by I2DS | Sep 16, 2022 | Blogs
Spread Sheet applications have made an impact on how Managers operate around the world, but are they really as efficient and effective as required? Today the manufacturing industry has become drastically different from what it was maybe 10 years ago and real time decision making is the need of the hour. Although spreadsheet applications have their plus points in terms of the ease of storing data and performing complex calculations, they are certainly not the panacea for management problems evident today. Today Global Organizations have factories making different components around the world and having access to real time data is crucial for synchronizing the materials and information flow globally. Even in local manufacturing there might be areas within the factory that need integration and have responsible managers located elsewhere, who need access to real time operational data. Clearly spread sheet applications are not enough, we need an integrated platform that provides the functionality of process visibility and control in real time. The answer to such situations is an MES application which has an SPC or Statistical Process Control application embedded in it. I2DS has developed such an application just for Organizations like yours, which provides you the required information at just a mouse click. Our MES solution allows you to perform operations right from your computer screen, giving you the ultimate control and real time info, where ever you are. Also the process metrics become easily available for analysis because of our SPC application which allows you to control and view your process as each event unfolds. This is the ultimate toll for Manufacturing Organizations as they can not only access real tome information but also use it to exercise control and plan corrective measures on the go. Our MES and SPC solutions are helping our customers by cutting their operational cost by exercising efficient control because of the availability of real time data and also helping them improve their process by being able to detect assignable causes of process related problems in real time. Planning and achieving a Six Sigma level production becomes easier if you have an I2DS application installed and running in your factory. We are moving towards highly turbulent times in the manufacturing market and we have to realize the importance of information and how important it is to be able to access and assess this information in real time. I2DS can be a strategic partner for you as we realize the importance of your money and more importantly your time. Give us an opportunity to show you how you can benefit from our MES and SPC applications, real time data and real time profits are just a mouse click away. Write into us at info@i2ds.com or just hit the Request Live Demo Tab. Trust me when I say you will be amazed with the results our applications can achieve, we are waiting to hear from you, so hurry up and get in touch right away.
by I2DS | Sep 12, 2022 | Blogs
Manufacturing has been drastically transformed over the last century. Today operations world-wide have become completely automated and competitive priorities have changed from direct labor cost, to quality conformance and raw material cost. The way Organizations used to look at Manufacturing and Factory operations has changed dramatically and will continue to change because of three major driving forces, namely- Market Conditions, Technological conditions and Political Conditions. Today we will reflect of Technology and why should you worry about its influence on your operation. Technology is defined as- The making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a preexisting solution to a problem, achieve a goal or perform a specific function. Tools/ Equipments have been pivotal to the growth and success of the entire Human Race; it’s these tools and the ability to use them that makes us superior beings. Coming back to the present scenario, theories like TQM, JIT, and Lean Management etc. emphasize the need to improve quality conformance, customer satisfaction, synergize all functional areas etc. Factory Automation is one of the best ways to achieve above mentioned deliverables and it’s considered a key to achieve the competitive priorities which are- Quality, Cost, Flexibility, Service, and Speed. We at I2DS have realized this universal need and have been achieving the above mentioned objectives and deliverables for our clients worldwide. We are pioneers in Factory Automation and Manufacturing Execution Systems, which completely automate your Operations in every sense of the word. We have been able to devise systems that completely eliminate paperwork and manual entry efforts. We have the ability to communicate directly with your high tech equipments and process data obtained to achieve SPC and APC in real-time. Our systems provide you the ability to have a fully automated plant in the shortest span of time. The solutions we provide will be able to eliminate human errors and make 100% Quality Conformance and Customer Satisfaction a reality for you. I bet after reading this you are intrigued about our capabilities, so then don’t wait, just e-mail us at info@i2ds.com. Or hit the Request Live Demo button on our Website.
