by I2DS | Jun 10, 2021 | Blogs
Let me ask you at the very beginning of this Blog, do Safety and Quality management come into the top priority list of your strategic planning? If Yes, then this Blog is meant for you, as you go on reading you will realize how you can turn your Safety and Quality goals into palpable reality, that too with minimum hassles. I believe it is imperative for any Organization to be a corporate citizen and fulfill its obligation to provide product and process, quality and safety. It is important for organizations to view compliance and excellence in Safety and Quality as promoters of long term profitability. For an Organization to be successful in the long term, such issues cannot be neglected, in-fact the attention paid to these aspects reflect the true character of an Organization.
Safety of the working environment and Quality of the final product/service are the most important contributors to the overall performance and profitability of an Organization. Safe working conditions have been known to boost productivity of the work force; it is considered the most basic work need by Maslow. The importance of Quality can never be overemphasized it is the most important order winner/qualifier in almost every industry. For some industries maintaining high standards of quality conformance is mandatory just to be able to ship the products. Even if such strict compliance standards are not present the need to maintain a higher standard for Quality is implied in order to achieve competitive superiority.
Having established the need to have high standards of safety and quality, we have to decide on the ways to monitor them. I believe anything that can be measured can be managed; this axiom of management applies to safety and quality as well. We need to understand the objectives and metrics associated with safety and quality, this will enable us to employ the right system to measure and control these vital parameters. Today Organizations are using Information Technology to better understand the implications of such critical issues and also to take corrective actions and practice management by facts.
If IT is not your core competence you will need a capable partner to gain advantage from your Quality and Safety programs. I2DS is the right partner for you; we have been able to achieve high standards of Safety and Quality through our solutions and made a considerable contribution to the bottom line for our clients. So the question is how can I2DS help you achieve High Quality and Safety for your Organization? Well the answer is really simple; we have designed a state of the art Safety and Quality Management Solution that will allow you to, 1) Track each issue related to safety and quality, chronologically. 2) Provide a priority for each event. 3) Assign owner to each task and event. 4) Report issues in real time. 5) Report the status of the issue.
But that’s not all, at I2DS our endeavor is to adapt our system to the customer’s operations and we can provide you the above mentioned functionalities and much more. You can employ our Safety and Quality Management Solution individually or as a part of the Manufacturing Excellence Solution, which also incorporates Equipment Issues and Fabrication Pass down. For achieving the appropriate level of Safety for your industry and flawless 6 Sigma level Quality, you need to get in touch with us by writing into us info@i2ds.com or Request Live Demo. Let I2DS take care of your Safety & Quality Management and give you the functionality you have always desired.
by I2DS | Jun 9, 2021 | 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 and assignable 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.
Even modern theories and systems such as TQM, Six Sigma, Lean and JIT, lay a lot of stress on management by facts. Many management theorists have stated and concurred the belief that what can be measured can be managed. The school of thought that advocates the use of facts and figures in management makes a very strong case, this is because it gives a factual and analysis based perspective to management and does away with managerial whims and fancies. But to be able to manage any process by facts and figures, it is imperative to have these facts and figures. Any process irrespective of its type, functionality or end product always has parameters that define it; every process generates data that can be measured to ascertain its performance. The use of standards, metrics and process generated data, for improving the process and better controlling it is what SPC or Statistical Process Control is all about.
TQM theorists and practitioners believe that SPC is the best way to manage and improve a process and that without SPC; a TQM effort can never be fully achieved. In the early 1980’s managers found the use of SPC very difficult as it required them to possess a very good command on statistical tools. This scenario has changed for good in the present SPC modules available for managerial decision making. Today there are SPC applications that can perform all the required calculations and provide the required information, this means that it’s the application that processes the raw data and the manager is saved from performing lengthy and time consuming calculations.
Most futuristic organizations of the world are moving towards the use of SPC applications for improving the over all process efficiency of their production units. The trouble is whether to use an SPC solution which is available off the shelf or design one that can be tailor made for the organization’s requirement. This is a common dilemma when it comes to any IT application; it is because besides the functionality there is a certain cost constraint involved in such decisions. Till now we have established the importance of an SPC solution and are stuck on the question whether to have a custom made solution or whether to buy a standard one? Well, for me the answer is quite simple, if you need a truly efficient SPC solution it has to be process specific, the analogy I am using here is also simple. Let’s say a patient has a unique medical condition, he cant rely on general medication for getting cured, he needs a specialist and a unique treatment for his ailment. Since every process is unique in nature buying a standard SPC solution can never prove beneficial.
I2DS is the best choice, if you want the Best-In-Class SPC application at a reasonable price.I2DS has the ability to understand your process needs and how an SPC application can benefit your operation. At I2DS we realize the value a potent and process specific 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 | Jun 8, 2021 | 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 | Jun 3, 2021 | Blogs
In his famous novel the Goal, Eliyahu Goldratt explains the importance of understanding the three most important aspects of a manufacturing plant or a business for that matter. These most crucial facets of business are- Inventory, Operational Expense and Throughput. Yes, Inventory Operational Expense and Throughput, and the real Goal is to reduce the first two and increase the third. Simply said, cut costs; produce efficiently and sell faster. This theory has a universal appeal and encompasses all sorts of businesses. Irrespective of the method or theory you apply to improve your process, i.e. TQM, Lean, Six Sigma etc. the main prerogative remains to cut costs, make better products and earn more money.
