Automation Studio™ - From Engineering Your Systems to Effective Machine-Based Training (Las Vegas, NV, USA) – Originally published in Mining Industry News With tough times persisting in the mining industry, manufacturers and OEMs need to bring effective changes in their work process in order to increase productivity and reduce unnecessary costs. To achieve this goal, Famic Technologies recommends the implementation of tools that will optimize all aspects of a product/project’s lifecycle: system design, simulation, documentation, training, troubleshooting, etc. Automation StudioTM, a unique machine-based software used in the mining industry is the perfect tool to help increase engineering productivity at all levels of the company. The software offers a complete set of pre-configured components which allows for the design and simulation of virtual machine systems based of various technologies – hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and automation. This solution can also be used to produce project documentation and, with its additional troubleshooting module, it can help create diagnostic scenarios and train new employees, operators and maintenance teams. For system modeling, each component can be sized to meet the design requirements and customized to include specific characteristics, performance curves, operation limits and embedded failures. To further accelerate the design process, engineers can integrate and assemble different pre-configured manufacturers’ components packaged in catalogues to build complete systems. Automation StudioTM also helps engineers validate at an early stage their design by animating the circuit and analyzing the system behaviour in simulation using different analysis tools – dynamic measuring instruments, plotters, data recorder, etc. Thus, the limits of the system can be tested to validate component choices and risk analysis can be performed by triggering component failures. With the additional troubleshooting and HMI modules, a simulation training environment can quickly be created and added directly in the existing Automation StudioTM project containing the technical drawings. Operators and maintenance teams can gain a better understanding of the machine’s behaviour by simulating key operation modes. Failures can also be implemented in the virtual system to help trainees develop stronger troubleshooting skills by detecting failure cause, evaluating the severity of consequences and determining the best course of action to resolve the problem. This type of training environment will lead technicians and maintenance teams to perform quicker diagnostics and troubleshooting in real-life, which will help reduce maintenance costs. Overall, Automation StudioTM is a flexible software solution that will increase engineering productivity in all aspects of a product/project lifecycle and help organizations reduce unwanted costs. With this unique solution, training departments can benefit from the work previously done by engineers and create quality training material and documentation. Moreover, the technical drawings can be consulted in real-time by maintenance teams when failures occur to help identify their cause and propose an effective solution.