by I2DS | Mar 8, 2022 | Blogs
Technological advancements have 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. Yes, MES applications are the future of modern manufacturing, if you are curious why, read on.
Operations management has always been 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 Operations; an MES application 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 and 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. MES applications can help reach the future levels of productivity and performance today and now.
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 | Mar 7, 2022 | Blogs
For Organizations that manufacture any kind of product, the Factory is the heart of that Organization. Factories are places where a product or a product sub-assembly is manufactured or assembled. It is in these factories that raw materials become value added products that provide the desired utility to the end user. Information that flows to and from the factories is crucial and plays a massive role in the operational efficiency and effectiveness. Traditionally solutions have been developed to help functions like Finance, Purchase, HR and Marketing. Factories and Operations, have had limited solutions aimed specifically to improve the information processing and information flow, for them.
The information that is generated from a factory is extremely crucial and determines the actual efficiency of the production. To neglect the vital info generated by the production process is no less than a crime. The factory and communication to and from it should be carefully monitored, analyzed and understood. If you are in the business of making toys, let’s say and your factory is failing to meet customer expectations or is unable to ship goods on time, you are going to end up suffering both tangible and intangible losses. Some losses like the loss of respect from customers and suppliers can have permanent effect. What I am trying to say here is very simple, if you are a manufacturing company you need comprehensive information solutions for your factory, because no matter how good your other functions perform, your profitability is determined by your factories performance.
For all manufacturing firms it is vital to understand the role of their factories and realize that operations and operations management are directly related to their profitability. Today there are information solutions that can integrate the factory and provide real-time access to the top management to help assess every important event in the factory. Such solutions aid better management and help implement best management practices. FIS or Factory Information System is a boon for organizations that have manufacturing organizations that have production facilities at separate geographic locations or have multiple production lines at the same location. With an FIS they can monitor and analyze all the important happenings in the factory and take decisions before the seriousness of an issue escalates and it becomes a serious problem. What is important however is to understand the need for an FIS and the importance of managing Factory operations!
I2DS has realized this evident need and has developed a unique solution called FIS or Factory Information System. Our FIS system is truly at the forefront of technological advancements in the manufacturing space. It enables rapid data communication from the production floor and provides the organization with a real-time status on equipment status, WIP profile, and other factory metrics. We at I2DS realize the importance of process related information and how the flow of this information can affect the bottom line of your organization. Our FIS gives management a complete picture of what is happening on their Factory Floor, this helps better and faster decision making, that in turn increases organizational flexibility and aids continuous improvement.
Factory Information Systems help you better utilize your equipment, make better tactical plans, improve cycle time, locate and relieve bottlenecks and achieve your true capacity. FIS system can provide above mentioned functionalities because it makes all the important metrics available for analysis and subsequent decision making in real-time. FIS Technology if used effectively can change the way your factory operates, let I2DS be your automation partner and reach the pinnacle of efficiency and profit optimization. To get an experience of our amazing FIS solution and other Factory Automation Solutions e-mail us right away at info@i2ds.com
by I2DS | Mar 4, 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.
by I2DS | Mar 3, 2022 | Blogs
Factories have transformed drastically in the last 100 years or so, the main reason behind this is the advancement in Process Technology and the revolution called Information Technology. Yes, long gone are the days when every production step was executed manually and the entire process was subject to a myriad of non-conformities and issues. Today the standards for production have become stringent and some details are impossible to achieve without having a total or partial automation. Factories of tomorrow are the ones that realize this need for automation and work towards becoming more advanced using better process and information technology. The organizations that have reached high level of proficiency give the credit to better technology.
But wait, what is better technology and does automation mean the elimination of human work force entirely? Well, automation can be considered as a continuum against human intervention, the lower the amount of human intervention in the actual production process the more automated the process. However, automation does not mean elimination of the human workforce entirely, let me explain. Even though a plant may be fully automated in terms of machinery, in the entire production process humans play the role of interfaces between operations, even if the entire production process is executed continuously, the need for humans still remains to monitor and manipulate the process as desired/required.
The level of automation in general is rising in all industries; the major reason for this is the proliferation of IT solutions that are integrating processes, even those that are geographically at separate locations. Even in industries that have saturated themselves in terms of process technology, IT is helping them reduce costs and improve process efficiency and net profitability. Market leaders have embraced IT and consider it the most important facet of automation. It is through applications like PLC, SCADA, HMI, SPC and MES that the modern factories become automated in the true sense of the word.
