Making the connections in the UK 
Making the connections in the United Kingdom

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HP Professional Services
When 3M saw its strategy of a Computer Integrated Manufacturing System
(CIM) come to fruition at its abrasives factory in Atherstone,
Warwickshire, U.K., the company quickly found that the new system
achieved manufacturing objectives.
   3M's vision of a CIM environment involved linking all the
computerized operations from the laboratory to shop floor, warehouse,
and offices. Within months of going live, 3M has eliminated bureaucracy
and cut order processing and work-in-progress times. Above all, it is
able to get orders to customers faster.
   From an early stage in the planning process, the company realized it
had to put in a very effective network.
   Terry Matthews, 3M's engineering manager responsible for automation,
explained: "We needed an open system that could be accessed
transparently from any PC or computer monitor in the building."
   In selecting new computers that could handle the dual needs of
Management Information and Process Control, the company evaluated all
the competitive offerings before ordering two HP 9000 computer systems.
   With the decision made as to the basic building blocks of the
plant's system, 3M called in the HP Site Design and Implementation
services team to design the architecture of the network. 3M believed
that Hewlett-Packard, with its intimate knowledge of the hardware, was
in the best position to understand the technical complexities and
manage the complete project to meet delivery dates. Where possible, 3M
wanted to specify its own components in the design, but would not
insist on this if advised to the contrary.

At 3M's Atherstone factory in the U.K., the combination of
Hewlett-Packard's system design with quality components from 3M has
resulted in a showcase manufacturing site.

Fibre-optic solution
Hewlett-Packard designed a fibre-optic Ethernet network with an
intelligent repeater module at its heart. This has several fibre-optic
spurs, each running to HP TS8 terminal servers supporting some 100
devices around the site.
   The team was invited to try out 3M's components at its customer
services laboratory and was pleased by the products, tools, and
equipment demonstrated. As a result, 3M's plugs, sockets, ST
connectors, and fly-lead assemblies were all used in the installation.
   Redundancy is built into the system. For example, double cable runs
are used in critical parts of the factory. Costs have been kept down by
the use of existing cable routes for the fibre-optic network.
   Furthermore, fibre-optic cable is particularly suitable in a factory
environment. It is neither sensitive to electromagnetic interference
nor poses a risk in a hazardous environment.
   Hewlett-Packard took complete project management responsibility for
the supply and installation of the network to its exacting standards of
service. Where HP does not have relevant skills in house, it calls in
experts who have been thoroughly vetted and have proved their
capabilities. All suppliers are continuously monitored in all aspects
of their business--not just technical competence. The 3M system
involved using the services of tried and tested expertise in networking
products and installation services.
   Hewlett-Packard went on site at the end of 1989 and according to
Terry Matthews: "They completed the work quickly and effectively. The
system has been operational for 6 months with no problems at all."
   The system meets requirements to constantly improve quality and
customer service--a philosophy shared by 3M and Hewlett-Packard.
Indeed, both companies are committed to BS 5750 and ISO 9002.
   Terry Matthews feels that the HP Site Design and Implementation
services team enabled Hewlett-Packard to provide a complete service to
3M, ensuring a smooth implementation. HP supplied the hardware and
advised on application software and network development.

"We could combine excellent networking products with the system
designed by HP to put together a solution that we are very pleased
with."

Terry Matthews
Engineering Manager 3M

Technical information in this document is subject to change without
notice.

(c) Hewlett-Packard Company 1992
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation without
prior written permission is prohibited, except as allowed under the
copyright laws.

Printed in USA 01/92
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