“The key issue is the control room and its functionalities, and not just that the operating console is the best possible. The focus is on the functionality and productivity of the entire central control room. Everything related to process operation control must be planned optimally and in detail, keeping in mind both current and future operational efficiency,” says Pierre Skönnegard From ABB.
The forest industry is no longer necessarily one of the most attractive working environments. Therefore, it is more important than ever to ensure that processes operate optimally. According to ABB, companies need to understand this when developing working environments and conditions. Technical competence and human participation must go hand in hand. In this regard, there is more focus on designing the operational environment and optimizing the whole.
“It is essential to understand the younger generations’ interest in meaningful working methods and environments. Simply providing furniture and a desk is not enough for a workspace. It is important to remember that in addition to operators, the central control room is also used and visited by supervisory personnel and other experts, which can cause disruptions,” says Pierre Skönnegård.
ABB has customers who have identified this operational problem and want to improve their facilities. ABB is talking about a new way of thinking when designing industrial control room work environments.
ABB states that the operating environment is a primary focus of the design. Another important goal is to retain qualified operators in the face of high turnover and retirement in the industry. This is a global phenomenon that is not limited to the woodworking industry, but also applies to industries such as oil and gas and food.
“ABB has a team that supports global control room design projects in various industries. We design around a hundred control rooms each year. The design process itself is based on the ISO 11064 standard. Our experts work together with operators and the entire company management,” Skönnegård adds.
“We bring together production documentation, operator and key shifts. It is an adaptive process that works well for both existing and new control rooms. The customer perspective is also kept consistent as we find out how the company has operated in the past. This is our approach when designing control rooms in close collaboration with our customers.”
WHAT? Modular automation enables the transition from local PLC technology to centralized production control room control.
WHY? Professional operating environment design significantly increases the functionality and operational efficiency of central control rooms.
