Welcome to Amper! In this article we will go over all of the features and benefits that Amper can bring your factory. While using Amper starts with our revolutionary non-invasive machine monitoring system, there is much more to help your factory achieve new levels of efficiency and insight. Read on to find out about all the ways that Amper can help you maximize your productivity!
Non-Invasive Machine Monitoring
Amper Machine Monitoring Hardware
The base of Amper is our industry disrupting Non-Invasive Machine Monitoring technology. This technology works by attaching sensors to machine wires to monitor the amperage draw of the machine's components. For example for a standard CNC machine the sensor will be attached to the main spindle. If the machine has additional components such as multiple spindles or live tooling, sensors will be attached to these components as well.
For more information on Amper hardware check out our Amper Hardware Overview!
Machine States
As the Amper hardware collects amperage signals from the machine, it is sent to our network and our proprietary Data Science algorithms analyze the data and determine the state of the machine. Our system will classify the machine into one of three states:
- Production - The machine is actively running and producing parts
- Idle - The machine is on, but not actively running and producing parts
- Off - The machine is off
Machine Timelines
After our algorithms make a determination on the machine state, this data is posted to your Amper system for you to view. The main way to view your machine states is on the homepage of your Amper web app. In the picture below you can see the live data for two machines. As the day progresses, the grey area is automatically populated with your machine state data.
You can also filter your Machine Timelines based on the Date or Shift of Interest to better target your viewing.
From these machine states, Amper calculates the machine's Utilization percentage telling you how much of the time is actual production as well as the cumulative duration of production in the Date and Shift selected.
Dashboards
There will be times that you want to view your machines' state data but don't have easy access to a phone or computer. Amper's Dashboards are views of machine data that you setup on any TV or Monitor so everyone can always be aware of your machines' performance.
With Amper's Dashboards posted on your floors your Supervisors can have easy visibility into how their cell is doing and take action without having to open their computer or phone.
Alerts
Have you ever had a machine down for hours and nobody informed you? Use Amper to set up custom Text or Email Alerts to make sure no production stops or issues go unnoticed.
Amper Alerts can be set to notify you any time a machine is down for a set period of time or if a specific Downtime Reason is entered in your Downtime Period module (We will discuss this feature in more detail in the Operator Interface section below).
For more information on the different types of Alerts and configurations, please see our article Creating Alerts.
Operator Interfaces
While tracking your machine's production state is key to improving your factory's performance, Amper doesn't stop there. Operator Interfaces are tablets or computers on your factory floor that allow operators to enter in additional information such as Downtime Reasons or how long setups took.
Downtime Tracking
With the Downtime Tracking module, Amper will generate Downtime Periods based on the machine states and allow operators to assign a Downtime Reason of why the machine is down. As this data is collected it will provide actionable information so you can target the largest drivers of machine downtime.
Call Button
Sometimes our operators need help. But searching the plant for a technician can be distracting, time consuming, and detrimental to productivity. Amper makes it easy with our Call Button feature built right into the Operator Interface.
Simply select the person or team you want to notify, enter your message and hit submit. Your team members will receive a text or email alert along with the provided message. Now your operators can get the help they need without walking all the way across your factory.
Setups
Setting up a machine for a new part takes time. But where does all that time go? With our Setup Module you can capture the exact amount of time spent on each step of the setup process.
Now with precise data on how long each step in a setup takes, you can identify training opportunities or ideas for your next Continuous Improvement project.
Operator Sign In
It can be hard to know exactly how your operators are spending their time. With Amper you no longer have to guess. Our Operator Sign-In module lets operators keep you informed of the machine they are using with just a few easy clicks.
Part Assign
Do some parts seem to always give your facility trouble but you are unsure how to fix it? With Amper’s Part Assign module all your questions on parts will be answered. With an Operator Interface your employees can easily enter the part they are currently working on or setting up.
It’s never been easier to collect part specific data on how long setups took, utilization percentage, and downtime reasons.
Part Scrap Count
Many factories are shuffling around a seemingly endless stream of pen and paper notes trying to track how many parts are made. With Amper’s Part and Scrap Count module you’ll never have to worry about organizing loose pieces of paper or wasting countless hours entering data into a spreadsheet ever again.
Analytics
It's not enough to just collect your data. You need to take a deep dive into your data to better understand your factory and target improvement projects. With Amper, being an analytics expert has never been easier when you use our suite of analytics tools and reports.
Explore
Amper’s Explore module helps you drill down into your data by viewing graphs with customizable groupings and filters to uncover previously hidden trends and insights.
Perform a deep analysis in just a few clicks so you can spend less time creating spreadsheets and more time improving your operations. Access Explore to analyze your data for:
- Downtime - Target largest Downtime Reasons and the most problematic machines
- Utilization - Understand how your Utilization differs across shifts, machines, employees, and dates
- Setup - View how long each specific step in a setup took
- Response Time - Track which team members respond to Operator Calls and understand how quickly your team responds
Reports
With Amper you aren't just limited to viewing the your Data in the app. Use our Reports feature to export both styled reports fit for presentation as well as raw CSV data for performing your own analysis.
PDF Reports
Amper has a number of PDF reports to view your data in a way that is both insightful and easy to read. With these executive ready reports you'll always be prepared to share your data with everyone on your team.
Machine Summary
With the Machine Summary report, you have a high level overview of your available and utilized production. Customize the machines included in the report to provide info on a cell by cell or a factory wide basis.
Machine Utilization
Need to know how much your machines were utilized in a given week? With our easy to read Machine Utilization report you will always know how last week went down to the machine.
Machine Utilization - Detailed
Want more specific information on each machine's performance? Use our Machine Utilization - Detailed report to get a day by day breakdown of your machine performance both in terms of hours of production and the utilization percentage.
State Timelines
Reading the machine timelines in the Amper web app is easy and insightful, but what if you want this data ready for your next production meeting? With our State Timelines report you can have that same information in a printer ready PDF for use anywhere in your factory.
CSV Reports
In addition to the easy to read PDF reports Amper also generates CSV reports for you to export and use in your own analysis or incorporate into preexisting models.
Machine Production Hours
With our Machine Production Hours report you get data on the total numbers of production hours a machine has per day. Customize the date range and the included machines for easy access to any Production data you need.
Machine States
Need more specific data on the Machine States beyond just total production? Run our Machine States CSV report and get data on the exact time each machine entered and exit a given Machine State. Now you will always know exactly when your machines started or stopped and have it in a familiar format for you analysis.
Production Reports
Need a summarized breakdown of how your factory performed in terms of parts, machine and employees? When you use Amper this has never been easier. Our set of Production Reports provide you reports that are comprehensive and in depth - no data wrangling required! Now you will always have at your fingertips reports on:
- Part - Quantity, Scrap, Man Hours
- Employee - Sign In/Sign Out Times, Productivity, Setup Count and Times
- Machine - Utilization, Setup Count and Times, and Man Hours