GE Fanuc Introduces Batch Formulation Management

Charlottesville, VA -- GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, announced the introduction of Batch Formulation Management for its Proficy Batch Execution 5.1 software. Batch Formulation Management allows users to create variations of a product based on a single master recipe, significantly decreasing the time to market for new products and reducing validation costs, as well as the number of master recipes needed to be maintained on the production line.

"Formulation Management provides a mechanism for defining a formulation recipe that consists of two sets, or groups, of parameter values against a master recipe," said Kam Yuen, Product Manager for Proficy Process Solutions.

The two sets of parameters that make up a formulation recipe are global parameters and product formulation.

  • Global parameters represent the set points of a subset of recipe parameters in a master recipe. They can be viewed as equipment settings that do not change, regardless of what product is being made. There is only one set of global parameters in a master recipe.

     

  • Product formulation is a named recipe object linked to a specific master recipe. It represents the set points of the remaining recipe parameters of the corresponding master recipe. There will be one product formulation for each variation/flavor of the product.

During execution of a formulation recipe, the set of global parameters and product formulation parameters are applied to the master recipe to create a batch.

Proficy Batch Execution 5.1 greatly simplifies batch systems development and deployment while providing the comprehensive capability and power of S88. Whether providing batch solutions for an OEM skid or replacing a previous custom batch system, Proficy Batch Execution software provides a cost-effective simple batch approach that can scale and be standards based.

In addition, Batch 5.1 leverages GE Fanuc's strong Proficy suite. From Proficy Plant Applications, which includes Batch Analysis, Production/Genealogy, Quality, and Efficiency modules, to Proficy Process Systems, which provides the latest in process control technologies, customers now have the ability to completely integrate their batch operations from their control systems to their business systems.

"Only GE Fanuc can provide customers with this complete batch solution," said Yuen. "The addition of Formulation Management is another example of our continued investment in batch, and one from which both existing and new customers will greatly benefit."

About GE Fanuc
GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a joint venture between General Electric and Fanuc Ltd. of Japan, is a high-performance technology company and a global provider of hardware, software, services, expertise, and experience in automation and embedded computing, with products used in virtually every industry, including manufacturing automation, defense, automotive, telecommunications, healthcare, and aerospace. GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms is a worldwide company head-quartered in Charlottesville, VA, and is part of GE Enterprise Solutions.