Top 5 Unconventional Uses of FactoryPMI

Top 5 Unconventional Uses of FactoryPMI SACRAMENTO, CA JULY 11, 2008 - FactoryPMI is a full featured and flexible SCADA platform. While most customers use FactoryPMI for traditional SCADA tasks such as status and control, trending, alarm management, and downtime tracking, its flexibility has spawned some more creative uses. Much of its flexibility stems from its database-centric architecture and the ability to use the powerful, industry-standard python language for scripting. These features make it possible to accomplish some very useful and advanced tasks that are often very difficult or impossible in traditional SCADA systems.

The following examples are meant to illustrate the breadth of capability that FactoryPMI offers. Some are very non-traditional tasks for industrial software, but when integrated into a larger product can make a great impact towards the goal of "enterprise-wide integration". All of the following have been successfully implemented by existing customers.

1. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) System - Databases are first-class components to FactoryPMI. It is very easy to build screens which display and interact with data in any relational database system, and often quicker than in software dedicated to that task. With the ability to connect to an unlimited number of data sources, why stop with industrial process information? Many customers have added CRM/ERP type functionality to their projects, enabling efficient and cohesive management of information, from invoice to production.


2. Equipment & Inventory Tracking - Many companies have difficulty tracking inventory or equipment that gets shared among many employees. It's easy to track this information with FactoryPMI, utilizing bar codes, RFID, or other means. Simple, user-friendly screens can be created that allow users to check out and return equipment, and for managers to quickly see usage, inventory levels, and current status.


3. Overhead Display - Create a separate project with large-format components and launch it on a big display screen to instantly convey information to many people at once. Many customers have found that displaying current production statistics boost efficiency dramatically.


4. Public Gateway - Given that any number of projects can be created, each with their own security and database settings, its very easy to use FactoryPMI to create bridges between your process and the public. Create limited read-only projects to share information with interested parties, or create a special data-entry project to allow third-party partners to interact with your system. All of this can be done in a safe, secure fashion without providing access to your primary SCADA projects.


5. Integrated Dashboards - FactoryPMI allows the creation of any number of projects, which can run as applications or applets. Combining applets with the auto-login feature allows you to embed FactoryPMI projects in existing web pages (for example, on your intranet). In this way you can create robust, useful dashboards for nearly any purpose.

Inductive Automation
Inductive Automation pioneered the first full-featured web-launched HMI/SCADA system in the world. Its standards based, database-centric architecture receives accolades from plant managers, IT managers, and system integrators worldwide. With a commitment to software quality and technical support second to none, Inductive Automation is at the forefront of industrial software.