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COVID-19 Reshapes Production Team Collaboration

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COVID-19 Reshapes Production Team Collaboration

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n response to the global pandemic, it's vital for chemical manufacturers to maintain production for the good of the economy and society at large while keeping their employees safe from infection. Increased workload caused by greater demands or reduced staffing (or both) means that people have less time to communicate. Employees may be carrying out extraordinary tasks or covering assignments for incapacitated colleagues, making communication that much more important. However, because COVID-19 has brought the need for social distancing to the plant, face-to-face communications have become impossible or difficult at best.

Handling this emergency demands a balanced approach that takes into account hazardous operations, environmental impacts, health and safety aspects, product quality, and long-term consequences on business continuity and profitability.

Despite the pressure to keep production going, a chemical maker must assess how plant operations must change to address the crisis. The company always has the option to shut down the plant if the costs of operating don't meet the benefits (to worker safety, for example). Prudently maintaining operations requires defining how operating procedures must change and, for instance, balancing the risks of COVID-19 exposure with the process safety of the overall operation.

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COVID-19 Reshapes Production Team Collaboration

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n response to the global pandemic, it's vital for chemical manufacturers to maintain production for the good of the economy and society at large while keeping their employees safe from infection. Increased workload caused by greater demands or reduced staffing (or both) means that people have less time to communicate.

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Survey: IT/OT collaboration a priority for manufacturers

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Survey: IT/OT collaboration a priority for manufacturers

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Global software developer eschbach in July announced new research findings for process industry manufacturers that shows IT and OT collaboration using plant process management solutions (PPM) has become an investment priority.

The survey, which was sponsored by Eschbach - a provider of digital manufacturing solutions in the pharmaceutical, chemical and food and beverage manufacturing sectors - was conducted by 451 Research.

According to a July 21 news release from eschbach, the top-ranked priorities cited by survey respondents for a PPM investment were:

Capturing and sharing best practices for worker safety

A platform to record real-time incidents for reporting and corrective action

Broader collaboration and communication among production teams and managers

Platform to provide interactive production loss accounting

"In the drive toward the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) over the past few years, the greatest focus has been on instrumenting machinery," eschbach CEO Andreas Eschbach said in the news release. "Due to IIoT ignoring human factors, now comes a realization that collaboration between humans and machines must become a priority, particularly in shift management. Industrial enterprises need to equip the people tasked with using and managing machinery in the overall process so that they optimize plant operations and ensure worker safety."

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Survey: IT/OT collaboration a priority for manufacturers

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Global software developer eschbach in July announced new research findings for process industry manufacturers that shows IT and OT collaboration using plant process management solutions (PPM) has become an investment priority. The survey, which was sponsored by Eschbach - a provider of digital manufacturing solutions in the pharmaceutical, chemical and food and beverage manufacturing sectors - was conducted by 451 Research.

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Research Shows Disconnect Between IT And OT

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Research Shows Disconnect Between IT And OT

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Global software developer Eschbach announces new research findings for process industry manufacturers that reportedly show IT and OT collaboration using a plant process management (PPM) offering has become an investment priority. The survey, sponsored by Eschbach, was conducted by 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence.

"In the drive toward the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) over the past few years, the greatest focus has been on instrumenting machinery," says Andreas Eschbach, CEO of Eschbach. "Due to IIoT ignoring human factors, now comes a realization that collaboration between humans and machines must become a priority, particularly in shift management. Industrial enterprises need to equip the people tasked with using and managing machinery in the overall process so that they optimize plant operations and ensure worker safety."

Worker safety and process optimization are cited as key issues with 86% of respondents relaying that one or more safety incidents are caused by a communications breakdown. In addition, more than half of the respondents reportedly say that process optimization using shift data makes a big difference. Almost 60% of industry decision makers prefer centralized software-as-a-service (SaaS) model with varying degrees of customization. PPM is seen as an important data source for artificial intelligence (AI), according to 56% of survey respondents, who also indicated they are using or planning to use PPM data as an input to AI, according to Eschbach.

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Research Shows Disconnect Between IT And OT

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Global software developer Eschbach announces new research findings for process industry manufacturers that reportedly show IT and OT collaboration using a plant process management (PPM) offering has become an investment priority. The survey, sponsored by Eschbach, was conducted by 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence.