Information Technology is the Present and Future of Factory Automation and the future is here and now. Yes, you have the power to make your factory a fully automated, technology driven and highly profitable entity, all you need to do is understand the role of Information Technology in your process and apply it. To achieve the best results in factory automation you need to work with experts, who know what is factory automation and what scope does IT have in your production process. To know more about Factory Automation or understand the need for it, please get in touch with us right away at info@i2ds.com.
by I2DS | Feb 28, 2022 | Blogs
As consumers we owe a lot to R&D labs, these labs provide us with novel products that add value to our lives and in case of medical miracles; they add more life to our lives. Yes, R&D labs help us by improving the products we use in our day to day lives; they also improve the quality of our lives. I sincerely applaud the organizations, governments and individuals who help run R&D labs that work for the greater good of the human race. Being an operation professional I have always wondered how these labs are run, can they become more efficient, can we improve the development time of these labs? These questions arise because of the nature of operation of R&D facilities, they operate under a lot of pressure; have limited finances, large no. of variables and an uncertain outcome.
So how can an R&D lab be more efficient? I believe the answer to this question lies in the way we approach the operation of such a lab, the clarity of the deliverables and the technology we employ we use to run the day-to-day operation of the lab. Yes, the planning at the DOE stage and the subsequent stages plays a very vital role on the success of an R&D project and the final deliverable obtained. It requires a methodical approach and involvement of all concerned departments, right from the design stage to the stage which delivers the first prototype. An R&D facility can be much more productive if it is gunning for a specific target rather than shooting in the dark. This means that a lot of thought needs to be put before even accepting the possibility of an end result of an R&D project.
Once the plan is in place and there is a general idea of the deliverable expected, the technology to be employed comes into play. By technology, I mean not just the equipment being used, but also the Information systems that lay the foundation of success for any operation. The information systems being employed in an R&D lab provide the required alignment, synchronization and integration to successfully execute the project. The most modern and highly coveted Information application for R&D labs available today is LIMS- Laboratory Information Management Systems.
Due to the dynamic nature and needs of an R&D facility no standard LIMS package can be suitable for your Lab. A Pharmaceutical lab has completely different objectives and operational needs than lets say an Aircraft development lab. This makes the design an application of LIMS a highly process specific and complex task .The core function of LIMS is sample management; this includes the request from sample from the customer, the process of sample creation and also the tracking & delivery of sample to the customer. This requires data management expertise that is compliance oriented and process specific.
A LIMS application can also have features beyond sample management, such as, equipment integration, electronic data exchange, export to excel/spreadsheets, audit management, barcode/RFID applications and the list virtually is endless. The presence of a good sample management application is pivotal for a successful LIMS system as the most important operation of any manufacturing R&D Lab is sample generation as per customer specs, effective sample creation and timely delivery of the said sample. If you agree with my views about the necessity of LIMS or have any other doubts/queries relevant to the topic, you can write to me at sumeet@i2ds.com or info@i2ds.com or just leave a comment on the Blogs page. If you would like to know how a LIMS application can affect the productivity of you lab, do write to me.
by I2DS | Feb 21, 2022 | Blogs
I have always had a strong belief that companies that aspire to be more efficient also achieve higher profitability. It is only through doing things better, faster and cheaper that profitability of an operation increases, assuming that the demand is constant. Even if the demand for your end product is variable which is always the case, an efficient process can better adapt to varying demand and use the valuable resources available for other areas of attention. Technology plays a key role in the pursuit of higher efficiency; it is through the application of technological marvels that a quantum leap can occur in process efficiency.
One of the major changes that have occurred in the last decade or so is in the way organizations handle their information and knowledge management. Information Technology has become the most important area of Strategic decision making. IT applications are being used to integrate and automate the entire operation of multinational organizations, right from purchase of raw materials to the point of sale. It is these information solutions that negate the bull-whip effect in supply chains, achieve better demand projections, ensure higher customer satisfaction and enable efficient production.
ERP applications have become commonplace and are helping companies save valuable time, resources and money. Such applications are making the overall operation of the entire value chain of such organization more effective and thereby more efficient. Even in Organizations primarily into manufacturing of products, solutions like MES, RFID (for inventory and process control), Manufacturing Excellence, LIMS, DMS, and FIS. are helping operations become faster and more flexible. These information solutions are automating the entire manufacturing process of Organizations, even the ones which have different geographical locations for different operations. These solutions have the power of achieving higher process efficiencies and real time decision making.
The question is not whether these solutions are required, off course they are. The real question is who is the right technology partner for such applications? Organizations that are facing trouble managing information and don’t want to go for a standard package with limited functionality, what should they 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 Information 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.
