Automation educator Ken Ryan travels to Ireland to find a real-world application that leverages automation standards to integrate best-of-breed equipment.
Our resident packaging automation blogger Keith Campbell (www.ontheedgeblog.com) catches up with automation educator Dr. Ken Ryan, director of the Center of Automation and Control at Alexandria Technical College (www.camc-online.org) on location in Ireland to discuss:
a real-world example of stitching together best-of-breed high speed assembly machines, a flow wrapper, a case packer, and plenty of integrated robotics using S88, S95, S99, Make2Pack, PackML, and IEC 61131 for a pharmaceutical/medical device application, all using automation components from different suppliers
a contrarian view on upskilling--how better automation can actually reduce the need for upskilling the workforce
how North America is lagging Europe in the adoption of these international standards
retooling tech schools to educate a new generation of techs in the FDA regulatory process, medical device terminology, and what it's like to operate in a validated environment
Using standards for successful implementation of 21 CFR Part 11 electronic signature requirements in packaging
Secure remote access to machines via the S99 standard as part of a validated environment under a 21 CFR Part 11 framework.
SL Controls' Shane Loughlin, whose company integrated the application, also joins the discussion.