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Survey finds process industry manufacturers prioritize IT/OT collaboration

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Survey finds process industry manufacturers prioritize IT/OT collaboration

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Global software developer eschbach, a provider of digital manufacturing solutions for the pharmaceutical, chemical and food manufacturing sectors, announced new research findings for process industry manufacturers that show IT and OT collaboration using Plant Process Management (PPM) solution has become an investment priority. The survey was sponsored by eschbach and conducted by 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The top-ranked priorities cited by respondents for a PPM investment include:

Capturing and sharing best practices for worker safety,

Platform to record real-time incidents for reporting and corrective action,

Broader collaboration and communication among production teams and managers, and

Platform to provide interactive production loss accounting.

"In the drive toward the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) over the past few years, the greatest focus has been on instrumenting machinery," noted Andreas Eschbach, CEO of eschbach. "Due to IIoT ignoring human factors, now comes a realization that collaboration between humans and machines must become a priority, particularly in shift management. Industrial enterprises need to equip the people tasked with using and managing machinery in the overall process so that they optimize plant operations and ensure worker safety."

Because the process industry has been slow in its digital transformation, it is not surprising that 42% of respondents said they were somewhat to very interested in a packaged PPM solution. With worker safety and process optimization cited as key issues, as supported by 86% of respondents relaying that one or more safety incidents are caused by a communications breakdown, it makes sense why PPM would become such a high priority.

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Survey finds process industry manufacturers prioritize IT/OT collaboration

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Global software developer eschbach, a provider of digital manufacturing solutions for the pharmaceutical, chemical and food manufacturing sectors, announced new research findings for process industry manufacturers that show IT and OT collaboration using Plant Process Management (PPM) solution has become an investment priority.

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Process Industry Manufacturers Prioritizing IT/OT Collaboration: Survey

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Process Industry Manufacturers Prioritizing IT/OT Collaboration: Survey

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IT and OT collaboration using Plant Process Management (PPM) solution has become an investment priority for process industry manufacturers, according to a survey by eschbach, conducted by 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The top-ranked priorities cited by respondents for a PPM investment include:

Capturing and sharing best practices for worker safety,

Platform to record real-time incidents for reporting and corrective action,

Broader collaboration and communication among production teams and managers, and

Platform to provide interactive production loss accounting.

"In the drive toward the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) over the past few years, the greatest focus has been on instrumenting machinery," noted Andreas Eschbach, CEO of eschbach. "Due to IIoT ignoring human factors, now comes a realization that collaboration between humans and machines must become a priority, particularly in shift management. Industrial enterprises need to equip the people tasked with using and managing machinery in the overall process so that they optimize plant operations and ensure worker safety."

Because the process industry has been slow in its digital transformation, it is not surprising that 42% of respondents said they were somewhat to very interested in a packaged PPM solution. With worker safety and process optimization cited as key issues, as supported by 86% of respondents relaying that one or more safety incidents are caused by a communications breakdown, it makes sense why PPM would become such a high priority.

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Process Industry Manufacturers Prioritizing IT/OT Collaboration: Survey

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IT and OT collaboration using Plant Process Management (PPM) solution has become an investment priority for process industry manufacturers, according to a survey by eschbach, conducted by 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence.

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Analyst 451 research states: In the drive toward the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) over the past few years, the greatest focus has been on instrumenting machinery. Due to IIoT ignoring human factors, now comes a realization that collaboration between humans and machines must become a priority, particularly in shift management. Industrial enterprises need to equip the people tasked with using and managing machinery in the overall process so that they optimize plant operations and ensure worker safety.

Read more in the article published recently in the Processing Magazine:

https://www.processingmagazine.com/news-notes/article/21147538/survey-itot-collaboration-a-priority-for-manufacturers

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Analyst 451 research states: In the drive toward the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) over the past few years, the greatest focus has been on instrumenting machinery. Due to IIoT ignoring human factors, now comes a realization that collaboration between humans and machines must become a priority, particularly in shift management.

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Best practices in manufacturing communication during a pandemic

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Best practices in manufacturing communication during a pandemic

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COVID-19 has caused a dramatic shift in manufacturers' operational procedures. To meet the challenges of this new normal, the digitization of communication processes is a top priority. When managed correctly, it can provide a basis for building operational-knowledge capital and exploiting new opportunities. Consider shift-to-shift management, a vulnerable point in 24/7 plant operations that relies on information transfer in written and verbal form and comprises a specific regimen of tasks, often related to regulatory compliance such as product quality, environment, safety and health.
High-quality handover process
In a handover, shift supervisors generally physically meet in order to review the current status of operations. These meetings are usually around a whiteboard listing pressing issues, in front of control-room monitors giving up-to-date process-control data. However, due to social-distancing restrictions, the relief team may not come in contact with the outgoing team. This affects operational continuity.

