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Actionable intelligence is key to dealing with NKWSI

In many assembly and fabrication businesses, one of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered is folks simply Not Knowing Where Stuff Is (NKWSI). They lack timely actionable intelligence about their business operations. This is especially problematic when the product is complex, takes multiple shifts to complete, and involves a lot of people.

Reducing product giveaway – The Packer’s Dilemma

“We were able to reduce the variation in the amount of product put into bottles across a 16-head machine. By bringing all the heads in alignment, we reduced average overpack by two grams. Two grams of our product means absolutely nothing to the consumer. But because of the volumes we run through here, we saved an enormous amount of money, and it all fell directly to the bottom line.”

Turning field failures into supply chain leadership

A recent report by Gartner notes that although quality receives strong endorsement and support from executive sponsors:

“Only 22% of the respondents in a 2015 Gartner study on quality in the supply chain claim quality as an integrated function of their supply chains, and even fewer report is as a discipline. It’s no wonder that over half of the high-profile quality failures of the past decade, ranging from flawed product launches, customer and patient safety incidents, and product recalls, are rooted in the extended value chain.”

So how do you go about integrating quality across your supply chain?

Big data widget and maximizing Manufacturing Big Data

If you’re struggling to make sense of manufacturing big data, you’re not alone. According to research published last year by The Economist, only 42% of manufacturers have what they consider to be a well-defined data-management strategy. Even more striking, 86% report problems in managing the data they are now generating.

According to David Line, Managing Editor, Economist Intelligence Unit, “Manufacturing has been at the forefront of data collection and its importance to quality and cost control is well recognised. But collecting too much data, or failing to analyse what you collect, can be counterproductive.”

Visibility to real-time metrics drives performance

Did you know that manufacturers with visibility to real-time metrics in manufacturing have a higher average OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) than those who don’t?

According to the LNS Research Report: “Big Data – Driving Quality Intelligence at the Speed of Manufacturing”, the difference is significant: 5 percentage points higher. You can request your copy of this reporthere.