Barb --
See John's post 18498 for a specific case relative to the shipping industry. I'm not an engineer, so I'm going to have to give you a response in layman's terms, but hopefully the technically savvy on the thread can correct me. Basically, there are at least three ways factory floor systems can have date dependence. First, many of the systems are interconnected and the central console sends them periodic time/date signals to keep everything synchronized (there was a lengthy discussion of this on this thread some months ago). Second, there are quite a few systems which need the date to compile data for Statistical Process Control and other reports. Sometimes there's a legal requirement that date-specific records be kept (e.g., emissions controllers, check-weighers on packaging lines, virtually everything in the pharmaceutical industry, etc.). Third and least important, there are the systems which actually write batch records and date codes on individual packages (ink jet printers, embossers, and the like).
I hope this helps. I too was a sceptic until I asked our manufacturing automation people last September, and they assured me the problem is real; we're auditing our own plants and requiring our suppliers to certify their Y2K compliance for IS, EDI, and factory floor.
Regards,
CMason |
