by I2DS | Nov 24, 2023 | Blogs
By Vivek Bhachawat
The scenario in manufacturing is changing from highly centralized production to a distributed and decentralized production. The main drivers for such distribution is the availability of raw materials, issues related to transfer pricing and taxes, labor skills, govt./non govt. grants and proximity to markets or suppliers. Organizations manufacturing complex products or ones that are customized just before delivery are opting for highly diversified production plants in terms of capacity, location and processes. This way of manufacturing seems lucrative and a sure fire way to become more flexible and responsive, but there are many downsides to it. Such a manufacturing requires perfect synchronization between the various production units, it also requires real-time capacity planning and ability to change schedules as required. These requirements put immense pressure on the management of the plants as the success of the Operations Strategy depends on their ability to communicate and execute such production in a relayed manner.
Organizations which succeed in running production plants, which manufacture various components of a common end product, are able to do so by using IT applications which allow systematic and synchronized execution of the process. MES applications are increasingly making diverse manufacturing a reality. Through an operation wide MES system, it is possible for an Organization to plan production, design, WIP and Logistics, Centrally, while keeping the execution of the production process Decentralized. Modern MES systems are web-based and allow seamless integration of all production facilities irrespective of their geographic location. It is only through these applications that an operation can act as single entities even when it’s various components have a different geographic location.
MES applications allow for a greater degree of control as they are able to incorporate the production process being executed at diverse location as a single integrated process, residing on a single system. Which means for the system the location of activities is not a barrier any more; it portrays the execution of these activities along with relevant metrics associated with the same. So let’s say a US based company which sources its raw material from Brazil, China and India, then processes them into components in its factories Taiwan and Germany and finally assembles the finished product in USA and China, can plan, monitor and control this entire process through a single MES application. This allows for both efficient production and effective centralized control of the entire operation.
As we move towards more visible and viable globalization due to better trade environment and uniform trade policies, dispersed production will become more and more popular. To reap the benefits associated with dispersed manufacturing, organizations will increasingly move towards MES and the way in which they utilize this system will determine their profitability and position in the highly competitive and closely knit global market. So if you are a company which is willing to diversify your production and increase profitability, it is highly advisable to consider an MES application which can provide synchronization and integration for your entire operation.
by I2DS | Nov 23, 2023 | Blogs
Discreet Manufacturing is considered different from process manufacturing because the end product being produced is different every time, unlike process manufacturing. Practices like customization and delayed differentiation have allowed discreet manufacturers achieve the economies of scale and scope. Process manufacturing concentrates on refining the process and achieving the same end result every time with lesser cost and higher quality. In discreet manufacturing however, the process of production needs to be flexible and adapt itself to the desired end result. In discreet manufacturing the ability of the process to change as the product specifications change is a prerogative, also the high standards for quality and the pressure to lower the cost is ever existent.
MES applications for process manufacturing generally concentrate on the integration of the operation and achieving higher quality by achieving better process control and facilitating real-time decision making. The requirement of flexibility is not as important in MES applications for process manufacturing. In discreet manufacturing however, flexibility is the top priority. Coming back to the topic of today’s blog, Is an MES application successful in discreet manufacturing? The answer is No and Yes. The reason I have given such an answer is not to confuse my readers but to state the following observation. In my experience an MES application can fail any where irrespective of the production process, this happens because the management fails to determine their needs and choose the wrong application. In such a case an MES application might fail in a discreet process as well. For an MES application to be successful the management needs to carefully assess their needs and choose an MES application accordingly.
I believe that every process is unique and should be considered individually, especially for discreet manufacturing companies. The application of an MES solution can be successful in a discreet manufacturing environment, only if the process in analyzed completely and the parameters that need to be monitored and the process metrics that need to be analyzed are determined, before choosing the structure of the MES application. An MES solution can lead to higher productivity, lower cost, better quality and enhanced flexibility, only if the MES application partner specializes in the design and implementation of such applications.
