j5 International are delighted to announce our new partnership with Equinox, an international IT solutions and chemical engineering services provider to the continuous, batch, CPI / HPI manufacturing and EPC Industries. This partnership extends the presence of the j5 Operations Management Software in Africa, Bahrain, India, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South East Asia and United Arab Emirates.
The post Equinox Become j5 Delivery Partner appeared first on j5 International.
The j5 Japan team recently visited the Kinomiya Shrine to pray for the prosperity of business. A Shōbai-hanjō Omamori was made as part of this tradition.
The post j5 Japan Visit Kinomiya Shrine appeared first on j5 International.
j5 International recently exhibited at PI World – OSIsoft Users Conference 2018 in San Francisco (April 23rd-26th).
David Dollar and Jon Running – from j5 North America – had a very busy week meeting OSIsoft representatives, partners and PI System® customers.
The j5 OSIsoft® PI Interface provides a broad integration between j5 and the OSIsoft PI System®, including PI Tags, the PI Asset Framework (AF) and PI Event Frames. These PI integration points coupled with j5 Applications and IndustraForm® provide a rich combination that combines human processes with real-time data.
Click here, for more information on the j5 OSIsoft® PI Interface.
OSIsoft, the OSIsoft logotype, and PI System are registered trademarks of OSIsoft, LLC.
The post PI World – OSIsoft® Users Conference 2018 appeared first on j5 International.
j5 International are delighted to announce our new partnership with SCANMES, specialists in:
This partnership extends the presence of the j5 Operations Management Software in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro and Serbia.
The post SCANMES Become j5 Delivery Partner appeared first on j5 International.
In this fourth edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Standing Orders:
The Problem
At industrial plants, it is important for operators and other personnel to understand key instructions that relate to their process, to ensure a smooth and safe operation. Traditionally, key instructions would be written in the control room on a whiteboard, but this method has limitations. The whiteboard approach cannot be effectively audited, is not mobile and accountability may become an issue if certain key functions are not performed.
Whiteboards are designed to be temporary, with text constantly written over and deleted. Therefore, important bulletin board instructions are not historically recorded and can be carelessly deleted without warning. Acknowledgements are messy, and it is difficult to know for sure that personnel have individually acknowledged the orders, without an electronic record. Personnel operating outside of the control room may also never receive important messages due to their movements in other areas of the plant. Mobile workers may also feel disconnected from the process of acknowledging key instructions.
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilize j5 Standing Orders. This web browser based system can be configured to meet a site’s specific requirements, from mandatory recorded information to the specific approval workflow which is to be enforced within your plant. j5 Standing Orders keeps a full record of all changes, ensuring an accurate and complete audit trail is available. Individual j5 Standing Orders are created, approved and assigned by authorized personnel.
j5 Standing Orders Mobile, also allows field operators to receive and acknowledge j5 Standing Orders remotely. In addition, j5 Standing Orders can be monitored using a dedicated Dashboard. Reminders and notifications can be set up to ensure that all j5 Standing Orders are acknowledged when required, ensuring your site is operating efficiently. j5 Standing Orders users have reported the following benefits:
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Standing Orders appeared first on j5 International.
j5 Software South Africa recently partnered with EOH MES to exhibit at the recent Wonderware Southern Africa X-Change 2018 conference.
The event – which was held at the Champagne Sports Resort from the 15th to the 18th of April – was an opportunity to learn how the next generation of industrial software innovation is leading digital transformation.
Matthew Hampton from j5 Software South Africa also presented the j5 Operations Management System and Wonderware System Platform InTouch OMI Integration:
The post Wonderware Southern Africa X-Change 2018 appeared first on j5 International.
The new j5 International website went live on Friday the 25th of May 2018, aligning with the revamped corporate branding and image of the company. The j5 International website now enables an enhanced user experience on a wide range of screen sizes.
The post New j5 International Website appeared first on j5 International.
Gordon Duthie, Jeremy Westwood, Richard Graham and Victoria Singleton from j5 International and Ben Pomfret from Servelec Controls recently exhibited j5 Shift Handover Software at the Safety 30 conference, which was held at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) on the 5th and 6th of June 2018. The event was hosted by Oil & Gas UK in association with the The International Regulators’ Forum (IRF).
Safety 30 reflected on the lessons learnt from the Piper Alpha disaster in July 1988, which led to 167 people losing their life. The agenda focused on how the legacy of Piper Alpha affects plant, process and people in oil and gas operations and process safety.
