Bonas Weavelink offers the IT solution for weaving mills

This article entails specifications for the implementation of We@velink system by NV Bonas Textile Machinery - a complete manufacturing system for your factory from raw material to finished product. In its different modules and extensions it can handle all MES (Manufacturing Executing System) needs. It is developed based on the requirements, the needs and the feedback of Bonas customers. All extensions and modules are built around a central base module We@velink Base. The highlighted modules are the ones Bonas is proposing in this document. The We@velink system can connect all types of production machines from all suppliers and can be extended to all production processes. The We@velink ERP LINK module is the link between your manufacturing and your administrative ERP software or accounting system.

The recent statistics show that today 60% of all companies are busy with investments in IT in order to improve their processes. Companies are now more then ever more hesitant about employing more staff or raising salaries and are more focused to keep tabs on expenses, improving production efficiencies and, lets not forget, making processes so controlled that they can produce a consistent quality. To achieve this, they will optimize internal processes and enhance efficiency by acquiring IT solutions. If we simplify the issue we can say that a textile manufacturers IT requirements can be split into two major blocks: on one side ADMINISTRATION IT  and on the other side MANUFACTURING IT.

ERP software takes care of the administrative needs of a company. BONAS WEAVELINK takes care of the manufacturing needs. There is a grey zone between the two. Some data (for example order intake) has to be exchanged between the two systems, and the  return on investment becomes very easy and quick when using BONAS WE@VELINK as manufacturing with a link to your administrative software.

BONAS WE@VELINK hands over data in weights, time, volumes to the administration and the ERP adds the financial values. We tell the admin. the order is ready at that place and the admin. provides at the same time the necessary documents, so BONAS WE@VELINK takes over, where ERP reaches its limits.

This avoids having to do the same task twice: for example production planning is done immediately upto the machine level in the right machine language without human interaction. One of the prime requirements of any software should be ‘REAL TIME and UNIQUE DATA INPUT’. Therefore our monitoring is also based on direct captured data.

Characteristics of We@velink

• Very user friendly and intuitive graphical user interface.
• Tuned to cooperate with the all controllers and machines. 
• Background processing of data to avoid waiting times and to control all machines simultaneously.
• Open structure for easy integration with other systems.
• Two operation modules: interactive operation through the graphical user interface and the “black box” mode as bi-directional interface between an administrative system and the jacquard controllers
• The We@velink application consists of a one base module into which several application modules can be plugged.

The advantages of implementing the BONAS WE@VELINK SYSTEM in a textile factory results in a  real boost in the overall profitability of the weaving mill.

• Stock reduction of raw material.
• More efficient planning: more throughput, less wasted production time.
• You obtain a real-time view on the important process data for your factory. (KPI: Key performance indicators).
• The live data feed allows you to optimize the production workflow and increase efficiency at all times where it is needed.
• The centralization of production data from all levels results in a huge knowledge base of valuable information immediately applicable to optimize the production.
• Crystal clear graphs and reports allow decision makers in your company to take well-informed decisions.

Softwares

We@velink BASE

The We@velink BASE is the central heart of the We@velink solution. This module is necessary for each process you want to manage and in this case the weaving process. It includes the overall intelligence based on central database of all files needed for use in the connected modules. This includes,

• framework for all software modules.
• graphical user interface (menu, toolbars, views, context menus)
• overview of looms.
• database with query possibilities.
• online help.
• Background execution of tasks.
• Simultaneous operation of looms.
• Job dispatcher.
• Automated server data management.
•  Automated search for new/changed designs processed by a CAD CAM system.

We@velink SCHEDULING

This module takes care of scheduling of all the connected looms. In the planning board, the operator can schedule the orders and keep track of the related color palettes. Not only orders can be planned, but also capacity planning can be performed.

This is connected to a calender, where all data is stored regarding effective working time, holidays, preventative scheduled maintenance,

• EDIT Schedules includes production orders with processed designs and then saves production orders on a removable disk.
• Visualization module defines yarns, color palettes. Also visualizes processed designs according the used yarns on the loom  and lastly visualizes weave sets (raster).
• Planning Board (+queue)

(a)        electronic planning board with a calendar and looms divided in groups on which production orders can be planned and related color palettes are visualized.

(b)        Connected to the loom monitoring system (calculation of the predicted endtimes).

(c)        indication of production orders that will not be finished in time.

(d)        capacity planning.

(e)        indication of periods of no production per loom

(f)         query possibilities

(g)        overview of the production orders that have been woven visual and intuitive work instrument for all We@velink commands.

(h)        layout of reports defined in templates

(i)         tickets of production orders to be woven. 

(j)         overview of queues for all machines.

(k)        reports of woven schedules.

(l)         summary reports per quality.

(m)       length and square meter calculations.

We@velink MONITORING

 This module is directly connected to We@velink BASE, brings back all captured log files and vital information from the production machines to the people responsible. Not in the form of page long lists, but the data is filtered intelligently to summarize down to the essentials. We use the latest techniques in custom defined KPI’s. (Key Performance Indicators). This brings the operator all essential data in graphical dashboard form for essential decision making.

• Production data (stops, woven picks, etc.) are stored in the central database.
• Getting stop reasons from machines, input of stop code for other stops  by the weaver.
• Support by the jacquard controller software in order to have accurate data.
• All kinds of information can be dynamically be retrieved by means of a web based tool.
• Integration of an OLAP tool which simplifies analyzing a huge amount of data and which simplifies pinpointing problems.
• Charts (bar graphs, stacked bar graphs, pie charts, path diagrams).
• Role base reports (weaver, production manager, planning manager, plant manager).
• Predefined day, week, month and year reports, accessible through a navigation tree.
• Efficiency, stop and productivity reports.
• Reports per loom, per quality, per shift, per weaver,
• Drill through possibilities.
• Adapted reports can be saved under a user name .
• Reports can be exported to Excel and to PDF format.
• Calculation of efficiencies based upon the industrial standard OEE.
• Key performance indicators for predefined goals.
• Real time information.
• Runs on a PDA. 

We@velink JACQUARD COMMUNICATION

This module connects the Bonas (S500, S600, S800) to the central We@velink Base module. It’s a complete communication manager, managing the communication from production floor to the central database in two directions.

• File transfer: Send and receive data, delete files to and from on the controller. 
• intelligence: only aliso overwrites if changed, with included files, verification if weavable,…
• Overview of all connected looms.
• Connection of new looms.
• Automatic update of files on controller if changed on server.
• Take over of the controller screen (for Bonas controllers).
• Automatic loom disk management.
• Sending of changed designs to the controller.
• Client server environments.

Bonas also offers training, installation and start-up of the software and shall  furnish the service of a specialist for the supervision of the project, installation and start up of the system and training as described hereafter:

• The installation preparation work performed at Van de Wiele site.
• The installation work of the computer components at user-buyer’s site, up to a complete operational level is reached, if delivered by Van de Wiele
• On site training of user-buyer’s personnel.

Courtesy: NV Bonas Textile Machinery. 
(Electronic Jacquard Machines)   
www.bonas.be.