In a manufacturing scenario, the impact of the three factors mentioned above become very evident and can mean the difference between the survival and death of a business. Today the world is a very competitive place, consumers have become more demanding, competitors are fast in replicating a successful process and there are limited avenues for differentiating the end product. With such limited breathing space how does a company possibly survive? Well, it can not only survive but also achieve the best-in-class status in its industry. This can happen if the organization realizes the need to have better process management and move towards operational excellence. Even the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award emphasizes the importance of technology and automation.
Automation and integration specially in IT sector is very hard to replicate for a competitor as it is process specific and a well planned IT application can provide the organization the much needed and sought after competitive edge. An MES application for manufacturing organizations can help them reduce operational expense and inventory and at the same time increase throughput. MES or Manufacturing Execution Systems are basically information systems that help you execute your production process on an integrated application and help you make real-time cost saving and money making decisions. But, because these applications are process specific and help you achieve process excellence for your process individually they are highly desirable. An MES solution can help you differentiate in a way that is extremely hard for your competitors to copy or recreate.
An MES application which is well designed, carefully applied and well implemented, can achieve greater process control, which helps you achieve operational excellence or at least pursue the excellence in a more comprehensive way. Information solutions have become a major priority for organizations specially in manufacturing world wide and it is because of two major reasons which are that they are capable of making the process efficient and that if an application is tailor made to the process it can help the organization become the best-in-class operation and eventually make more money from their factory or factories. If you agree with me on the views on MES or you have a question about its applicability for your process, do not hesitate to e-mail me at info@i2ds.com or you can also leave your comments on this web-page.
by I2DS | Jun 2, 2021 | Blogs
Integration of production facilities, does it mean the physical integration or is there more to it? Well, not necessarily, today due to the miracle of technology, the end-to-end integration of a production facility is possible even if the entire process is not executed under a single roof. It is now possible to monitor and control subsequent operations taking place at varied physical locations. Even when the entire process is executed at the same location can it be considered integrated if there is a delay in decision making and process control? A process becomes integrated only when it can be monitored, controlled and executed in real time. This is possible only when there are applications that allow real-time capture and analysis of raw data, which can be presented to the relevant management personnel in the form of actionable information.
The next question that arises is- Do we really need an integrated production process? The answer to this question is pretty simple, yes. Yes, you need end-to-end process integration, because it leads to process improvement, inventory control, cost cutting and boosts throughput and profitability. Applications that can help monitor a production process in real-time and provide a comprehensive integration of the process should be considered seriously. It is very important ton realize the importance of having the entire process integrated on a single platform and the value that it adds for the end customer. MES applications are applications which provide end-to-end integration of a production process.
Companies that have been able to embrace new technologies such as MES 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 Best-In-Class companies 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?
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 | Jun 1, 2021 | Blogs
Factory performance is often neglected by even the most diligent of management professionals and top bosses. There is a high attention paid to Sales, Marketing, Customer Service and Finance, these verticals are given extra attention as they are considered to be direct contributors to the bottom line. Well, I think this is the first place where Organizations go wrong, factories should be given ample attention and production/operation should be considered one of the most important verticals if not the most important. Production function directly affects costs, inventory and throughput; if all these parameters are not managed properly your factory is already loosing money, even before you can actually sell your product in the market. Factory performance should be monitored perennially and sincere efforts should be made towards optimizing the performance of the factory unit.
Technology plays an important, rather a pivotal role in profit and performance optimization for modern factory units. Yes, gone are the days when engineers would spend hours doing complex statistical analysis of the process to find assignable causes of production issues. Today, technology has given engineers the power to monitor and manipulate the process and process parameters in real-time. IT applications are making operations more profitable today and moving them towards operational excellence for tomorrow. Information solutions like the MES or Manufacturing Execution Systems, Factory Automation, Manufacturing Excellence applications and Data analytics are vital for improving profitability of a factory unit. With the help of these information applications factories are improving their performance in all three vital parameters related to production, i.e. Inventory, Operational Expense and Throughput.
So you need to ask yourself, is my factory making enough money? But before asking this question first ask this, do I know what is happening in my factory? Is it running at optimal efficiency? Is my performance improving on a regular basis? Does my process locate and eliminate the bottlenecks before any loss in production? If you are able to answer these questions first, you would get a good idea of how much money your factory is making or loosing. It is important that organizations understand the importance of technology in achieving a profitable and integrated factory operation. If you find that you are unable to answer above questions effectively, you need the help of an expert that specializes in providing optimization solutions for your factory performance. You need to plan strategically, develop a time-based plan to improve profitability and implement process specific IT applications to help automate and integrate your process.
I2DS is one of the leading experts in factory performance optimization and has been able to improve the performance and profitability of organizations world-wide. Information Solutions being developed by I2DS achieve not only high productivity but also make a difference to the bottom line by reducing costs and increasing profitability. The range of products we offer are- Factory MES, Communication Management, Manufacturing Excellence, Inventory Management, Safety Management, Quality Management, Equipment Management, Database Management and Process Automation. The above mentioned solutions are tailor-made to our client’s needs and can be applied individually or as a complete package. With solutions such as the ones I have just discussed you can better control your process and set achievable targets for boosting productivity. Our solutions are helping our customers increase their profitability and cut operating cost at the same time. I2DS systems have the capability to integrate your entire process irrespective of location, equipment type, level of automation and process complexity. So if you agree with me and need a partner who will make your operations more productive and profitable write to us at info@i2ds.com.