Lord Cullen of Whitekirk – a keynote speaker at Safety 30 – pressed the case for a thorough reporting culture within the industry. The Cullen Report (1990) concluded that one of the many factors that contributed to the Piper Alpha disaster was failure of information transmission at Shift Handover. Details about the replacement of a pressure safety valve with a blank flange, and instructions not to use it, failed to be communicated during the Shift Handover. At Safety 30 he issued a call to sector leaders to be alert to signs of danger, highlighting past examples in the industry and further afield in which warning signs not acted upon had tragic consequences:
“When I read reports about major accidents, I’m struck by how frequently they had been preceded by signs indicating danger. But those signs were not recognised or, at any rate, effectively acted on to prevent the accidents in question, or at any rate to limit their extent.”
The j5 Operations Management System is used by over 65% of the Downstream and 100% of the Upstream Oil and Gas assets in Japan. As a result, the solution has been developed in industries with a strong continuous improvement (Kaizen) philosophy.
The post Safety 30 appeared first on j5 International.
David Dollar from j5 North America was recently interviewed for the OSIsoft: My PI Story series:
The j5 OSIsoft PI Interface provides a broad integration between j5 and the OSIsoft PI System®, including PI Tags, the PI Asset Framework (AF) and PI Event Frames. These PI integration points coupled with j5 Applications and IndustraForm® Templates provide a rich combination that combines human processes with real-time data.
Click here, for more information on the j5 OSIsoft PI Interface.
OSIsoft, the OSIsoft logotype, and PI System are registered trademarks of OSIsoft, LLC.
The post OSIsoft: My PI Story – j5 North America appeared first on j5 International.
In this fifth edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Inspection Rounds:
The Problem
Inspection Rounds are a vital day-to-day human process, scheduled across the different areas of an industrial site. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) categorize the different routine Inspection Rounds as:
As a result, Inspection Rounds are an important part of health and safety culture and many plant operators still rely on paper checklists and clipboards for Inspection Rounds and field data collection. Using this method, after an Inspection Round is complete, the results are usually manually entered in a spreadsheet, database or disconnected application, wasting valuable time and creating unnecessary problems such as:
Also, despite the push towards automation, a significant amount of process data is not collected and recorded automatically. Making manual Inspection Rounds an essential data collection process that must be conducted efficiently and ideally linked to real-time systems such as Data Historians.
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilize j5 Inspection Rounds. This j5 Mobile application is used on industry standard devices based on popular operating systems. Allowing personnel to collect a sequence of measurements or observations according to a predefined plan. Typically, by following a route around a site, recording readings and answering questions about the status of equipment and processes, whilst optionally attaching photos, videos and notes to provide additional information. The j5 Inspection Rounds Desktop Configuration and Management application allows Inspection Rounds to be created according to a recurring schedule – for example daily or monthly rounds – or as a once-off round. Personnel can also easily view past, current and future Inspection Rounds. j5 Inspection Rounds can be used to collect manual data that is missing from DCS / SCADA / Data Historians like the OSIsoft PI System®. For example, j5 Mobile data can be written into the OSIsoft PI System, providing a clearer record of events happening across an industrial site. j5 Inspection Rounds users have reported the following benefits:
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Inspection Rounds appeared first on j5 International.
In this sixth edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Permit to Work:
The Problem
Such systems may also be known as Safe System of Work (SSOW) or Control of Work (COW). Typically, there are many such Permits in operation in the different areas of an industrial site and in various stages of completion. There are also typically different classes of work permit, which require different means of managing and certification. It is essential that all these factors are considered for the safe operation of the site.
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilize j5 Permit to Work (PTW). The j5 PTW application provides an effective, consistent and visual interface for the management and control of Permits. All the steps are audited and there is a complete record of all transactions in the process. Summaries of j5 PTW records are displayed in j5 Shift Handover reports and can be shared by email with nominated recipients. The j5 Permit to Work application comes with a set of IndustraForm® Templates that provide examples for handling a range of scenarios, covering the Permit level and the Certificate level. j5 Permit to Work users have reported the following benefits:
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Permit to Work appeared first on j5 International.
In this seventh edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Event Manager:
The Problem
Real-time events generated by a Distributed Control System (DCS) and / or Data Historians such the OSIsoft PI System®, Wonderware Historian and Aspen InfoPlus.21 (IP.21) must be recorded and monitored carefully. As a result, Operations Managers are under ever-growing pressure to maintain control on the manual and automated aspects of their business and report event and KPI details to various stakeholders. Potentially dangerous real-time events consistently occur across industrial plants and personnel require a tool to record and manage them.
Rich data from real-time systems adds value to Shift Handovers and other human procedures such as start-ups and visual inspections. Not integrating this real-time data into human processes can seriously impact site efficiency, production and safety. Making informed strategic decisions requires reliable and validated data from a huge number of sources presented in a way that can be understood by all levels of the process. Therefore, automated and manual data collection is crucial and must be interlinked to maintain compliance and ensure the safety of workers and the public.