A good handover needs preparation prior to the ending of the shift, including status of work permits and safety-critical systems (SCS), production status, executed activities, and ongoing priorities. To align all these sources, a plant-specific standard procedure managed by a digital shift-management solution is essential, allowing virtual handovers and providing a formal digital record of plant operations.

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Best practices in manufacturing communication during a pandemic

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COVID-19 has caused a dramatic shift in manufacturers' operational procedures. To meet the challenges of this new normal, the digitization of communication processes is a top priority. When managed correctly, it can provide a basis for building operational-knowledge capital and exploiting new opportunities.

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Session 1: 10 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

Session 2: 11 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST
December:

Session 1: 14 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

Session 2: 15 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST
January:
Session 1: 11 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

Session 2: 12 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST
February:
Session 1: 8 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

Session 2: 9 th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

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The COVID-19 pandemic is transforming the way businesses operate faster and more profoundly than possibly any other event in the history of the world. For instance, in 2019, if we were to tell business leaders that the bulk of their white-collar workforce would be working from home for an extended period of time, the echo of the laughter and scoffing in derision would still be heard in the conference rooms today.

Decisions and plans that would normally have taken months of deliberations were made in moments. What didn't work, or didn't work well enough, were refined and deployed in real-time. Indeed, if we ponder how quickly businesses responded when faced with certain doom, it makes one wonder why this velocity isn't the norm; why it takes the prospect of doom to accelerate innovation and transformation.

Although we are not through the pandemic yet - and there is considerable debate and uncertainty whether there will ever be an end or whether we will just learn to live with the risks like every other risk in life - plans and protocols are being drawn-up and deployed for the post-pandemic world. And, in particular, how manufacturers will operate their production floors in a world where a new and invisible threat exists.

For your consideration and to help you establish COVID protocols, the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (" and the European Union Agency for Safety and Health at Work ( OSHA) of the Department of Labor (Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 EU-OSHA) has published their " COVID-19: Guidance for the Workplace DoL) has published a document entitled " ". Both documents should be considered "works in process" as much is unknown about COVID-19 and should be revisited frequently for updates.

But even within these documents, and because much is still unknown, specifics on how to best protect employees is largely left to companies to determine. Therefore, whatever plans and protocols a company might develop, it needs to expect, even anticipate, potential challenges and model the alternative approaches in advance to support rapid, fact-based, actions.

A few of the obvious protocols that must be established are; the wearing of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves; the increased awareness of personal hygiene such as frequently and thoroughly washing hands and covering yourself when you sneeze or cough; and a conscious effort to maintain social distancing.

The challenge on the production floor will be the reconciliation of the conflicts that abound between doing the job and following the protocols established. For instance, how can it be ensured that social distancing restrictions are maintained during meetings, daily production activity, and shift handovers?

Many of these challenges can be met through process re-engineering and optimization with COVID-19 protocols in mind, and digitalization of the activity reporting as it occurs.

But to successfully accomplish this, we have to pay close attention to the risks associated with misunderstanding or misinterpreting what is being captured and communicated and mitigate these risks. And we also must consider the security challenges associated with working remotely.

Some practical protocols can be readily established, and many (most) companies have already established these protocols such as;

But how can all of this be accomplished? And how can it all be accomplished under the circumstance and conditions that exist during the COVID-19 pandemic and in preparation for a post-COVID-19 world?

The crux of the challenge is; how do we maintain the cohesiveness and effectiveness of working teams when they can't work together as they had in the past?

Whether originating from the human workforce or the Internet of Things (IoT); the capture and communication of, and collaboration on, information will require a comprehensive digitalization strategy. And at the heart of this strategy for the production floor will be digitalization solutions, including a robust shift handover solution, that collect and disseminate this information from the shift in real-time; ensuring that those who have or originate the information make it available to those who need access to the information.

This will change the way information is collected and recorded. No longer will there be page-based paper versions of information. Instead, information will be collected and stored digitally using a records-based approach where only one version of the truth can exist. This will enforce the completeness and accuracy of the information which will simultaneously increase information reliability, operational effectiveness, and accountability.

That all information - machine activity, operator notes, and so on - are being collected in real-time and in one system will facilitate the shift handovers and enable them to be accomplished without violating social distancing protocols. The outgoing shift and incoming shift can collaborate telephonically; each seeing the information as shared from one source.

