Unify Control Systems
for Concrete Factories
Standardize Operations with Central Control
and Consistent Design
Challenge
A leading global construction materials company needed to unify and optimize control systems across its multiple concrete factories. The company faced challenges related to inconsistent production quality, inefficient resource use, and the need for real-time monitoring and control across various locations. Additionally, the company sought to standardize its Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems to improve operational efficiency and ensure consistent product quality across all sites.
Solution
We developed and implemented a comprehensive strategy to centralize control systems and HMI design optimization across all factories, ensuring consistent production quality and operational efficiency:
- Standardized Production Quality
- Increased Operational Efficiency
- Enhanced Decision-Making
- Scalable Solutions
1. Comprehensive Project Planning & Execution
Created a strategic project plan that included detailed timelines, resource allocation, and a phased approach for integrating control systems across multiple factories.
The plan balanced traditional and agile methodologies, ensuring flexibility and adaptability throughout the project.
The Functional Requirements Document (FRD) for the SCADA Human-Machine Interface (HMI) outlined the specific needs for real-time monitoring, recipe management, and alarm management across different factory sites.
2. Systems Thinking & Platform Ecosystem Strategy
Applied a systems approach to optimize the complex network of concrete factories, considering the interdependencies between various production processes, resource management, and quality control.
Designed a scalable platform ecosystem integrating control systems across multiple sites, enabling standardized operations and seamless information flow.
The systems thinking approach addressed challenges in aggregate handling, cement dosing, water management, and admixture dosing, ensuring precise control over concrete mixing processes across all factories.
3. UX Strategy for Products & Platforms
Designed a unified control system interface that provided a seamless user experience across all factories.
The interface was intuitive, allowing operators to easily monitor real-time data, manage batch orders, and adjust process parameters.
The design also incorporated advanced data visualization tools to enhance decision-making for factory managers.
User feedback during the design phase emphasized the need for visualizing critical parameters such as viscosity curves, mixing times, and aggregate humidity, leading to the refinement of the interface to meet these specific operational needs.
4. Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration
Facilitated workshops and communication sessions with factory managers, operators, and corporate leadership to ensure alignment with the project’s objectives.
These sessions helped secure buy-in and ensured that the new control systems met both operational and strategic goals.
The workshops also addressed specific concerns, such as the need for user group-limited access, alarm prioritization, and the integration of warming controls for ground pockets, ensuring that the solution was comprehensive and user-friendly.
Impact
Our strategic approach and AI-driven solutions led to significant improvements in operational efficiency and consistency:
Standardized Production Quality
The unified control system ensured consistent production quality across all factories, reducing variability and improving overall product reliability.
Increased Operational Efficiency
The design solution, coupled with effective coordination, led to more efficient use of resources, reducing waste and lowering operational costs.
Enhanced Decision-Making
The user-centric design and data visualization tools provided clear, actionable insights, enabling factory managers to make informed decisions quickly and effectively.
Scalable Solutions
The centralized control system was designed to scale, allowing the company to easily integrate additional factories into the system as needed.
How We Can Help
At Industriant, we specialize in designing and coordinating the implementation of centralized control systems and design solutions for complex industrial operations.
Our expertise can help your organization:
- Design Optimization Solutions that enhance resource management and predictive maintenance.
- Coordinate the Implementation of these solutions across your operations to ensure consistent production quality and efficiency.
- Design and Implement User-Centric Interfaces that provide real-time monitoring, data visualization, and control across all operational sites.
- Facilitate Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration to ensure successful adoption of new systems and processes.
Client Experiences
Interactive visualization guided decision-making and drove conversations with senior executive stakeholders. It seamlessly blended the overall plan with detailed technical drill-downs when needed.
Director of Global Enterprise Architecture, Lafarge
Industriant consistently delivered comprehensive designs in both website and interactive visualizations for industrial and mechanical concepts.
Industrial / Product Designer at Reliably Creative
I really enjoyed working with them. Forward-thinking UI experts - an asset to interdisciplinary teams.
Senior Developer, Microsoft Research
Looking to unify and optimize your control systems?
We’re ready to collaborate on mission-critical solutions with advanced technology and strategic planning.