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilize j5 Event Manager, ensuring that real-time events are properly recorded, and the correct human workflows are put in place. For example, if a plant boiler goes above a recommended temperature, the j5 Event Manager can record this in the j5 Operations Logbook. Therefore, the j5 Event Manager allows workers to react to site events effectively and ensures all high-risk events and trends are recorded thoroughly.
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Event Manager appeared first on j5 International.
j5 International recently exhibited at HxGN LIVE 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada (June 12th-15th).
David Dollar from j5 North America and Andrew Bateman from j5 Software South Africa had a very busy week demonstrating the human process value of j5 Operations Management Software at Hexagon’s premier cross-industry technology conference.
The post HxGN LIVE 2018 appeared first on j5 International.
j5 International are excited to announce that EOH, a existing j5 International Delivery Partner in South Africa has extended their partnership to the Middle East and India.
The post EOH Extends j5 Delivery Partnership to the Middle East and India appeared first on j5 International.
In this eighth edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Incident Management:
The Problem
The crucial management and tracking of Incidents and Near Misses through the many departments in an organization is often carried out with a diverse range of paper, spreadsheets, word documents and unconnected web / notes applications. This results in a “home-grown solution” in each department, meaning there is a different Incident Management procedure in each department. Leading to inconsistencies, maintenance issues, missed deadlines, lack of co-ordination and widespread frustration.
To bring these processes into control, it is necessary to adopt a single enterprise application across all departments that will enforce standard, accepted work practices in a clear, consistent manner and provide the necessary coordinating directives to ensure the actions are executed on time without costly omissions. In addition to bringing predictability, consistency and procedures to the processes, this kind of structure supports and meets the needs of ISO certification.
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilize j5 Incident Management. Built with IndustraForm® technology, the j5 Incident and Near Miss Management application delivers controlled, consistent management of Incidents and Near Miss tasks across all departments in the enterprise in a configurable, easy to use web interface. If the j5 Operations Management System is present, the j5 Incident Management application also allows the creation of j5 Standing Orders to communicate information about Incidents and Near Misses across the organization.
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Incident Management appeared first on j5 International.
In this ninth edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Management of Change:
The Problem
According to the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE):
“If a proposed modification is made to a hazardous process without appropriate review, the risk of a process safety accident could increase significantly.”
As a result, Management of Change (MOC) is a best practice used to ensure that safety, health and environmental risks are controlled when a company makes changes in their facilities, documentation, personnel, or operations. Many industrial sites use a combination of in-house built solutions, spreadsheets, word documents and scattered web applications leading to irregularities, lack of co-ordination and inefficiencies. The lack of an efficient system can create a safety hazard for personnel and a state of confusion where change requests are not administered correctly. These inconsistencies result in a lot of unnecessary work (and re-work) within the plant to ensure the changes are understood and carried out correctly.
Therefore, industrial sites require a solution that standardizes the management and tracking of processes across a plant. The solution must be a single enterprise application across all departments to ensure consistency across the business. This solution must enforce standard management processes for change requests, track the change request life-cycle and ensure all the correct actions are executed on time without costly exclusions.
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilize j5 Management of Change (MOC). The j5 MOC application provides a logical and intuitive means of recording MOC events. It gives accredited stakeholders the ability to create MOC records, control the processes around these records and effectively manage the changes through having complete visibility at every step of the process.
IndustraForm® technology allows different MOC procedures to be added easily and a comprehensive starter IndustraForm is included in the j5 MOC application. This IndustraForm is based on the DuPont MOC procedure and includes a seven-gate mechanism with many options that can be removed for simplified requirements.
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Management of Change appeared first on j5 International.
| Read the Full Case Study |
j5 International, the only Operations Management Software provider offering spreadsheet configurability and enterprise scalability, have written a Case Study with the Petrochemical Manufacturer – Showa Denko Oita Complex – who are using the j5 Operations Logbook, j5 Shift Handover, j5 Work Instructions, j5 Standing Orders and IndustraForm® Templates at their sites in Japan.
Showa Denko Oita Complex needed a comprehensive, integrated operations management system to improve event logging, shift handover, work instructions, standing orders and reports due to methods and levels differing in each department and best practices not being shared.