by I2DS | Aug 30, 2022 | Blogs
What is profitability? Is it just making more and more money? Is it the blind pursuit of profit where no attention should be paid to the means of achieving it? The views on profitability might differ drastically depending on many socio-economic factors, what is important is that we realize why profitability is perceived differently around the world and what should be the true meaning of profitability in today’s economic environment. Profitability is perceived and pursued differently in different regions of the world and this difference arises due to the country’s economic maturity and the society’s general beliefs and its perception business ethics. Ideally any organization in business wants to achieve profit maximization, which is a valid thought; increasing value for the stakeholders is the number 1 priority of all firms. But it is the means of achieving higher profitability that becomes important in present context.
Sustainable Profitability, Social Responsibility and Ethical Conduct are a few aspects of modern theory of profitability and profit maximization cannot occur at the expense of these aspects. To achieve such profitability the organization needs thorough understanding of its own capabilities and its external environment. Let’s concentrate on the term Sustainable Profitability, and how can it be achieved in manufacturing operations considering the drastic changes in customer preferences, high speed of technological development and growing global competition. Sustainable Profitability comprises the achievement of maximum possible profitability under the given set of conditions and the effort required to sustain it in the given market conditions. Yes, sustaining long term profits is much more important than earning massive profits in the short term. In Manufacturing Industry, achieving higher sustained profitability is a function of productivity, which is both optimized and flexible. When we say optimized productivity we mean that the process produces the best possible output with the given resources, technology and employee skills, at minimal cost. When we say flexible productivity we mean productivity that is capable of reacting and adjusting to environmental changes, which are mostly uncertain. For a process to achieve sustainable profits, it should be both optimal and flexible at the same time.
This desired productivity, is again a function of automation and technical competence of the process and how well it is managed and controlled. To achieve process automation and reach the desired level of efficiency and flexibility, it is extremely important that IT applications like MES are considered. Successful MES applications have the power to combine the two most important facets of better productivity which are Operations Management and Technology. These are the two factors that can make an ordinary operation a very efficient and successful one. An MES application combines both these facets of Operation; it is a combination of Information Technology and Operations Management. Manufacturing Organizations can benefit immensely by the application of MES application, as it provides both automation but also Integration of their entire production process under one comprehensive system. But choosing just any MES application can be very risky and lead to massive losses and develop a negative attitude in the workforce.
To be able to design the perfect MES application, expertise in both Technology and Ops Management are prerequisites. As I mentioned earlier, every manufacturing process has some unique attributes, an MES provider should be able to assess these unique feature and use them in the MES application so as to further benefit the customer’s Organization. I2DS is one such company that can boast of expertise in both Information Technology and Operations Management. The team of experts at I2DS has worked for few of the top organizations world wide and is renowned for its skills in Factory Automation, Information Technology, Data Management and Operation Management. This means that the team does not take any manufacturing process for granted, each process is carefully analyzed to determine the scope and functionality of an MES application.
I2DS brings more to the table than any other MES application provider in the industry. Every MES solution provided is tailor made to suit the present and future technology of the client, with the main aim of making Operation Management more efficient and decision making more concrete. If you also value Technology and Operations Management and believe that your MES application should facilitate these factors, I2DS is the best partner for you. To know more about our solution or to get your process analyzed by our panel of experts, e-mail us at info@i2ds.com or hit the Request Live Demo tab on this webpage and we will get back to you
by I2DS | Aug 24, 2022 | Blogs
In my experience the question being asked above is a fairly frequent one. We live in a highly technology driven world, information is what brings us together and it is information that has become the difference between success and failure in business today. An Organization that does not have the information about the external environment, that constitutes the customers, competitors and the market on the whole, and its internal environment that constitutes process capabilities, suppliers and personnel, is destined to fail in the future. Leading organizations around the world have realized the importance of data management and knowledge development, they have used Information Technology as a weapon to fight competition and attain a higher market share.