And since all information is being harvested as it occurs, the entire operational history will exist in one place making on-demand documentation as easy as a click of a button. This "single point of truth" will be the natural result of implementing a software solution like Shiftconnector.

Of course, in these times of social distancing and restricted travel, any digitalization solution will need to be implemented remotely. This will involve workshops and consultations using telephony to configure the system to support the operating environment, operators, and other stakeholders - and to ensure every operator and manager is properly trained in its use.

The benefits of the successful digitalization of the production floor in support of shift activity are plentiful and can be very dramatic.

First and foremost, you will have created a safer environment for your most valued assets; your employees. After all, this is how the entire thing started - the threat to employees from COVID.

But beyond that, your plant will operate more efficiently because your employees will spend less time fighting in search of information and more time producing. And your plant will also operate more effectively because your employees will have real-time access to what is going on in the plant and be able to engage changes in circumstances as they occur.

Although there are many benefits which are important to the operation of your plant when responding to a crisis in manufacturing, three of the more obvious and immediate benefits of implementing a software solution like Shiftconnector would be;

Production team's agility: To keep the availability of your shift teams, you need to reduce the shift-to-shift contamination.

Remote team and plant management: Enable plant managers and process engineers to work remotely and to successfully perform their duties effectively and efficiently.

Extraordinary actions and contingency plans: Be prepared to downsize your production team and handle additional critical actions as they occur.

The actions which you take today are vital for the resolution, even avoidance, of a crisis and will also be beneficial for the readiness of your business and operations over time. Realizing these three opportunities alone will help you achieve "business resiliency" and result in your plants operating with greater agility.

Life as we knew it has changed forever. Regardless of what the future holds, we can safely say we will never completely go back to the way it was. But this is an opportunity to examine the very essence of how our businesses operate and to put in place a new way of working that will actually be better; better for our business, better for our customers, and, most important, better for our most valuable asset - our employees.

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The COVID-19 pandemic is transforming the way businesses operate faster and more profoundly than possibly any other event in the history of the world. For instance, in 2019, if we were to tell business leaders that the bulk of their white-collar workforce would be working from home for an extended period of time, the echo of the laughter and scoffing in derision would still be heard in the conference rooms today.

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In times like these, everyone faces new challenges, especially when it comes to making contact and exchanging ideas at events. We, too, have taken up this challenge and participated at the Virtual Process Show with great success. From 8th to 11th September 2020, eschbach was represented by a virtual booth among various companies from process and production technology in chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages.

As we highly appreciate the trade show feeling and a personal exchange at eye level, our experts were available on all trade show days, both via live chat and video call. This way, some face-to-face conversations could also take place at the booth.

Many thanks to everyone who visited our booth. We are looking forward to welcome you at the next Virtual Process Show!

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In times like these, everyone faces new challenges, especially when it comes to making contact and exchanging ideas at events. We, too, have taken up this challenge and participated at the Virtual Process Show with great success.

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Digital Transformation: Essential for Process Industry Operations

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Digital Transformation: Essential for Process Industry Operations

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During the evolution of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) over the last two decades, there has been increasing emphasis on interconnecting sensors and devices with industrial applications. This encourages greater deployments of automation as well as promotes increasing the usage of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) in today's process control applications. By moving to the IIoT, computer technology has progressed beyond the confines of information technology (IT) to the shop floor, delivering greater efficiencies and increased productivity for manufacturing operations.

The initiation of the IIoT basically overlooked the human element, which is critical to properly operate any manufacturing process no matter what level of automation is applied. All of the various teams involved in manufacturing operations become more productive due to the deployment of IIoT networks that can capture, exchange and analyze data in real-time. However, without an IIoT infrastructure, it is nearly impossible to obtain the same level of gains that one would have with it. New adoptions of IIoT will encourage collaboration between people and machines. This is particularly the case for all personnel closely involved in production, because IIoT enables them to respond faster to any operating conditions that change within their industrial processes. The best approach is a "people-focused" IIoT that will allow industrial enterprises to harness its true potential to maximize plant operations by increasing production efficiency which, most importantly, ensures employee safety.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, seamless communication is needed between people and machine data collected via IIoT and through traditional software. Remote staff need to easily be able to go online to assist on-site team members with any operational process issues that they may be unable to solve on their own. For plants running production 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, shift handovers are critical because each shift relies on the previous shift's notes and details in order to work as effectively as possible. As IIoT becomes ubiquitous in industrial manufacturing, access to shift details that have occurred and may be key to operational effectiveness must be available to all those that need it, not just to technical specialists.

