Rapid deployment
using standard tools and technology
Create a lean link with the Smart Business Connector
When customers invest in a new system, they don’t always take into account future challenges. Integrating components and application platforms is what we do all year round, for quite some time now – over 37 year – that is why we know what challenges the future can bring when we implement our solutions. The idea of the Smart Business Connector was born when we began to see enterprise software interfaces spiral out of control at our customers. Mostly due to lack of scalability, custom build interfaces and based on current needs instead of long term vision.
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What starts as a way to get some information from system A to system B or, for example, you want to print a label for a big bag with information from multiple systems, you will need to write an interface between the applications interchanging the information. Lots of software platforms offer some kind of integration with a limited number of partner applications. Most of the time the customer wants something that is not possible using the standard integration possibilities, so instead they opt for custom developed software for this specific problem.
What seems as a suitable solution first, becomes a major challenge afterwards. After the solution is implemented, other requirements and improvements will be implemented in the interface without looking back to the foundation and its capabilities. Most of the times the original solution is not built to fit the new requirements, because the later requirements were not taken into account in the first place.
Together with the best developers at ICT, I worked out my idea which resulted in the Smart Business Connector. This solution does not only fit the customers direct needs with standard connectors, but it also has the scalability to expand and the flexibility to customize and extend.
To create such a system you need to make sure the foundation is simple and generic to be able to scale out and build multiple interfaces upon. To accomplish these requirements the Smart Business Connector is built upon Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) technology and uses ISA95 B2MML for generic messages which can be customized by flexible connectors.
Interested if Smart Business Connector can help your business? Contact Pim Berends (pim.berends@ict.nl)
Advantages
Solution advantages
Independent application
Independent application guaranteeing vendor flexibility
Standards
ISA-95 and ISA-88 standards compliance
Flexible platform
Flexible platform ensuring optimal fit to customer requirements
Easy to support
Easy to support and expand, significantly reducing total cost of ownership
Focus
Strongly supported lean manufacturing and six-sigma programs
Connectivity
Standard, easy to integrate connectivity between ERP and shop-floor control systems (MES, MOM, WMS and LIMS) and peripherals – including scales, barcode printers and scanners.
Intuitive user interface
Intuitive user interface displays including manual operator data entry functionality
Search Engine
Built in logic / algorithm engine for Contamination matrix (Cleaning in Process)