Here I would like to introduce I2DS to you. I2DS is an organization that specializes in MES applications and has a team of expert analysts that works on the process specific design of the MES application. After designing the MES application, tailor made to your needs, our team of experts implement the application for you and provide a complete change management program for the employees. This makes I2DS the most preferred MES application provider in the industry today. We treat every manufacturing process individually and this makes our solutions the best choice for you. If you think that an MES application can not work in your process, just give us a buzz and we will show you how an MES application can make your operation more productive and much more profitable. For a live demo of our applications and solutions just hit the Request Live Demo Tab on this page or you can also e-mail us at info@i2ds.com.
by I2DS | Nov 22, 2023 | Blogs
What is a Manufacturing Excellence Application? Does it really work? Does my factory need such an application? I encounter these questions frequently. So, what is a Manufacturing Excellence solution? A manufacturing excellence solution, as the name clearly suggests is an IT application that helps you achieve excellence in manufacturing. No don’t worry; I do not intend to go around in circles. What I mean is that a manufacturing excellence application allows you to monitor, control and improve the performance of all the vital parameters and issues you consider critical for your Organization and your plant’s operation. Let us say that you find Safety, Quality, Communication and Equipment the top four areas of concern for your factory, a Manufacturing Excellence solution provides you an integrated platform to analyze the information pertaining to these key areas and enables you to make real time decisions.
It does work, especially for Organizations that have a culture that relies on setting high standards for themselves and achieving them at any cost. For Organizations that rely heavily on manufacturing, discreet or process, achieving manufacturing excellence is the only way to be more competitive and gain a larger market share. A Manufacturing Excellence solution helps you maintain the high standards you believe in.
Excellence can be achieved when simplicity in decision making and the subsequent action, results from monitoring and control of complex processes. Integration of the entire plant, process and personnel is vital for achieving manufacturing excellence. This integration can result only with the help of an information system that provides a seamless and holistic view of the vital process and personnel related parameters. This system should allow effective monitoring and efficient control for the entire process and aid real time decision making and action. There are many packages available in the market for Manufacturing Excellence, but is just any package the right package?
I believe every manufacturing process is unique; this is because of the fact that each organization has an inherent set of resources and unique environmental conditions. Thus a Manufacturing Excellence application should be process specific and not general. Every Operations manager gives importance to certain parameters, for the sake of this discussion lets say Quality, Safety, Equipment and Factory Communication. If the package available cannot capture the details of the parameters above mentioned, it is rendered useless for this particular Organization.
I2DS has devised a Manufacturing Excellence solution that can fit to your process and give you the power of monitoring and controlling the process parameters you consider vital. So if you believe that Safety, Quality, Factory Communication and Equipment issues are important cost centers and need to be monitored and controlled effectively, I2DS’ Manufacturing Excellence allows you to do exactly that. You have the capability to assign priorities and owners to each issue, see the real time actions and judge the performance of the entire process or the performance of individual parameters. With I2DS as your Excellence partner, you will never miss a vital issue and will be able to reduce the operating costs drastically, thereby achieving better profitability. With I2DS you can gain process excellence and this would help you become the Best-In-Class Operation. So open your doors to Manufacturing Excellence and I2DS, write into us at info@i2ds.com, and give us the opportunity to help you achieve excellence in all your competitive priorities.
by I2DS | Nov 21, 2023 | Blogs
My experience with production lines has taught me that managing the WIP or Work In Progress, is considered a difficult task, more so because of the inability to track it, than any thing else. Operations Managers often complaint of many issues, such as, being unable to track the material, the shifting of bottlenecks, higher machine downtime, higher cycle time, higher material consumption and the list can go on and on. The reason why some of these issues exist or are perceived to exist is because of the inability to properly track the material on the production line, the inability to know the machine status in real-time and the glitches that appear in a supposedly rock solid planning due to a myriad of small yet unavoidable issues. It is this feeling of being in the dark, coupled with the unpredictable nature of day-to-day operations that make it hard to manage the work in progress.
But if we analyze the abovementioned statement, is it really the nature of operation or the actual work that is the problem area, or is it something else? Well, I believe that the nature of work and type of tasks have nothing to do with managers struggling to manage the work in progress. Yes, I think it is the lack of actionable and potent information that drives most managers crazy when it comes to managing the WIP. When you think about any process and by any process I mean any process, manufacturing or service, what makes managers fly is the information they have, to act upon and take decisions. Even in the most unconventional processes what makes them work is the information derived from the process and careful analysis of the process metrics. The need to have a continuous flow of information from the process has been realized by many industries.