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Digital Transformation: Essential for Process Industry Operations

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During the evolution of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) over the last two decades, there has been increasing emphasis on interconnecting sensors and devices with industrial applications. This encourages greater deployments of automation as well as promotes increasing the usage of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) in today's process control applications.

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For processors, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) represents a game-changing innovation that will drive automation in all aspects of production processes, connecting all sorts of devices with old and new control systems, based on the cloud, big data and artificial intelligence (AI).

The IIoT continues to evolve, with countless solutions touting end-to-end process automation. However, one of the most important elements of IIoT - the human element - has taken a back burner in this hype cycle. To realize its potential, IIoT solutions must address the role of the connected industrial worker in this brave new world.

While there are countless articles on the how IIoT brings together myriad devices connected by communications technologies that yield systems that monitor, collect, exchange, analyze and deliver meaningful new insights like never before, there are not so many that focus on the connected people or teams that are expected to do something meaningful with their valuable new insights. "People-focused" IIoT brings back the balance of power between people, processes and technology, and ultimately will enable industrial enterprises to unleash their true potential to optimize plant operations, improve productivity, enhance efficiency and ensure worker safety.

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For processors, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) represents a game-changing innovation that will drive automation in all aspects of production processes, connecting all sorts of devices with old and new control systems, based on the cloud, big data and artificial intelligence (AI). The IIoT continues to evolve, with countless solutions touting end-to-end process automation.

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How to optimize Plant Process Management systems and the people within them

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How to optimize Plant Process Management systems and the people within them

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The Industrial Internet of Things has brought increasing emphasis on interconnecting sensors and devices in manufacturing facilities. Now applications utilizing cloud computing and AI are helping organizations leverage their IIoT infrastructure. This has help to move IIoT beyond the confines of IT to the shop floor, all to optimize efficiencies and productivity.

Even though this transformation is happening rapidly, it is vital not to overlook the fact that manufacturing still needs people (my, hasn't COVID proven this?). While IIoT enables faster and better reactions to operating conditions, even better trained staff are needed to understand and control these systems and to adapt them to changes more rapidly. Thus a "people-focused" IIoT enables industrial enterprises to harness true workforce know-how to maximize plant operations by increasing production efficiency which, most importantly, ensures employee safety.
The impact of plant process management on plant operations
Plant Process Management (PPM) systems help manage, monitor and optimize plants in addition to work activities, operations and production assets. They give a real-time view of work progress and track status of any incidents or outliers to routine operations. Current employees working in shift manufacturing need to be made aware of any issues that may have occurred in the previous shift, which isn't always easy. Poor communication can directly impact safety, quality and productivity.

PPM delivers on the requirements for all plant operations, regardless of the use of automation, IoT instrumentation, machine learning (ML) or predictive maintenance. Knowledge can be gained from any human contact point in a process. Consistent capture of team-to-team communication is critical, especially with changing work patterns due to working remotely or social distancing. For example, COVID-19 has put a strain on conducting safe operations but fortunately PPM is one solution that can safeguard manufacturers and further optimize their operations.

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How to optimize Plant Process Management systems and the people within them

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The Industrial Internet of Things has brought increasing emphasis on interconnecting sensors and devices in manufacturing facilities. Now applications utilizing cloud computing and AI are helping organizations leverage their IIoT infrastructure. This has help to move IIoT beyond the confines of IT to the shop floor, all to optimize efficiencies and productivity.

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Improving your processes, one shift at a time

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Improving your processes, one shift at a time

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Let's first make an assumption; that the personnel on the production floor were properly informed in absolute terms what the goals of the plant and the company might be and properly empowered to assess situations as they presented themselves. This is not a given, for all too often the people and their abilities to think critically on the production floor are considered as not much more than the equipment they operated.

If such was the case - that the personnel on the production floor were properly informed, capable, and empowered to make decisions and to recognize and realize opportunities for improvement - then what if making process improvement was not the in sole purview of corporate process improvement experts? What if, the ability to improve processes was placed in the hands of the true owners of the process; those who are working the process every day? What if those working the process were empowered to see the challenges, the risks and opportunities, and were able to make the decisions that were in the best interests of plant production and the company in real-time? Would this newfound and profound agility on the production floor be welcome or would it be discouraged?

