PHOENIX - Honeywell released Business FLEX 200, an updated version of the company's manufacturing execution system (MES) software package that helps industrial facilities sync their production schedules with business objectives while reducing operating costs. The latest version includes enhancements such as multilanguage support for international locations, enhanced security features, and the ability to work with third-party historian systems.
"The latest release of Business FLEX takes organizations to the next level of performance by providing a truly collaborative manufacturing environment that increases information visibility, production flexibility, and the opportunities for profit," said Tom Fiske, senior analyst for the ARC Advisory Group. "The continuous development and evolution of Business FLEX solutions clearly addresses the needs of the process industries by allowing companies to take advantage of spot opportunities, improve planning processes, enhance supply chain execution, boost operational efficiency, and increase profitability."
In use at more than 400 industrial facilities around the world, Honeywell Business FLEX— a component of the Experion Process Knowledge System (PKS)—provides applications for the refining; petrochemical; chemical; oil and gas; pulp, paper, and printing; power generation; and metals, mining, and minerals markets.
"An industrial plant is a mountain of raw data, and decision makers—from operators to accountants—need to be able to make sense of that data to help their plants improve business results," said Gerry Guiterrez, director of performance services for Honeywell Process Solutions. "Honeywell's MES solutions aid the decision-making process by translating that data into meaningful and actionable information for a broad range of users. The Business FLEX enhancements make this innovative software even more user-friendly while expanding its functionality."
Using Business FLEX, companies can increase production between 3% and 6%, and decrease costs between 2% and 3%. Users experience significant improvements in operations, production, planning and scheduling, and enhanced blending and movement automation. Improvements include:
- Globalization—The software supports international versions of Windows and provides tools to translate user interfaces into local languages.
- Enhanced security—An integrated security system ensures only authorized personnel can access the system, and requires less involvement from IT administrators.
- Historian flexibility—Business FLEX 200 supports Honeywell's Uniformance PHD and also third-party process historians, providing increased flexibility and options for customers.
- Support for the ISA S95 standard—This enables communication between the plant and corporate systems using industry-standard, open XML communication services.
- Production Control Center—This suite of tools for operations and production management in the oil & gas industry, especially offshore platforms, provides production management, well test reporting, and operations management.
- The release of blending instructions and the Experion Blend Controller—These control blend startup/shutdown, monitor for equipment malfunctions, and process upsets to make necessary adjustments.
Honeywell International is a $30 billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, NJ, Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, Chicago, and Pacific Stock Exchanges. It is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. For additional information, please visit the company's Web site. Honeywell Process Solutions is part of Honeywell's Automation and Control Solutions Group, a global leader in providing product and service solutions that improve efficiency and profitability, support regulatory compliance, and maintain safe, comfortable environments in homes, buildings, and industry. For more information about process solutions, access the group's Web site.