Remote Plant Monitoring Logbook Many plants are equipped with computer instrumentation which allows 24 hour a day remote monitoring and adjusting (including startup). These plant
locations are run from one central location. The plants are equipped to dial into the monitoring center whenever the plant is experiencing a problem. In the old system, information scrolled onto a onitor and
made an audible sound. The technicians would have to look at the screen, get any pertinent information, and decide what action to take. Problems:
1.Central monitoring was very new, so work processes were not fully developed yet.
2.When a lot was happening, it was very easy for incoming
messages to scroll so fast that prior unnoticed messages vanished off the screen. Critical situations (i.e. a plant shutdown) could go unnoticed and cause major problems.
3.The only way to keep track of what was going on was to manually enter the information into a paper logbook. On most days technicians would have to work overtime to enter the information into the paper
logbook.
4.As plants were added to the system, more people were needed to do the monitoring. The addition of one technician position required 3 additional people (one for
each shift) and 3 PCs. Solution:
Create an electronic logbook using Lotus Notes. The information that scrolls on the screen is also written to a flat file on the server. A Visual Basic program was written to decipher these log files (each type of plant has its own file format) and write the information to a Lotus Notes database. Originally, this was the electronic logbook. As the system developed, what started out as a simple logbook turned into a complete monitoring system that is robust and easy to modify as the work process evolves. The technicians work from the main Lotus Notes view. When a new alarm comes in, they can do all that needs to be done from one document via buttons. There are three supporting reference databases which can be modified via buttons. Documents are written to additional related databases by use of a button. Certain types of documents are automatically mailed to plant specific mailing lists, which are kept in the Plant database. To keep the database size reasonable documents are archived periodically.
- Tools Used: Visual Basic, VBLink, Lotus Notes.
- Lotus Notes Features Used: DBLookup, DBColumn, Buttons, Macros, Reference databases, Mail enabled database.
Equipment Installation Tracking Customers are being
encouraged to have equipment installed that would automatically detect when a storage tank was low on product and place a call to order more. The installation process requires phone lines to be run,
equipment to be installed and tested, and information to be made available to a varied group of people across the country. Outside contractors need information. The local phone companies need information.
Internal people need to know what was going on for each plant at every point along the way. Problem:
Too many things to do and too many people (internal and external) to keep track of, allowing many places for parts of an installation to fall through the cracks. Solution:
Create a tracking application in Lotus Notes. The tracking process starts with a Fax from a salesperson requesting installation of a Monitoring Unit. Information is Faxed to the local phone company requesting a phone number and supplying billing information. If necessary a local contractor is needed to run the phone line. At each step of the process information needs to be communicated to the Maintenance Supervisor so that there is a Unit available to be installed when the site is ready and there is a technician available to test and install the Unit. The corporate Telecommunications department also needs to know the status of all installations. There are specific time deadlines to keep the installations on an optimal schedule. Exact, detailed information must be sent to the right external people at the right time. This information is Faxed, based on information in other fields, at the push of a button. Overdue deadlines are identified in views for easy follow-up.
- Lotus Notes Features Used: FAX gateway, DBLookup, Reference database, Buttons.
Data Flow Monitoring Plant process information is
used to optimize production and minimize power costs. This information is collected at the plant by a local computer, sent to a central computer for analysis and reclassification, and then sent to the
mainframe for widespread viewing. The plant planners access this information to adjust plant schedules for the coming month. This information is also used on a daily basis during certain crisis situations,
e.g. a plant goes down and other plant(s) need to be able to produce more to make up for this lost production. Problem:
There are many points at which the information can stop flowing. The planners need to know whether there is a problem with the information reporting process or if there is a production problem at the plant. On off hours no one is monitoring the data flow.
Solution:
Create a monitoring system that can be used by the computer operators (when they are on duty) or sent as an alarm to the Remote Plant Monitoring Logbook (previously described above). A file is created on the central computer which gives the status of individual plant computers. If more that 80% of the plants have a problem, a general alarm is signaled. This file is sent to the LAN using TCP/IP where a Forest and Trees application reads the information and compares it to information from status tables on the mainframe. A
Forest and Trees alarm is created for the operators if:
- Data has not been received from a specific plant within 3 hours
- the file put on the LAN has not been updated in 3 hours
- a general alarm is signaled
- more than 80% of the data did not reach the mainframe.
Lotus Notes databases contain information on legal holidays (i.e. the operators are not working) and plant criticality. An alarm is sent to the Remote Plant Monitoring Logbook on off hours only when the
plant status deems if necessary. Each planner is responsible for determining which plant(s) are critical.
- Tools/Features Used: Visual Basic, VBLink, Forest and Trees, Lotus Notes.
- Lotus Notes Features Used: DBLookup, Reference database.
Performance Appraisals The performance appraisal
system was updated a few years ago to reflect the changes being made with respect to the Quality Leadership program. After using the new appraisal system for a few years, a new short form was developed to
incorporate all aspects of the appraisal form into a short easy to use form. Problem: How to disseminate the new appraisal system to everyone in the company. Solution:
Create a Lotus Notes Appraisal database that everyone could access. The appraisal form consists of four different forms:
- The first form is the goal setting form and is filled out at the beginning of the year by the employee or the employee's supervisor. This form has both an editorlist and a readerlist. The person who
is the subject of the form always has at least reader privilege. The editorlist contains the supervisor name. The readerlist contains a complete list a anyone who will be
asked to give input into the performance of this individual.
- The second form is used for period reviews. This is the form filled out by others at the request of the supervisor. This form automatically carries the supervisor name in the readerlist. The person
who wrote the review also has access. The supervisor then uses these reviews to create an end of year review. This employee is given reader access to the supervisor's form after it is finalized.
There is no editorlist as no one should be able to change what is said in a review.
- The third form is the year end appraisal form which turns the words into a rating category. Again the employee is given access only after it is finalized and there is no editorlist. The supervisor's
supervisor is usually on the readerlist for this form.
- The final form is the employee's comment form. The employee name, the readerlist, and the editorlist have a lookup to the Name and Address book to ensure that the names are spelled properly for Lotus
Notes security. Buttons can be used to create any new form.
The employee name is automatically carried to each new form. The date is carried, but is editable. There is extensive help in the form of popups. There is also a print only section that is used when the
completed appraisal is printed. Both employee and supervisor initial the printed forms. This is the proof that the procedures were followed and that the appraisal was actually conducted.
- Lotus Notes Features Used: Reader lists, Author lists, Buttons.
Hardware and Software Acquisition and Inventory Tracking System This project was designed to automate the purchase and inventory tracking of computer hardware and software. Problem: It was a fairly manual process
with each designer doing things a little different. The purchase took a long time and it was hard to know where you were in the process. Approval letters needed to be generated. Purchase requisitions are
created after approval. The vendor needed to know what was being ordered to ensure inventory availability. Solution:
Create a Lotus Notes application to automate to process and make it easy to track. Inventory is tracked from purchase to the end of its useful life. Eight Lotus Notes databases are used to keep track of all the relevant information. The work process is driven by the Work Order database which controls the work flow from initial request to item installation. This feeds the Inventory database where the item is tracked until it leaves the company due to lease expiration, employee purchase, or the item being junked. Product information is easy to access and is accurate. Lease information is monitored. Employee information is added at the push of a button. Software licenses and maintenance agreements are tracked. Approval letters, purchase requisitions and picking tickets are all generated at the push of a button. Items can be selected for reused from current inventory. The vendor knows the exact status and can schedule installation accordingly.
- Lotus Notes Features Used: DBLookup, DBColumn, Prompt, PromptMulti, Macros, Buttons, Mail to another database.
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