When companies are first founded, their spirit and nature is that of an entrepreneurial organization. They are agile and nimble; able to assess a situation and make decisions in real-time. And they can do this because their organizational structure is very compact. But as they grow, they lose this compactness and put in place rigid standards for operation, often too rigid and also too inflexible. They take away decision-making in the field and consolidate it further up the chain of command. And in doing so, they also lose touch with what is actually happening on the production floor and are unable to see the challenges (both opportunities and threats) that might exist.

But why does this have to be?

It doesn't, and it shouldn't.

The ability to observe and recognized external influences and changes in business factors more quickly and being able to react to the fluidity of circumstances as they unfold - even to get ahead of them - will offer perhaps the most important of competitive advantages. After all, time is the only fixed variable. There are only 24 hours in a day. And the organization that uses that 24 hours more effectively will have the competitive advantage.

Offering greater agility by adapting to current market changes in as close to real-time as is possible is the opportunity, but with the increase in the complexity of the daily life of the plant operators present challenges in strategy execution as circumstances are changing more quickly and the pressures to make good decisions faster become more critical to success.

So if a company is going to push for an increased level of autonomy to the production floor, improved communication protocols - top to bottom and bottom to top - will be essential and will foster operational agility; from corporate to the business unit, the business unit to the plant, the plant to the production floor, the production floor to the shift, and the shift to subsequent shifts.

Of these, strategy execution will be found in the efforts and of the production floor; and in the shifts in particular. In this vision of the future, its production goals will be communicated to the production floor and it would be up to those in production to attain those goals in the best manner they believe is possible. This activity would also include a "Management of Chance" (MoC) log which will communicate corrective actions taken and recommended easily across shifts and throughout the plant.

The basis of sound decision-making can be found in the soundness of the information upon which those decisions will be made. Information (data with context) acquisition and the involved processes will have to be standardized and harmonized across the various sources. And the user-interfaces will have to be simple to use to encourage engagement and discourage unauthorized workarounds; if it's not simple, people will not use the system or use them properly.

As information is being harvested in real time, background processes (perhaps leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning) will need to evaluate and generate alerts and assign tasks as appropriate; at the very least offering a dashboard to the user to monitor the health of the plant and its production activities. This harvested information, with the entire history of the operations and activities in the plant, will also create a "single source of truth" and allow for on-demand documentation that is timely, complete, and accurate.

The system will need to offer drill-down and drill-around capabilities for obtaining the details for what is appearing on the dashboard so that decisions on preventative and corrective actions can be made and effected. And there needs to be easy methods for searching and reporting to pass information across the enterprise and to find historical records of activities and experiences.

But implementing a system that will achieve all of the above and deliver the benefits will require some up-front thought and work.

You will need consulting expertise from people who know the system so they can understand the business factors being faced and to help clearly and concisely define the success criterion for implementing the system; first on a corporate level, then drilling down to the plant level.

And, of course, the availability and engagement of those who will be making decisions from the information in the system will need to be involved to ensure they are getting the information they need when they need it, in a manner they can understand. And the operators will also need to be involved to ensure system buy-in is achieved by making them a key part of the process. After all, they will be the ones feeding the information into the system and using it to collaborate within, between, and across shift operations.

The result of this effort will be the creation of a system implementation blueprint. Since each plant is different, it will be important to consider and accommodate local adaptations to best support the activity at each plant while still maintaining alignment to the over-arching corporate strategy.

This means, to the extent that configuration and operational protocols can be standardized and harmonized, they should be. But that it is also necessary to allow each plant to thrive, to individually be the best that it can be; but tethered to the whole organization.

What results might you expect from these efforts? At a minimum;

Understanding of what is important to the company and what is important to the individual plants.

Standardized and harmonized way of capturing information so that it can be evaluated and informed decisions can be made more soundly and quickly from a single source of truth.

Ability to see and understand the health of a plant and to take remedial action more quickly.

Compress time by being able to react to changes in circumstances and business factors in an agile manner.

Easier, smoother, and more thorough shift changes where is can be expected, at a minimum, to save one-hour per week per operator of indirect time (non-value-add) allowing for more time for production (value-add).

If you want to learn more about how you can improve your processes day and night and bring agility on your shop floor, contact us.

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Improving your processes, one shift at a time

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Let's first make an assumption; that the personnel on the production floor were properly informed in absolute terms what the goals of the plant and the company might be and properly empowered to assess situations as they presented themselves.