Data-Driven Manufacturing

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A great Philosopher once said, “Data is a precious thing and will last longer than the systems themselves.” These days, everyone is under the spell of big data. It’s not just something for hip tech companies; manufacturing companies are also starting to realize the importance of data.

Data is not new. Many companies – including your competitors – have been collecting data for a long time. However, unlike in the past, analyzing data is now much faster and more efficient. When it comes to data, the possibilities are endless. You just need to find the most suitable tool.

Why is data so important?

Data is “the new gold”, only gold is present in limited quantities and data will always continue to increase. Without data, you are nothing. It is your greatest asset and your most valuable asset.

It is not for nothing that companies are increasingly collecting their data. After all, they can get a lot of insights from it. It’s also faster, easier and better than it used to be. In recent years, countless tools have come on the market that allow you to start capturing any kind of data.

More and more production companies are realizing that their machines generate a lot of data that can lead to production increasing by leaps and bounds. In simple terms, it helps you to improve your production or – increasingly – to work tailored to the customer – and it expresses itself more efficiently in terms of costs and waste.

Loss of precious knowledge is passé. Digital data capture is the future. But what does that really mean?

Data: the raw material of the factory 4.0

Famous Buzzwords: Internet of Things, Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing have been known for a long time. And actually they all have the same meaning: smart and efficient manufacturing or – connecting machines, computers, suppliers and customers and letting them exchange tons of data.

In fact, research shows that intelligent data can lead to additional added value for smart factories. A survey from the consultant indicates that investment in smart factories can increase efficiency in manufacturing companies by a quarter. (Source; The Times) The business leaders surveyed claim that by 2022, one-fifth of factories will be smart.
So will you soon?

Smart industry, smart factory

smart factory, what exactly is that? The fantastic word mainly refers to factories that make full use of new digital technologies. With the main goal: flexible automation (of quality, lead time and flexibility).

Smart factories are admittedly hip. Logical too, when you see the benefits they can bring you. Not to mention mass customization and series production tailored to the customer where you need to produce large numbers of unique products. IT systems today must be capable of storing hundreds of types of models, sizes, colors and variants. This alone is a good reason to start using data smartly.

The benefits of data digitization

Many business leaders are collecting data in their plants, but few are going to use data to create a competitive advantage. However, it brings essential assets to your business. Let’s take a look at the benefits together.

✅ Get to know your customers

Collecting enough information about products and their users is the way to improve products. For example, you can dig out customer service questions and complaints and respond to them. This will help you understand the needs of the customer, and as a result organizations can optimize the customer experience and develop long-term relationships.

Remember: after all, your least satisfied customers are your greatest source of inspiration.

✅ Improve your production process

There should be constant monitoring of the status of production orders, even if you are not present at a specific workstation you should receive correct info in a timely manner.

This allows you to keep full control over your production process – through real-time status updates on production orders, volume, time, pressure, or whatever condition you wish to measure.

✅ Communicate more efficiently

Collaborating in a connected environment is much easier. Everyone gets access to the same data and figures. Targeted communication for even more personal cooperation on the factory floor? You can do that by connecting workers and machines with each other.

If you use Azumuta, employees can very easily troubleshoot, provide updates, and follow every detail to the letter.

✅ Support for operators

Don’t fixate on technology. After all, it can never replace people. Companies must remain creative and also continuously invest in their employees. In Azumuta, for example, you can start registering the time per employee or check which learning modules people have or have not completed and how much time they spend per module.

This way you get an insight into the necessary skills and identify those who need more training. You get to know your operators better and better and so you learn “why” and especially “when” employees do things.

And more benefits…

  • Making more complex products
  • Better quality products
  • Working faster and more efficiently
  • Transparency through real-time dashboards
  • Connected production systems

The factory of the future

The factory of the future is all about smart data processing. Many companies have been storing data for a long time but don’t do much with it. Yet data is the basis for every decision in your production process.

Every day we at Azumuta have to deal with customers who ask for precise data about their activities. It allows them to work more efficiently. We make sure that not only employees but also machines have access to more and more precious knowledge, so that smarter decisions can be taken at every level of the organization.

Want to know more about data-driven working with Azumuta?

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