Lean Manufacturing in a Post-Covid World

The concept of lean manufacturing, or lean as it is sometimes called, has been around for decades and focuses on streamlining production to improve value and productivity while minimizing waste. From a lean manufacturing perspective, waste is considered anything that does not add value.? It is business-critical to understand lean concepts and how they can give your team a competitive edge. This is why it is important to leverage technologies that align with a lean manufacturing approach, like Matics manufacturing analytics that drives production efficiency. This is especially crucial in a post Covid-19 world that is filled with more caution and uncertainty around supply chains and manufacturing.

Matics manufacturing analytics utilizes Real-time Operational Intelligence, RtOI, to increase visibility across the production line – using real-time data and decision making leads to fewer costly supply chain disruptions and production shutdowns. Real-time data enables companies to be more nimble and adaptable to changing market conditions and potential black swan events across the world.

The key advantage of integrating RtOI solutions in manufacturing plants is the ability to waste less time manually looking for and managing what technology can instantly identify and do. This enables manufacturers to reduce the time it takes for them to see, analyze and react to events, improving efficiency and productivity – leading to cost and time savings that are vital to success in the post Covid-19 manufacturing environment.

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What are the Key Strategies of Lean Manufacturing??

Below is a summary of the 5 key principles of lean manufacturing. When implemented effectively, lean manufacturing results in significant efficiencies and productivity gains that lower production costs – providing the advantage companies are seeking. Technologies that support these concepts, such as Matics manufacturing analytics, can be successfully applied to any manufacturing sector.

1. Value – this principle is based on how the customer defines “value”. It is nearly impossible to streamline a manufacturing process if the value points are not clearly understood.

2. Value Stream – this step involves mapping out the processes that contribute to the value stream from beginning to end. It often starts with raw material acquisition and ends when the final product is delivered to the customer. This is a crucial aspect of lean manufacturing as the purpose is to identify potential waste areas and then work to reduce or eliminate the waste.

3. Flow – once the waste is removed, the manufacturing operations should run more smoothly and efficiently. Teams should revisit the value stream to ensure all waste has been removed where possible.

4. Pull – with the process running more smoothly, products can be manufactured and delivered “just in time”, reducing inventory requirements and costs. This also results in shorter time to market, further driving competitiveness.

5. Perfection – the final principle is about continuous improvement as lean manufacturing is intended to be an on-going assessment to avoid waste and inefficiencies from creeping back into the process. Companies with a lean culture ensure all personnel are empowered to participate in continuous improvement efforts.

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Benefits of a Lean Approach in a Post Covid-19 World

Lean manufacturing offers an array of benefits. When lean principles are applied, sources of waste are reduced, or even eliminated, improving operations efficiency and product quality - adding significant value for customers. With shorter production times, manufacturers are more adaptable and able to respond to customer needs and market conditions. Additionally, lean strategies can be applied to supply chain and product development processes, leading to quicker speed to market and a significant competitive edge.?

• Increased Quality: improved efficiency makes personnel and equipment available for innovation that would have otherwise been wasted.
• Faster Speed to Market: as manufacturing processes are streamlined, OEMs can better respond to fluctuations in demand and other market variables, resulting in fewer delays and better lead times.
• Sustainability: less waste and better adaptability makes OEMs better positioned to thrive today – and tomorrow.
• Improved Bottom Line: more productivity with less waste and better quality makes for a more profitable company.

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Why is Data Visibility so Crucial to Manufacturing Success?

Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, every manufacturer struggles at some point with an inefficient use of labor, machine assets, and systems. Mistakes, supply chain disruptions, and unplanned downtimes are very costly – financially as well as to a company’s reputation. What seems to be a minor quality issue today develops into extensive problems later. Research shows that factories are operating at just 30-50% of their capacity due to low visibility of the production floor.

With the current lack of accurate factory floor data, it is critical for companies to adopt new technologies that embrace lean manufacturing in a post Covid-19 world and enable better production decisions with real-time data, unlocking greater value in the manufacturing process. The following explains how Matics increases visibility on the factory floor using RToI – reducing costs and the number of unplanned shutdowns.

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How Matics Manufacturing Analytics with RtOI Delivers More Visibility

RToI technologies such as Matics manufacturing analytics deliver lean manufacturing results. Real-time Operational Intelligence enables organizations to go beyond their data and gain an accurate overview of their shop-floor in real-time while providing them with the ability to effectively analyze their operations and automate tasks.

Unlike traditional software solutions that provide a snapshot view of an organization’s operations, RtOI solutions provide manufacturers with a single solution that aggregates high-resolution multi-source data, continuously analyzes it in contextual relevance, and facilitates real-time management. This enables manufacturers to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach to shop floor management.

Instead of wasting time looking and waiting for information, RtOI solutions combine advanced algorithms with thousands of data points from all possible sources, including ERPs, MES, individual machines, IoT sensors, human operators, and more, enabling them to accurately identify what matters most, when it matters most, and who it matters to.

RtOI solutions then alert the right person at the right time in an application tailored to their exact needs and provide them with all the tools they need to effectively react to any shop-floor situation no matter where they are. The result is a significant reduction in the time it takes to prevent, identify, and react to real-time events – leading to a decrease in costly supply chain disruptions and unplanned shutdowns, which is even more advantageous in a post Covid-19 environment.

About Matics

Matics is a Real-Time Operational Intelligence solution that was designed to enable rapid Industry 4.0 best practice adoption via a user-friendly non-disruptive digitalization platform. Matics manufacturing analytics instantly improve visibility and shop-floor management, reducing response time to critical events, and increasing OEE and profitability.

Matics manufacturing analytics solution continually aggregates data in real-time, transforming it into knowledge manufacturers can use to optimize key metrics on their shop floor. Matics provides manufacturers with powerful work management tools that deliver notifications when attention is needed and enable remote tasks management, process automation, and more.?

Over 80% of manufacturers do not have real-time solutions on their shop-floor. Below are a few leading manufacturers who choose to digitize their facilities with Matics manufacturing analytics solutions:

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Ready to upgrade your shop floor to Industry 4.0? Visit our website to learn more about Matics manufacturing analytics or to book a demo.