and the communication of those KPIs to the people who can most affect improvement—the production floor personnel.”

Red Lion Controls, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of industrial control solutions worldwide. Products include protocol converters, operator interface panels, process controllers, digital/analog panel meters, sensors, and signal conditioners.