SEPR Italia optimizes production with GE Digital’s Proficy Plant Applications

In line with its continuous commitment to boost its digital performance, SEPR Italia, SEFPRO's plant in Mezzocorona, Italy, has considerably accelerated its digital transformation journey through GE Digital's Proficy Plan Applications, a proven solution which leverages real-time production data to optimize operations.

At the Mezzocorona plant in northern Italy, a significant amount of time was spent collecting production data on paper. It became crucial for SEPR Italia to step up its digital strategy and automate its data collection process to improve on-site efficiency. In order to speed up this digital transformation while meeting glass makers’ ever-growing expectations regarding quality, service, responsiveness and innovation, SEPR Italia turned to GE Digital’s Proficy solution. SEPR Italia implemented GE Digital’s comprehensive solution in a three-tier Proficy architecture featuring:

1. Automation with iFIX HMI/SCADA and on-prem data management with Proficy Historian
2. Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) with Proficy Plant Applications
3. Cloud-based data management with Proficy Manufacturing Data Cloud (MDC)

Increased skills, expertise and visibility through GE Digital’s Proficy solution

The first step towards digitalization was to roll out an effective staff training in using GE Digital’s software solution. Once this was successfully completed, all plant operators based in the production workshops were equipped with dedicated computers which are now essential tools in their daily data collection.

As of now, up to 95% of the Mezzocorona plant production data is collected through GE Digital’s automated solutions. And with these new automated processes and lean manufacturing approach came extremely significant and positive impacts on the plant’s performance. In addition to significantly reducing the time spent collecting production data, GE Digital’s software solution has driven successful change management through all levels of the Mezzocorona plant organization by putting into effect these new data collection methods and processes. More important still, full data traceability enabled SEPR Italia to set even higher quality and reliability standards. This enhanced data traceability also allows our Mezzocorona operators to have a quicker response to tenders and to benefit from an improved monitoring of the plant’s performance and a higher mid-term and long-term visibility.

Last but not least, GE Digital’s software has contributed to enhanced plant safety by allowing closer monitoring and better detection of potential complications which could affect on-site safety. 

Moving forward with the global digital transformation journey

SEPR Italia’s success towards full digitalization marks only one of the first milestones of SEFPRO’s efforts to accelerate its global digital transformation. Each plant having its own area of specialization and expertise, SEFPRO has now undertaken the challenge to upgrade its production data collection processes in every plant it operates across the world, in line with its long-standing commitment to provide all glass makers with the best refractory solutions.