seqent’s platform overview
TRANSCRIPT
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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 platform (See Figure 1) is very straightforward
and comprised of three 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 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:
o Android 4.x+
o IOS 6+
o Windows 8.x
Customizable notifications: Sound, Vibrate, Flash (based on device capabilities, some tablets do not
contain a vibration motor).
o 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: 50+ 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
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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 a key component of the Global Production Monitoring & Control System.
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
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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 product lines globally to monitor key aspects of its production
infrastructure, process and facilities. SeQent has worked with Intel for over 10 years and
provides the Global Corporate IT Standard.
Deployments: 13 Plants Globally
Operations: All Global Assembly Test Facilities, All Global Fabrication Facilities, All Global
Factory Support Facilities
Products: FirstPAGE, FirstPAGE Alarm Manager, Marquee Manager, VideoSERVER, Wi-Fi
Messenger
Gateways: CIMPLICITY, RSView32 and OPC
Uses: Life Safety, Production, Quality, Utility Power Quality & Availability, Chemical Tank Farm &
Delivery, Effluent Monitoring Air Handlers, Makeup/Recirculating Air Handlers, Hazardous
Production Material Monitoring
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SeQent & Motorola Partnership
SeQent, a long time strategic partner of Motorola Solutions, is part of the two-way radio
Application Development Partner (ADP) program and is the top partner for the industrial
manufacturing space.
The FirstPAGE Link products for MOTOTRBO™ provides an SNPP interface into the
Conventional, Capacity Plus, Linked Capacity Plus, IP Site Connect, Capacity Max,
TRBODirect, Connect Plus and WAVE 5000 systems and allows these systems to receive automated Alarm &
Event information.
In addition, our 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.
© 2019 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.