Companies lay great stress on finding out the information related to the customers, supply chain partners and competitors. Almost all FMCG companies today drive their operations based on point of sale data obtained from various retail stores. However concentrating only on outside information although important can be fatal if the internal operations are ignored. Organizations have to realize that the most important source of information is the internal operations itself. Data Management should be more holistic and cover all aspects of an Organization’s operations. For firms in the manufacturing industry that face strict compliance standards, being able to harness and process the operational data is crucial for survival itself. Best-in-class Organizations lay great emphasis on data management of internal processes as it helps achieve a higher degree of control and flexibility.
The trouble arises when an organization realizes the need for information and data management but does not have the capability to manage its data on its own. Not all companies have the capability or resources required to design and apply a Database Management system in-house. This leads to two major considerations, 1) whether the resources needed to manage data should be acquired? And 2) whether the development, application and management of the system should be outsourced. In my view there is a very simple answer to this question, if a firm wants to be profitable and achieve excellence in all facets of business, they should outsource any activity that is not their core competence.
Today there are a myriad of Database Management products and so called ‘solution’ providers, who claim to provide a tailor made solution for your requirements. But, if you are an Organization facing trouble managing data and don’t want to go for a standard package with limited functionality, then what should you do? The answer is you need to gauge your requirement and ask your self these questions- 1) Do we need a real time database management and data processing capabilities? 2) Do we require to Tap Data directly from tools to our MES or present System? 3) Do we require features Like SPC, APC, RFID integration, Inventory & Ops Management? 4) Do we need to monitor Safety, Quality and Equipment issues in real time? If the answer to all or majority of these questions is ‘YES’, then you need to consider I2DS as your strategic partner.
We at I2DS understand the prevalent issues pertaining to Data Management and Data Architecture and we are committed to work out the best solutions for our customers, our aim is to provide world class Information Solutions at reasonable prices. If you want your Data Management problems to disappear you should mail us right away at info@i2ds.com or Click on the Request Live Demo button on our web site. We assure you that with our solutions applied in your Organization today, you will become the leader of tomorrow.
by I2DS | Aug 23, 2022 | Blogs
Operational excellence is highly desirable, and organizations strive to achieve it. But is it a static state of being or is it dynamic? Once operational excellence is achieved is it easy to sustain? Is the pursuit of operational excellence even worth the effort? Well let’s answer these questions one by one and try to gain clarity, achieving operational excellence and maintaining it is a dynamic process, you have attained operational excellence when your process is capable of meeting the requirements of external forces dynamically. Your operations has achieved excellence when your process knowledge is refined to state where you are aware of all parameters that potentially effect process performance and you are able to locate root cause of every performance related issue. A process that is excellent will achieve a state of equilibrium with market governed deliverables in real-time and without many grass root changes. An excellent process will deliver regularly on at least 3-4 of the 5 vital process performance parameters, which are Quality, Speed, Dependability, Flexibility and Cost.
Achieving process excellence needs an Organization wide commitment, starting from the very top. When the pursuit of excellence becomes a main focus area of the top management, achieving excellence will become a lot easier. The top management should understand the reasons for having an excellent operation and truly believe that through sustained and coordinated efforts achieving operational excellence is well within reach. Top management should remain pro-technology and understand that one of the key contributors to achieve increasingly better performance is through the application of end-to-end information systems, which have the capability of monitoring, controlling and executing the entire process on a single platform. Information solutions help operations gain clarity and makes coordinated efforts possible. Achieving operational excellence becomes less challenging when the process functions as a single entity, this integration is possible only through information solutions that have the capability of integrating the process right from, receipt of raw materials to dispatch of ready to ship products.
