Avebe - A Good Night’s Sleep Thanks to FactoryScan

Companies often have no clear idea of the installed base of industrial automation in their factories and warehouses. With FactoryScan, itsme can provide an overview of the current status of automation components such as PLCs. Potato processor Royal Avebe uses the results to update their component stock and assess future availability. The scan is intended to reduce the number of hardware-related disruptions Process Control Engineer Johan Wierenga has to deal with. It also helps him sleep better, knowing the stock is up to date.

Avebe operates a factory in Gasselternijveen, where potato starch, protein, and by-products are produced. It's a typical seasonal business, with production running at full speed day and night during the potato campaign. Johan Wierenga, along with two colleagues, is responsible for industrial automation. During the campaign, any of them can be called at any time in case of a malfunction. If certain PLC or I/O hardware suddenly needs replacing, it’s crucial to have those parts in stock.

Creating and Enriching an Overview

This isn’t always standard practice in the industry, explains Arjen Schutte, Technical Sales Engineer at itsme and long-standing automation partner of Avebe. “Many companies don’t have a clear picture of their installed base. Something was built once and perhaps expanded later. Your car gets regular checkups and inspections, but industrial systems usually don’t. Components are only replaced when they break. And then it’s often unclear what’s even in use.”

The same was true at Avebe, Wierenga acknowledges. “When I started here, my focus was elsewhere. Initially, I didn’t pay much attention to what was in stock. Later, it became clear that our inventory needed improvement to meet current requirements. To make the right choices, you need a clear overview of the installed base. We're talking about over 4,000 Siemens parts spread across the site, from process components to standalone units. So when itsme offered to perform a FactoryScan via the network, I was all ears. It maps out everything without missing anything.”

“To make the right inventory decisions, the installed base must be mapped out.”

A FactoryScan can be as broad or focused as the customer wants, Schutte explains. “That depends on the time and resources available. In this case, it was limited to Siemens components—mostly PLCs and related parts, not drives or valves, which we could include as well.” itsme uses a Siemens tool that connects to a PLC and scans the network to create an overview of all connected components. This overview is enriched with data on current condition, availability, future stock status, and suitable replacements.

Ensuring Cybersecurity

The scan has already been completed at Avebe, says Wierenga. “We’re now discussing with itsme which components to order to optimize our inventory. Meanwhile, we're also taking the next step: defining a strategy for managing obsolete components. Our goal is to keep disruptions incidental rather than recurring. The scan helps us make the right decisions about replacing outdated components and managing stock levels.”

Availability can change at any moment, Schutte warns. “Siemens recently announced a new line of PLCs. That means the current line is now only available as spare parts—and in ten years, not at all.” Another factor is the Cybersecurity Act, which will soon come into effect. “Companies must take responsibility for protecting themselves against hacks. We don’t yet include this in FactoryScan, as anti-hack PLCs are only now entering the market.” In any case, cybersecurity is a growing concern in keeping the installed base current.

“We want a strategy for handling obsolete components.”

Improving Production Reliability

Could Avebe have done the scan themselves? Wierenga: “Probably, but it would’ve taken me a lot more time and effort—and I still wouldn’t be sure I had everything. So we thought it made sense to hire itsme. I only had to spend half a day with Arjen.” Schutte: “I can quickly see what’s on the network, but compiling the report takes a lot of time. I have to research and cross-check everything in Siemens’ database. We’ve been offering FactoryScan since 2022, and more than twenty companies have used it so far. That number keeps growing.”

Wierenga is satisfied with the scan. He now has a clear view of the installed base and no longer loses sleep over uncertainties. “The goal is to have a reliable system, ensuring consistent production with no unplanned downtime. That way, scheduled work can proceed without delays.”

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