SAMPLE DELIVERABLE
Sample Plant Integration Assessment
See the structure of a scoped assessment, from data flow and gaps to verification and handover.
1. Purpose and scope
Assess a fictional existing packaging line’s equipment-to-MES event path. This example shows the structure of a consulting deliverable. It contains no actual client findings, approvals or test results.
Scope: one packaging line, event collection, a local historian and a MES interface. Excluded: PLC logic changes, machine safety modifications, production release and live cloud commands.
2. Reference data path
Control remains local. Actual products, database engines and permitted flows are confirmed during discovery.
3. Illustrative observations
| ID | Example finding | Potential effect | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-01 | Equipment clocks are not yet reconciled. | Events could appear in the wrong order. | Agree on time source, tolerance and checks. |
| G-02 | Event retry behavior is undocumented. | Missing or duplicate records may be difficult to detect. | Specify identity, acknowledgment and reconciliation. |
| G-03 | Asset and batch context is incomplete. | Records may not support the intended production question. | Approve mappings and exception handling. |
| G-04 | Recovery ownership is unclear. | Support response may be delayed. | Assign owners and exercise recovery. |
4. Example requirements and verification
| Requirement | Verification approach | Evidence | Reviewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-01 Preserve source value, unit and quality. | Compare agreed samples at source and destination. | Mapping record and comparison results. | Engineering / process owner |
| R-02 Reconcile interrupted transfers. | Interrupt and restore the test connection; compare counts and IDs. | Recovery logs and reconciliation record. | System owner |
| R-03 Restrict integration access. | Exercise permitted and denied actions for defined roles. | Access matrix and test observations. | OT / IT security |
| R-04 Associate records with approved context. | Exercise correct, missing and conflicting context. | Traceability and exception evidence. | Process / quality owner |
5. Pilot and acceptance gates
- Confirm intended use, scope, owners and baseline.
- Approve the test design and access before implementation.
- Complete normal, exception and recovery checks against agreed criteria.
- Review deviations and required corrective work.
- Handover only after responsible owners accept the evidence.
Acceptance thresholds, including time tolerance and recovery targets, must be agreed before testing. No threshold in this sample is a plant commitment.
6. GxP extension
For a pharmaceutical or other GxP use case, add record requirements, risk assessment, quality review, requirement-to-test traceability, change control and the required evidence package. Determine applicable record and signature requirements with quality owners. Place the final documents and approvals in the client’s controlled system.
7. Open decisions
| Decision | Owner to confirm | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Actual interfaces and database products | Engineering / system owners | Open |
| Record retention and review | Process / quality owners | Open |
| Operating support and recovery targets | Operations / IT / OT | Open |
| Pilot effort and implementation fee | Project sponsor / Buntop | To scope |