However the actual work-in-progress has been neglected by most companies, be it the process owner or the IT firm developing so called solutions for them. I believe that WIP is an extremely important facet of any process in fact it is the blood that runs through the veins called machines and supports the function of the body which is the process. WIP should be carefully tracked, monitored and analyzed; this will help detect problems before they become serious and lead to an overall improvement in process efficiency and ultimately throughput. But, who can you rely on for developing an information solution that can not only help you analyze your WIP but a solution that can help you realize true gains out of your process? Well, for that you need a technology partner that understands operations management and the unpredictable nature of WIP.
For this very reason choosing a simple software company does not fulfill the need, you should consider someone who knows how a factory works, what the importance of process metrics is and how WIP should be managed. You need an automation expert that is well acquainted with how the flow in the factory happens and why bottlenecks get created. Having said that the most important part is to realize the need to have real-time actionable information from the WIP and then choose the right partner for your process. If you have any suggestions regarding this Blog or questions about how to manage you WIP just write into us at info@i2ds.com or just leave you comment on this web-page.
by I2DS | Nov 20, 2023 | Blogs
Quality has become the most sought after competitive priority to excel at, for organizations around the world. Consumers are willing to pay top dollar for products that claim to be of superior quality and can prove to be the quality leader in their category. There are nine facets of quality, 1) Aesthetics, 2) Conformance, 3) Durability, 4) Features, 5) Response, 6) Reliability, 7) Service, 8) Performance and 9) Reputation. Most of these facets depend on the process of production and to the extent the process can be controlled and modified. When a process can be controlled, its Quality can be improved as all possible causes of variances can be detected and successfully removed.
Customer satisfaction largely depends on the Quality of product, thus we can safely say that Quality management is vital for any organization that wishes to be competitive and achieve a higher market share. Quality control can be performed effectively when the vital process metrics can be measured and controlled effectively. To be able to make better use of the process metrics an SPC system or Statistical Process Control System is extremely useful. An SPC system becomes mandatory for products that have a complex process and face a high level of technological turbulence.
An SPC system if used should be process specific and be able to provide information that is highly refined and helps efficient and real time decision making. Nowadays there are systems that can perform complex calculations in fractions of seconds and provide valuable process specific information. However just any SPC application will not be able to benefit your Organization. An SPC system performs best when it is used with an MES application; this helps better Quality control and more transparency. So which application is required for your Organization and who are the guys you should use to implement it?
I2DS is the best choice, if you want the Best-In-Class SPC application at a reasonable price. At I2DS we realize the value a good SPC tool in your Organization’s system can add value to your entire operations and how it can improve your Quality control substantially. Our highly potent and capable SPC is capable of generating real time information like Cp & CpK Charts, Real-Time Process Data, Trends feedback, Tool Shutdown, Trend Charts, SMS Text Capabilities, E-mail alerts and other process specific charts and reports. Our SPC application is modeled as per your process and includes the metrics that you and your end customer consider vital. So if you have the desire to use Statistical tools to generate higher Quality, look no further, I2DS is right here to take care of Quality control endeavor. E-mail us at info@i2ds.com we welcome your comments and suggestions as well, please leave a comment if you find the content useful or just want to know more about our products.
by I2DS | Nov 9, 2023 | Blogs
Technology has drastically transformed the way manufacturing industry functions today; it has become the major differentiating factor and is helping the top companies maintain their competitive supremacy in the market. Technology has become a potent weapon for the Best-In-Class organizations and has helped them achieve monopolistic positions in their respective markets. Since the advent of mass customization and delayed differentiation, technology has been used very differently by different companies of the same industry. This means every process has become unique in a bid to achieve differentiation and technology is the main driver behind this subtle differentiation. Thus whenever an organization is contemplating an increment in technology, it is important to consider the entire process as an individual entity, especially when considering an application like MES.
Operations management is also a pillar on which organizations build their competitive advantage. Operations management encompasses the entire organization, expertise in operations management can ensure that the process used by a particular organization remains the best in the industry. Operations Management in manufacturing industry revolves around the idea of managing the process by facts and doing things right the first time. Operations managers have moved from a fire fighting role to a planning role. QBD-Quality By Design, QFD-Quality Function Deployment, SPC-Statistical Process Control and Taguchi’s Quality Function are some of the theories and practices that advocate the involvement of Operations professionals in product planning, product design and process control.
Successful Organizations have realized the importance of 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
