Manufacturers today strive to simplify complex production processes, with the aim of making it possible to save time and reduce costs, while, at the same time, seeking to increase productivity and profitability in general.
By Francisco Rodríguez*
Notwithstanding the above, streamlining long-established processes requires a slow and often daunting effort. If manufacturers implement quality programs and new technologies correctly from the start, they can easily improve existing processes and reap immediate benefits.
Technology has evolved greatly in recent years. Specifically, IP video solutions and analytics are now transcendental business tools, providing companies, plants and factories with not only intelligent video surveillance, but also operational tools to create a safer and more efficient workplace. By 2019, the IP video and analytics solutions industry focused on areas of security and productivity will have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.1 percent.
First, smart technologies are used to create alerts when behavioral rules or certain processes are violated, which serves to detect criminal acts and other deviant behavior. Historically, motion-specific alarms were very basic and created frequent distractions. Over time, this became inefficient and alerts were often ignored. The scenario: outdated video analytics that no longer served their purpose.
With the widespread recognition of this problem, smart technologies have improved significantly. Due to the quality of these advances, video surveillance cameras are now versatile and work for the benefit of security teams, as well as human resources, business operations and other integral departments. Manufacturing and manufacturing operations can leverage video analytics technologies, implementing a variety of digital rules that alert operational teams and management to control any type of failure or malfunction within processes.
Personal safety, the priority within any production process
Workplace injuries cause downtime and decrease productivity. By creating a safer workplace, employees can work with confidence, while management can demonstrate lower corporate risk. Video surveillance cameras can be deployed above the location where workers operate near machinery, moving vehicles, or production equipment.
By creating non-crossed lines in a camera's field of view, the team can create an alert when a person crosses a virtual line near the vehicle's machinery or tracks. This alert can trigger a siren, or even stop a production line, until the worker returns to a safe area. In addition, advanced analytics capabilities such as heat mapping, people counting, face recognition, among others, provide plant owners or managers with useful information about the overall behavior of their infrastructure and personnel.
Operation of machinery and heavy vehicles
Heavy vehicles and machinery are typically restricted to travel routes or specific areas within a facility. Cameras with video analytics can monitor these pathways and, when any of them is violated without prior authorization, an alarm, siren or rotating light is triggered in the activated area. For example, on a route traced by a railway track, video from high-performance IP cameras helps monitor the contact of electric pantographs on trains at high speeds to avoid failures, maintain efficient operation and, ultimately, improve the safety of personnel who could invade the route of the train or some other transport.
Asset protection
Transport belts keep important packages moving and allow for constant production. When packages fall off a conveyor belt or do not flow along the production line, an alarm can be sent to operational supervisors to alert them to a problem on the line. Smart video also makes it possible to read labels in high resolution, which supports logistics coordinators to track progress efficiently, minimizing loss and theft.
Additionally, an NVR (Network Video Recorder) added to a surveillance system will allow security images to be transmitted over the Internet; making it easy to control any camera at all times. This is especially useful in factories and large plants with different locations. The recorders also allow security personnel to perform more active tasks (such as foot patrols) instead of staring at a video monitor for hours. Additionally, the Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) capabilities in certain cameras allow workers to see details that were previously imperceptible to the human eye, aiding quality control and efficiency.
Intelligent access and exit monitoring
Video analytics deployed on loading dock cameras can alert operational teams when a delivery truck enters or leaves, allowing teams to be prepared for new deliveries and notify empty bay coordinators for incoming deliveries. The same analysis can be used to create an alert when access roads or parking lots are blocked by disabled vehicles. Objects, personnel or machinery traveling in the wrong direction can also generate a warning.
Rationalization operations, high-value competitive advantage
While the above applications reference the use of video analytics for real-time operational and security alerts, the technology can also be used in pre-recorded video to improve business operations. The various rules that can be applied to live video streams can also be applied after the video has been recorded. This helps solve the question of how many times has the same incident, failure or problem occurred in the plants? which is usually formulated after something caught the attention of supervisors and management teams.
Considering all the above, it is advisable not to forget also that at all times the privacy of employees must be protected, keeping the cameras in public areas such as administrative areas, manufacturing, outside rest rooms and bathrooms; prevent damage to any safety equipment, as cameras that monitor manufacturing processes or heavy machinery can be damaged by falling parts, excessive temperatures or machinery malfunctioning; and also take care that power outages or electrical surges do not damage systems or interrupt their records, as they can leave factories vulnerable to theft or other damage. While this type of damage is rare, it is important to have an alternative form of security in place to protect employees and infrastructure in the event of this type of disruption.
As smart video capabilities have advanced, becoming more mainstream, their cost and effectiveness has only improved. Today, customers of all sizes and across all verticals can benefit greatly from video analytics, without punishing their budgets. The technology can even save money for many of them by setting security response standards, automating certain processes, accelerating incident response, and optimizing operations. As the global video surveillance industry strengthens, all indications are that the market will continue to flourish, while constantly introducing new ways to help ensure the safety of people and organizations around the world.
*Francisco Rodríguez is Manager of Professional Services at Axis Communications.
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