by I2DS | Jan 4, 2022 | Blogs
Data is such a simple four letter word, but without this ‘data’ we could be thrust back to the Stone Age. It is the ability to store, process and manipulate data that makes us superior and faster than our ancestors. Data when presented in a meaningful form is considered Information. Gathering and maintaining this Information is a major challenge for every organization doing any business in any part of the world. Today’s blog is aimed at understanding the problems related to Data and Data Management. So Lets first consider the importance of Data, its management and why is it so important to have robust data architecture? Each Organization in the world generates large volumes of Data every day, every hour, every minute; practically all the time. However this data becomes useless if not stored in a proper Database and not processed in a strong Database Management System. Today IT is the biggest concern globally and opposed to normal belief these concerns are not being eliminated rather they are escalating, as the products being manufactured worldwide are becoming more and more complex and the need to have the right info as and when required is more intense than ever. There are a myriad of Database Management products and so called ‘solution’ providers, who claim to provide a tailor made solution for your requirements. So 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.
by I2DS | Dec 30, 2021 | Blogs
Organizations today are facing high pressure to develop products faster and put them for sale in the market. Order lead times have become very short and instant fulfillment of orders has become the name of the game. Now more than ever the market forces are stronger and influence the entire operation of Organizations and most successful ones have realized this and have been able to able alter their internal capabilities accordingly to meet market pressures. Due to smarter consumers and their short attention span the cycle time for product development and market it has become shorter than ever.
The total time taken from the conception of a product till it’s ready to sell is called Time-To-Market or simply TTM. The market leader has the luxury of a high TTM; the followers unfortunately do not have this luxury. For industries in which the products are outmoded or need updating continuously the TTM is even smaller for example the Software industry, FMCG industry etc. Shorter TTM means higher pressure on the R&D and Marketing function, but even the other verticals are also under a constant and ever increasing pressure.
So how do you survive in such difficult times? How do you ensure you can sustain under the adverse market conditions and still improve your bottom line? At I2DS, we have got the answers to all your questions, we have a strong belief that only an Organization that has flexible operations can survive in today’s cut throat market. Our solutions are aimed at providing your organization with rapid development times, quick cycle times and fully integrated operations. We achieve this through our state-of-the-art MES, Manufacturing Excellence, Data Management and Factory Automation solutions. These solutions adapt to your operations and then integrate it to make it a cohesive and flexible unit; each solution is equipped with powerful tools that provide unparalleled functionality. These powerful tools drastically reduce your TTM, but to see these tools in action and know more about them you have to get in touch with us at info@i2ds.com.
by I2DS | Dec 23, 2021 | Blogs
By Vivek Bhachawat
There 2 basic categories of innovation, one aims at sustaining the current process and product through incremental improvements, or through developing new products from the existing ones, the other type of innovation is disruptive in nature where the products or services being offered start a new trend, by satisfying needs of a needy yet neglected segment of the market and aim at disrupting the flow of innovation through by altering the path used by sustainable innovation. Irrespective of its nature innovation is what keeps the economy expanding, and satisfies the new and ever-evolving needs of the modern customers. Global economic landscape is getting more and more diverse every-day, the buying power of Asian and other third world countries is growing and organizations are contemplating a combination of sustainable and disruptive innovation to make most of the new and emerging global economic trends.
Manufacturing organizations truly have their work cut out for them, the metrics which used to guide strategy and performance have changed and new metrics for both economic performance and process performance have replaced them. Metrics like multi factor productivity, delivery time and R&D efficiency are becoming more important than old metrics like labor costs, process efficiency and other such single dimensional metrics. The infrastructure required to be a market leader in the modern high-tech market has become very complex and depends heavily on innovation and the speed with which innovative solution can be tested and commercialized. The emphasis has shifted from product life cycle measures to total technology growth cycle. To achieve a better position in the modern market, organizations are pursuing innovation through a systems integration perspective.
Today collaborative R&D programs run by the private and government sector has become common and this further substantiates a need for internal and external integration for a better and more productive collaboration. MES technologies will play a crucial role in reducing the over-all R&D cycles and proliferating innovation through comprehensive integration through integration across the entire manufacturing domain. This integration is a vital parameter for successful innovation as each and every activity performed for achieving it needs to be linked to other activities of the process and the process owners need to control the flow and expedite of the entire endeavor. This can be achieved when an MES solution is being employed and it is capable of adapting the process as is, with the ability of making it more flexible and fast, by ensuring decisions are made on hard facts and are made as an event unfolds. Only when the manufacturing of an organization is truly integrated it can achieve the level and speed of innovation it aspires. MES solutions have become pivotal in the pursuit of innovation and will continue to impact the way an Organization approaches and executes innovative endeavors.
by I2DS | Dec 22, 2021 | 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 | Dec 21, 2021 | 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 | Dec 20, 2021 | Blogs
Every Top Boss of every Organization of the world strives to make his/her organization the best in its class. If you read the Vision or Mission statement of any organization in the world this desire to be the best and even better, will become very evident. Irrespective of the line of business every company strives to be labeled the best in business, today we will talk about achieving this dream and making it a reality for manufacturing organizations, for whom their factories/plants are the main source of revenue.
To become the Best-In-Class operation, you need to realize that there is much more to the endeavor than benchmarking the present best in the industry or otherwise. Benchmarking is very helpful but the main reasons for the success of the best organizations around the world can be attributed many factors, such as, strong leadership, clear vision, pro technology outlook, innovation, process control, quality ownership, zero error philosophy and above all 100% customer satisfaction. When the above mentioned features are embraced by the entire organization and these beliefs and practices enter the value system of each and every employee in the organization, becoming best-in-class is just a matter of time.
To develop such value system, integration of the entire process and involvement of employees along with ownership of process in critical. Information Solution like MES are providing process integration and automation for Organizations globally, which is helping them develop a more efficient, coherent and profitable operation. 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 facilitates 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?
I2DS has the most revered automation and MES implementation team in the industry. Our experts specialize in MES, Factory Automation, PLC, APC, SPC, Data Tapping, Database Management and RFID Implementation. Our approach to automation is highly professional and customer centric. We believe that every process is unique and the level of automation required varies for each organization. Our experts provide automation solution that is not only leading edge but also highly efficient, there by assisting your team to make your process the Best-In-Class process in your industry. I2DS’ customers have experienced a higher throughput, better flexibility and greater profitability ever since they chose I2DS as their automation partner. Our goal is to provide process specific automation and manage the resultant change; this makes us a preferred partner in the industry today. So if you are in need of Leading Edge automation for your production plant, look no further, I2DS is here to assist you in this endeavor. For getting a better idea of how automation can improve your process and achieve a greater profitability, e-mail us right away at info@i2ds.com or just drop your inquiry in the comment box and we will get back to you.
