by I2DS | Apr 8, 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 | Apr 7, 2022 | Blogs
What separates an Industry leader from the followers? Why are the leaders able to adapt faster to changes and achieve higher market shares? What makes Organizations like Intel, Sony, Bose and Toyota, the Best-In-Class or leaders in their respective industries? The answers to these questions are similar to some extent. Every Organization that has been able to understand their customers and successfully convert their needs, into products and services has been able to become the leader in their industry. An extraordinary Organization does not aim at doing different things, but rather at doing things differently, by understanding their capabilities and market requirements better than their competition. The market leaders are better at achieving a state of dynamic equilibrium between the external forces and internal abilities. This facet of their success can be attributed to impeccable strategic planning and flawless execution of the plans through subsequent tactical and operational planning.
Companies that have been able to embrace the new technologies and implement them successfully in their operations are experiencing unprecedented growth and market share. Information Technology has helped firms perform processes differently, thereby reducing related costs and increasing process efficiency. It is only through advanced applications of IT solution that the present industry leaders have achieved their coveted status. Besides management practices, workforce knowledge, resource base and market conditions, IT is the most important contributor to the success of an Organization.
Manufacturing Organizations in particular have been able to outperform their competition by the implementation of Manufacturing Execution Systems or MES solutions. So what is an MES solution? Well, an MES application, as the name suggests helps better and more reliable execution of a manufacturing process, it gives higher degree of control over the process and allows real-time decision making. Such applications have proven to be extremely successful in controlling costs and increasing throughput. There are many players in the MES space, that provide MES solutions, but who is the right partner for you? To be a leader you need a partner who is a leader in its own industry space and has a good handle on what your needs are. To be a leader you need to embrace automation and deal with industry experts such as I2DS.
I2DS has developed one of the most respected MES applications in the world today. Our solution is capable of adapting and changing itself to suit your operation’s needs. We are successful in MES because we are not just an IT company; our team of experts has more than 100 years of experience in fortune 500 companies in Operations Management. We understand the importance of factors that are unique and inherent in every process; our solutions reflect the individuality of our customer’s process. We have been able to achieve operational excellence through the application of our MES products in different operations from diverse industries. So if you are looking for a partner who would understand your process first and then devise the best solution accordingly, I2DS is the best choice for you. To get a demo of our product made to fit your production process, e-mail us at info@i2ds.com or just hit the request live demo tab on this webpage and our team will get back to you.
by I2DS | Apr 5, 2022 | Blogs
Ever since the beginning of human civilization, what sets us apart from other animals in the world is our ability to communicate, express thoughts and process information. Human beings have come a long way from gathering food, scavenging and hunting to building super cities and living in well established industrial societies. Do you ever think how has that been possible, it cant be just intelligence right? When I think about the growth of human beings on the whole, it strikes me that the main reason for our amazing growth is our ability to innovate and the pursuit of being better. Yes, human beings are inherently dissatisfied with what they have; we aspire to be better, faster, stronger and safer than we were yesterday. This active discontentment has lead to the innovation of almost everything man has created.
Most evident example of the above statement is the growth and complete transformation of manufacturing as an industry. Ever since manufacturing became an industry, it has been transformed and evolved, to achieve more than it did yesterday. This is true for all industries irrespective of the end product or genre of manufacturing. Major leaps have been taken in how the work is performed; the level of automation has increased from 0 to a 100 percent in some industries. The credit for this massive change goes to the very discontentment I mentioned before and I am an ardent admirer of it. It is this discontentment that drives the development and implementation of technological innovations.
Besides the high level of automation in terms of machinery, what else has changed in manufacturing industry? It is the way industries process information that has completely changed. However the development of highly efficient manufacturing information systems can still be considered to be in their nascent stage. But information systems and applications are undoubtedly the future of manufacturing Organizations. It is the same need of being faster; better, more efficient and more profitable that is driving this change and the revolution called IT. Yes, IT applications are making manufacturing processes more efficient by providing better process control, higher throughput, lower costs, real-time decision making and thereby greater profitability. Even for industries at the pinnacle of technology in terms of equipment and process capability, IT applications can still lead to better process performance, faster cycle time and a boost in profitability.
The need of having better information processing and higher level of transparency coupled with the desire to achieve better quality and control are the key drivers of the proliferation of Information systems in manufacturing. The level of excellence that you desire and crave from your process is only possible through the application of IT solutions. You will be amazed to see how IT has influenced every aspect of production right from design to dispatch of the end products. Now that we have established the necessity of IT applications and justified that they are the future of manufacturing, let me introduce to you the premium provider of these innovative and efficient IT application, I2DS.
I2DS has realized the need of the futuristic organizations to manage and retain their knowledge and has developed Information solutions to meet these needs of future, today. We offer a seamless integration for the entire Organization, our services and solutions range from Database Management to Manufacturing Excellence. We can achieve the level of integration desired by the Organization as we have developed solutions that are aimed at automation of Information Processing and better Knowledge Management. Let’s have a brief glance at all our verticals; they are, Data Management, Factory Automation, Factory MES, Manufacturing Excellence and IT/Software services.
