Leverage Data Into Results

Two Fundamental Aspects

Production monitoring refers to collecting data from your manufacturing process, typically in real time, in order to better understand and continually improve that process. There are two fundamental aspects to production monitoring, and it is essential to do both well in order to effectively improve your manufacturing process:

Utilize data collection to create an accurate data foundation.
Transform that data into actionable information.

Decisions turn information into action and are arguably the most important aspect of production monitoring. They are the point in time when information is reviewed, and a course of action is decided.

Fact-Based Views

Production monitoring enables you to make decisions from a fact-based view of your manufacturing operations. This is extremely important because manufacturing teams are often surprised, and sometimes even shocked, when they gain an accurate understanding of losses in their operations. The goal is to thoroughly understand your losses and present them in a way that fluidly leads to insights on where to focus your time and attention. For example, a Top Losses report, like the following, is an excellent visual for transforming summarized data into actionable information.

Taking Effective Actions for Improved Results

The true importance of production monitoring lies in taking effective actions toward long-term objectives based on shared information. It is much easier to make decisions that align with your company objectives when everyone has access to the same pool of trusted data. Sharing data has become much easier with the proliferation of technologies associated with Industry 4.0 and digital manufacturing.

Let's explore how production monitoring impacts and aligns every level of your manufacturing operation. Specifically, we will use the STO model (Strategic, Tactical, Operational) to explore how to drive improvement at every level.

Strategic Benefits

At the strategic level, the goal of production monitoring systems is to provide a big picture view. At this level you want to focus on the forest, not the trees.

Time frame is weeks to months. What happens on a day to day basis is best handled at the tactical and operational levels.
Information is typically rolled up with a focus on trends. For example, viewing trends by department.
Actions are broad in scope. Set large-scale objectives, ensure your team has sufficient resources to achieve them, and step in to make adjustments as needed.

For example, viewing quarterly OEE trends by department is a suitable focus at the strategic level. Where there are challenges, delve into the tactical details with departmental managers. Where you are meeting or exceeding objectives, provide positive reinforcement for the entire team. In this example of a monthly report, we can see the trend is a falling OEE score. In a proactive environment, managers will already have a plan in place to address the underlying problem.

Tactical Benefits

At the tactical level, the goal of a production monitoring system is to translate strategic objectives into concrete actions.

Time frame is days to weeks. This time frame is very compatible with iterative and agile processes, which we recommend for improvement projects.
Information is typically comparative and trended. Comparative data helps identify opportunities for improvement by comparing what is working well with what is not (whether by shift, team, part, or production line).
Actions are focused and specific. Use projects to address shortcomings with equipment and use coaching to address shortcomings with people.

For example, downtime is the largest loss for most manufacturers. Looking at comparative and trended data can help identify where to focus your attention. The following report snippet provides two loss perspectives: largest loss (Case Erector Jam) and emerging loss (Quality Check).

Operational Benefits

At the operational level, the goal of production monitoring systems is to significantly improve operators' ability to react to emerging issues on the production line. This is typically achieved through plant floor scoreboards.

Time frame is real time. Harnessing real-time data enables and encourages operators to “win the shift.”
Information is typically detailed and granular. Operators are directly responding to adverse events on the production line such as extended down events, clusters of small stops, and changeovers that are over target time.
Actions are narrow in scope. At this level, actions tend to be reactive until operators are trained in more advanced and proactive methodologies such as Short Interval Control.

Production monitoring display systems can provide significant value by delivering the right information at the right time - when your plant floor team can still change the arc of the shift.