by I2DS | Jan 30, 2019 | Blogs
FIS stands for Factory Information System; it is an application which is considered crucial by automation experts. There are many versions and variants in which an FIS can be applied in a factory but we will look into that part a bit later in the article. Right now let’s focus on what an FIS really is and what makes it so necessary for modern factories. To begin with let us focus on the value of information, and the need to have real time info about the factory floor. Every manager irrespective of position or function will agree with me when I say that the correct information obtained at the right time is considered priceless. The reason behind this statement is that information that is gained a little too late has already caused some amount of damage, even though it might not be palpable at that point of time.
There is an ever present need to obtain information at the right time and for that information to reach the right person. Let us imagine a scenario where an engineer notes a leakage from a very expensive piece of machinery, he changes the seal which was causing the leakage and notes it in his journal. This particular episode is not noted any where else and the maintenance manager remains completely unaware of the event. Now, the leak still persists and is noted by another engineer, he too does what the first engineer had done. This way the root cause of the problem remains undetected, till it is brought to the manager’s notice and by the time an important part of the machinery has already failed. This causes losses that are multifaceted in nature; there is loss of money, machine up-time, labor, spare parts etc.
Such events and losses become hard to miss when an FIS system is in place. The FIS system is designed to record every event on the factory floor and can be viewed by the entire factory team. This application can also be used to provide training, inspiration and motivation to the workforce. However like I had mentioned earlier the functionality of the application can be defined by the management committee in-charge of deciding the extent and features of the application. The key thing is to realize the importance of the application to begin with and then comes the features and functionality of the application.
I2DS has developed a unique FIS solution. 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 | Jan 30, 2019 | 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.
by I2DS | Jan 30, 2019 | 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 | Jan 30, 2019 | Blogs
FIS stands for Factory Information System; it is an application which is considered crucial by automation experts. There are many versions and variants in which an FIS can be applied in a factory but we will look into that part a bit later in the article. Right now let’s focus on what an FIS really is and what makes it so necessary for modern factories. To begin with let us focus on the value of information, and the need to have real time info about the factory floor. Every manager irrespective of position or function will agree with me when I say that the correct information obtained at the right time can be considered priceless. The reason behind this statement is that information that is gained a little too late has already caused some amount of damage, even though it might not be palpable at that point of time. For Greater collaboration and improved productivity companies generally opt for a comprehensive communication package like an FIS.
There is an ever present need to obtain information at the right time and for that information to reach the right person. Let us imagine a scenario where an engineer notes a leakage from a very expensive piece of machinery, he changes the seal which was causing the leakage and notes it in his journal. This particular episode is not noted any where else and the maintenance manager remains completely unaware of the event. Now, the leak still persists and is noted by another engineer, he too does what the first engineer had done. This way the root cause of the problem remains undetected, till it is brought to the manager’s notice and by the time an important part of the machinery has already failed. This causes losses that are multifaceted in nature; there is loss of money, machine up-time, labor, spare parts etc.
Such events and losses become hard to miss when an FIS system is in place. The FIS system is designed to record every event on the factory floor and can be viewed by the entire factory team. This application can also be used to provide training, inspiration and motivation to the workforce. However like I had mentioned earlier the functionality of the application can be defined by the management committee in-charge of deciding the extent and features of the application. The key thing is to realize the importance of the application to begin with and then comes the features and functionality of the application.
I2DS has developed a unique FIS solution. 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 | Jan 30, 2019 | 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 | Jan 30, 2019 | 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.