Besides management commitment and technology, there are other key contributors to the pursuit of excellence; they are- employee training/participation, Quality means 0 defects philosophy and management by common sense. These factors are equally important and can mean the difference between success and failure of the entire endeavor. However, for this article my major area of concern remains the importance of technology and even more so the role of IT in the pursuit of Operational Excellence. So coming back to the area of focus, I believe information solutions can help reduce cycle time, operational expense, inventory and operational errors greatly. IT should be considered the foundation for building a strong and profitable process. Top management should consider developing either in-house IT capabilities or if they want to concentrate on core competencies they should consider outsourcing IT, but only to a capable and well equipped partner, with relevant industrial experience and expertise. The major benefit of employing an IT expert is that the resources of the organization could be used to improve issues related to the core competency and an expert can design a process specific solution and provide change management and employee training as well.
To sum up, let me revisit the topic again and reemphasize my thoughts on it. According to me operational excellence is well within reach if planned for and pursued sincerely. Once achieved operational excellence can be sustained if the process is equipped with the right technology and has the will and training to sustain it. It becomes worthwhile to achieve operational excellence simply because it shows that the organization would never settle for anything less than the best. If you achieve excellence you become best-in-class operation, which is a direct boost to your reputation and which would inevitably lead to better business. Please share your thoughts and suggestions with us about this blog, write into us at info@i2ds.com or just leave a comment on this web-page and we will get back to you.
by I2DS | Aug 19, 2022 | Blogs
MES applications are transforming the way production units operate, they are making factories more integrated, efficient and quality oriented. MES applications are basically software solutions that have the capability to provide seamless integration for a manufacturing facility, right from warehouse to the EOL or end of production line. An MES app helps you manage production in real-time and prevent formation of bottle-necks, monitor and control your process and above all improve the overall efficiency of production. The major advantage of having an MES app is the clarity you have about your process and how fast and accurate decision making becomes. The major contribution that such an app provides is towards the Quality of the end-product. An MES app can help you monitor every aspect of product quality and ensure that the end-product is compliant and perfect.
The heart of an MES app is an SPC tool, it is through this SPC tool that real-time data analysis and decision making is possible. An SPC application allows to enter and analyze all process and product related metrics. Such a tool can lead to not only 100% compliance but also help improve quality by removing assignable causes of errors. Companies that aim for a Six Sigma level process or the ones aiming to achieve Lean management in the true sense can hugely benefit from an SPC system embedded in their MES application. This saves not only cost but precious time that is otherwise wasted doing complex calculation, which is subject to human error or calculation error if performed manually. An SPC application also provides visual tools that help understand the Data better and achieve better process control. I believe an MES application is incomplete without an SPC application.
So the real question here is, how important is SPC in your Organization? Is your SPC application capable of delivering high class and potent decision making info? Do you need a better SPC application, embedded in your MES app? These questions are extremely critical if you are a manufacturing Organization that has highly complex processes and high quality standards for your final products. SPC application today requires being highly efficient and delivering much more than just basic trend charts. If your SPC application is delivering just Trend Charts you are not fully utilizing the power an SPC application can truly provide. A truly potent and capable SPC should be capable of applications like CpK Charts, Real-Time Process Data, Trends feedback, Tool Shutdown, SMS Text Capabilities, E-mail alerts and other process specific charts and reports.
At I2DS we realize the value a good SPC tool in your Organization’s system can add value to your entire operations. Our SPC solution is integrated in our MES system and it allows the above mentioned functionalities in real time. This makes your control function extremely powerful as you can monitor SPC data in real time and make decisions simultaneously, that too without having to use any other system/tool for analysis. Our SPC might appear magical to a common man but it’s a powerful tool for a manager who deals with issues like quality and cost of production. I2DS’ SPC has the capability to integrate and compare the process data from multiple factories of the Organization, providing you a comprehensive analysis tool. Our SPC is the perfect Quality and Equipment ‘Doctor’, because it helps you diagnose and cure every issue pertaining to them. The reports that our SPC generates helps you get a 360 degree view of the entire operation and this helps you make more accurate and profitable decisions. So for a live demo e-mail us at info@i2ds.com or request a Live Demo on this web page.