Our verticals have been designed specially to provide integrated platforms, which have the functionality of converting raw data to information and providing seamless information to achieve smooth learning resulting in an Organization wide Knowledge Base. We have experts in all verticals mentioned above, which gives us the ability to empathize with Organizations and realize their pain points better, our solutions are aimed at resolving present information problems and better dealing with the future ones. So if you are an Organization that aspires to be a market leader through effective and efficient Information Management, I2DS is the right partner for you. If you want to get a glimpse of our world class product line e-mail us at info@i2ds.com or hit the Request Live Demo button on this page.
by I2DS | Apr 4, 2022 | Blogs
The importance of Quality can never be under estimated. Quality is the most important competitive priority for every Organization, achieving better quality than competitors, is imperative to stay in the race to become the Best-In-Class today. Cost and Quality were considered to be at two different ends of the same continuum i.e. to improve quality meant increasing cost, but over time this view has changed drastically. Improved Quality, achieved through continuous improvement of process has been able to reduce the total Cost function in the long run.
Doing things right the first time, managing operations by facts and applying statistical process controls has led to better Quality for Organizations and have reduced costs such as rework, rejection, reverse logistics, labor costs, materials cost and many other costs that contribute to the overall cost function. Practices like Kaizen, Poka Yoke, TQM, Lean Management, JIT management etc. have contributed towards the Quality revolution and have become a part of day-to-day operations for firms world-wide. But there is much more to Quality Management than just theories that emphasize on Quality improvement. Quality management should be viewed as the number 1 priority and a proper quality management system should be put in place to achieve the desired quality conformance.
Information Technology plays a vital role in monitoring and maintaining Quality, doing things right the first time is possible only when the facility has the capability of analyzing quality in real time as the process is performed. Using IT to implement a Quality management system is a novel idea, because of the inherent features of IT applications. An IT application not only automates a factory, it also integrates all the processes that would otherwise remain separated. IT applications allow Quality to become a part of the entire production process and helps develop the ‘Quality Culture’ within the Organization. There is an evident need for achieving a high Quality standard and also there is a need for comprehensive IT systems that can help monitor and improve the overall quality of products and process.
I2DS realized this need to monitor and detect quality issues on the go and came up with a unique Manufacturing Excellence solution. This system has the ability to track Quality related issues in real time, assign priority to Quality issues etc. along with many other attributes that make it impossible to miss any Quality Issue. Experts at I2DS have the experience of managing Quality of Product and Process for many global giants, and they understand the importance of Quality, for you. According to Deming ‘85% Quality problems are related to the Process and 15% related to other issues’, our solution helps you monitor all key functional areas of your process and thus achieve better Quality control and improvement. I2DS’ Quality Management system gives you complete control of your entire process and will ensure that you not only improve Quality but you also reduce Costs effectively. If Quality is your number one priority get in touch with us at info@i2ds.com and we will help you achieve Quality Excellence.
by I2DS | Mar 25, 2022 | Blogs
Process control, is a derivative of the school of thought that believes that management should be treated as more of a Science and should be based on hardcore evidence and facts, rather than managerial whims. I am an ardent believer of the same truly believe that what can be measured can definitely be managed when it comes to a process that has certain parameters and metrics. However, I do believe that when is comes to leading a team or converting a sales call a certain degree of personal charisma is required and that is a bit of an art, but when we talk about managing a process it is a pure science and should be subjected to strict and clearly defined process control measures.
All modern theories of management such as TQM, Lean, Six Sigma and others state the importance of SPC or Statistical Process Control in process management. SPC enables accurate process control and ensures quality parameters are achieved. SPC can be applied universally to any process where the required output can be measured. Some key tools used in SPC include control charts; a focus on continuous improvement; and the design of experiments. In simpler words SPC is a tool for Quality control that aims to achieve following objectives 1) Objective analysis of any variation 2) Increasing Productivity 3) Early detection of quality and performance related issues. If applied properly SPC can provide your Organization the competitive edge it requires.
If your factory requires better process control you need to consider the possibility of applying an SPC application that has the capability to collect, measure and analyze all process metrics and provide the desired information to facilitate better decision making. The ideal scenario is when your MES application has an in-built feature that incorporates an SPC. However most MES systems lack the effective implementation of SPC and that’s where I2DS comes in the picture. We have been able to incorporate one of the most revered SPC modules in our MES application, thereby providing our clients a seamless integration of their process functioning and process control.
We as an Organization truly believe that to achieve six sigma levels of production an effective SPC is mandatory. We specialize in the design and application of industry and process specific SPC applications. You can choose to apply our SPC separately or along with our MES application, we always recommend that SPC be employed with an MES for better functionality. If you need an SPC application and would like to understand how employing it can aid better process control, faster decision making, better quality and higher profitability, then you need to see our SPC application in action. To know more about SPC applications for your industry, e-mail us right away at info@i2ds.com or just hit the Request Live Demo Tab on this webpage.
by I2DS | Mar 24, 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.