They saw the need to improve data visibility and communication between operations teams and other business units to ensure stable operations.
j5 Operations Management Software makes important shift, inspection round, personnel, safety, maintenance and process data visible to the whole Showa Denko Oita Complex team. This fosters better time management, coordination, knowledge transfer and communication between teams, and improves decision-making.
j5 Operations Management Software saves on time preparing reports and extracting data. Accuracy is improved through scalability of enterprise level applications with j5 IndustraForm® Templates. j5 Operations Management Software provides a consistent, intuitive user-interface with multiple applications, unifying and simplifying the management of operations. The simplicity, comprehensiveness and unity of the j5 Operations Management Software architecture also make it reliable and cost effective to maintain.
We were fascinated by the ease of use of the j5 Operations Logbook. We introduced j5 Operations Management Software to maintain and improve the on-site capabilities and to upgrade the work processes. We think that this is a communications tool that can be utilized not only for the operations management at a production site but also for field management in general.
Production Engineering, Showa Denko Oita Complex
The post Showa Denko Oita Complex Digitize Paper Human Processes With the j5 Operations Management System appeared first on j5 International.
In this tenth edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Mobile:
The Problem
Due to the proliferation of mobile technology, operators at industrial sites are no longer confined to desktop computers and control rooms. Mobile logging of data – such as Inspection Rounds – is an important part of health and safety culture and many plant operators still rely on paper checklists and clipboards for field data collection. Using this method, after data is written down, the results are usually manually entered in a spreadsheet, database or disconnected application, wasting valuable time and creating unnecessary problems such as:
Also, despite the push towards automation, a significant amount of process data is not collected and recorded automatically. Making manual Inspection Rounds an essential data collection process that must be conducted efficiently and ideally linked to real-time systems such as Data Historians.
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilize j5 Mobile. This application is used on industry standard devices based on popular operating systems. Allowing personnel to collect measurements or observations in the field. Typically, by following a route around a site, recording readings and answering questions about the status of equipment and processes, whilst optionally attaching photos, videos and notes to provide additional information. j5 Mobile can be used to collect manual data that is missing from DCS / SCADA / Data Historians like the OSIsoft PI System®. For example, j5 Mobile data can be written into the OSIsoft PI System, providing a clearer record of events happening across an industrial site. The j5 Mobile offering comprises several different applications and functionality as follows:
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Mobile appeared first on j5 International.
In this eleventh edition of the Solution Spotlight series – which focuses on how individual j5 Operations Management Software applications solve problems and add value to industrial sites worldwide – we feature j5 Product Movements:
The Problem
Often, major global oil and gas production centers – such as the US Gulf Coast, Rotterdam, Singapore and Japan – are not adjacent to the large oil and gas retail centers. As a result, this causes a requirement for a large volume of day-to-day Product Movements through pipelines, by marine vessels, or by rail. There are various stages an operations team must manage when processing a Product Movement, such as:
If this routine is managed and recorded on paper, spreadsheets, word processor documents and other inadequate tools it is difficult to provide essential visibility and context to the operations team (for example, real-time tank levels recorded by Data Historians such as the OSIsoft PI System® and Wonderware Historian).
The Solution
To remedy these pains, companies across the world utilise the j5 Product Movements. The j5 Product Movements application allows users to track transfers and volumes of industrial fluids, providing an enterprise-wide platform for this routine process. It comes standard with an IndustraForm® Template which handles a range of possible transfer measurement types, covering both embedded and manual level measurements, as well as flow totalizer and manual volume measurements. It aims to be a flexible solution to a company’s Product Movement recording needs.
The post Solution Spotlight – j5 Product Movements appeared first on j5 International.
Paper logbooks aren’t searchable, flexible, clear or consistent and 79% of paper logbook users admit they have no method of tracking operations procedures*.
Through using paper logbooks, personnel can become isolated and disconnected from what is happening throughout the plant. Too much time is wasted at the end of shifts trying to cover what has happened. Paper logbooks are not clear and lack information, increasing unnecessary risks and 84% of paper logbook users rely on personnel to find key shift information*.
Paper logbooks are not easily searchable as trying to find special data from a pile of paper logs is near impossible. Furthermore, paper is not weather resistant, making it difficult to read and record important information in certain situations.
With j5 Operations Management Software, personnel have the ability to be fully informed continually. This digital system can bring together relevant j5 Operations Logbook entries, real-time data, j5 Permit to Work records, j5 Incident Management reports, j5 Work Instructions, j5 Inspection Rounds, targets, trends and more on the same platform.
At the end of shifts, j5 Operations Management Software automatically collects all the important information in j5 Shift Handover. The j5 Operations Logbook can also be used on mobile devices meaning better informed operations through the recording and sending of information in the field and control room.
*j5 International “Operations Processes at Your Plant Survey”
The post The Problem With Paper Logbooks appeared first on j5 International.