Smart Factory: Lead the Transformation

Connectivity Equation: Shop + Top + IT + Culture + ROI

When we talk about the “Connected Enterprise” we tend to think of it in traditional terms—cables and connectors, I/Os, PLCs, and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). But in the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution that will result in a truly connected manufacturing organization, the emphasis is on bringing ideas together as well as machines. It also means linking all business processes—not in a chain, as we’ve thought of connection in the past, but in an Interconnected Connected Enterprise (ICE).

To accomplish this, we must put aside the old ways we gather and distribute data. The ICE model requires we not just gather and analyze the information from our machines, our supply chain and our enterprise, but also share that knowledge within our organization. A fully Interconnected Connected Enterprise effectively communicates the value of the data and the jobs that result from the use of that data to all members of the enterprise team.

We must also realize this is not accomplished just by adding more sensors or nodes. We already collect a tremendous amount of data on our plant floor. What we have not done well is evaluate that data for knowledge. It is the emergence of software solutions such as the FORCAM FORCE? Bridge that allows this data to be understood and to be used to improve operational excellence, reduce downtime and make our plants safer.

Here are five ways the ICE model will change the manufacturing structure and develop connected manufacturing:

1. The Shop Floor: Legacy machines may still have value, but there also is a great deal of aging equipment in a plant. Understanding the state of each piece of equipment, maintaining it on a prescriptive maintenance model, and replacing equipment on time and as needed preserves both uptime and capital. In the new world of equipment, FORCAM introduces machine monitoring and data collection by accessing controllers of the machine directly to lead the plant floor to making the right decision at the right time.
2. The Top Floor: The evolution of data management helps the C-Suite bring Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and other business and operations systems into an interconnected and yet cooperative data stack. Now a work order can be executed at one part of the plant, the purchase order for the replacement parts can be ordered and delivered through procurement, and the C-Suite can see at a glance how money is being spent and how decisions are being made.
3. The IT Infrastructure In Plain Sight: Information technology no longer is “the man behind the curtain.” IT professionals obtain visibility to all parts of the enterprise through revolutionary technology of the FORCAM FORCE? Bridge [that connects any existing IT component of the manufacturing business. The IT team will get knowledge of not just what must be instrumented, but why, and how the data is being used. Think Predictive Analytics and Shop Floor Management technologies working in harmony to help the manufacturing business to drive throughput and uptime. In turn, they also will be a visible part of the manufacturing team, which creates a culture of true collaboration and win-win mentality. They will create robust wired networks where needed, secure wireless networks where appropriate and integrate and maintain powerful Shop Floor Management software to transform Big Data. This Big Data can then be transformed into actionable information that the plant floor can turn into productivity and profitability, a necessity to stay ahead of the competition.
4. The Culture Shift: What these first three steps really do is raise awareness of the interconnected roles of each part of the overall enterprise, and demolish the silos that have separated these teams. This not only serves to let each department in a manufacturing organization understand how they all are parts of the whole, but also provides a fresh set of eyes. From this comes new perspectives, and new ideas that can be more easily shared, evaluated and implemented.
5. The New ROI (Return On Information): In an Interconnected Connected Enterprise, the speed of change is profound, but so is the improvement of processes. Managers can evaluate manufacturing costs in real time. Maintenance projects can be done with a purpose instead of a calendar. The supply chain between two ends of the building or between plants across the global, can be streamlined and optimized. And the customer can count on the free flow of products that can be produced and delivered almost as soon as they are ordered. That leads to faster delivery, enhanced turn time and more product out the door—without adding employees or equipment. In the end, the customer is the last part of the Connected Enterprise that surly is to benefit from modern IoT-based technology to provide rapid ROI (Return On Investment and Return on Information) and more business.

Showing manufacturing how to implement these five steps in the Interconnected Connected Enterprise is the purpose of FORCAM’s SMART FACTORY Starter Kit. It allows a manufacturer to create a proof-of-value use case for an Interconnected Connected Enterprise.

It can be accomplished in four quick steps:

1. Connect any 3 machines on your shop floor, old or new. That’s the Shop Floor component.
2. Deliver data using cloud technology to reduce your internal IT Infrastructure costs and deliver information to the Top Floor.
3. Work with the FORCAM Academy to transform Big Data into Smart Data for the right role at the right time, thus Shifting your Culture from a task-driven environment to a data-driven operation.
4. The ROI: Execute the first three steps, and there is a guarantee of at least 10% gain in shop floor uptime in less than 3 months.

The FORCAM SMART FACTORY Starter Kit is the beginning of your journey to the Interconnected Enterprise. It will improve your organizational cohesiveness, your operational focus, and your relationship with your customers. That success will connect to your bottom line and you will have truly begun to change the world of manufacturing.

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Company Profile

FORCAM is the global technology partner to discrete manufacturing companies providing a unified approach for sustained manufacturing excellence across all operations. 

FORCAM’s awarded technology suite FORCAM FORCE? monitors the performance of over 60,000 machines globally and is deployed by best-in-class companies active in Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, Oil and Gas, and Medical Device discrete manufacturing industries. Customers achieve productivity increases far over 20% in less than 12 months. 

FORCAM’s Advanced Shop Floor Management Technology harmonizes all manufacturing operations from to the top -- to the shop floor and across the global supply chain and enterprise creating the transparent factory environment. 

FORCAM stands for rapid Return-On-Investment (ROI), an increase of Return-On-Capital-Employed (ROCE), and a competitive surge in overall cost savings and reduction of waste. We Deliver Results in Productivity.

Phone: (513) 878-2780 | www.forcam.com | Email: [email protected]