4 Ways to Make Your Manufacturing Business More Digital

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December 21, 2021 Business

The application of information and communication technology (ICT) to every part of production is altering modern industry, whether it’s named “Industry 4.0” in Europe, the “Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)” in the United States, or simply “smart manufacturing.”

This digitization of manufacturing is revolutionizing how goods are conceptualized, built, utilized, maintained, and serviced after they are sold, as well as factory operations, procedures, and energy footprints, and manufacturing supply chain management. This fusion of digital technology and industrial industries has the potential to reshape the global manufacturing environment. With all of that in mind, below are 4 ways to make your manufacturing business more digital.

Look at Holistic Solutions

One of the best ways to start the digitization process in a manufacturing facility is to start looking for holistic solutions first. Of particular importance are things like facilities management software designed to help automate your routine processes, manage your facility maintenance, improve your communication and collaboration and a lot more.

These programs will help you understand and reduce expenses related to energy, improve scheduling, ensuring all capital equipment is well-maintained and running efficiently as well as IT and cybersecurity.

Try to Start Small

Digitizing your production may be intimidating, especially if you try to “boil the ocean” by taking on too much. It is best to begin with modest, high-impact projects to help build internal support for the effort. To get started quickly, choose a low-cost, cloud-based solution that allows you to swiftly install a digital solution without a large upfront investment.

These sorts of software solutions are the ideal answer for businesses that are just getting started and don’t want to be saddled with large license payments while they iron out the problems.

Weed Out Paper When and Where You Can

If you don’t gather data using tablets, there’s a good chance your facility is littered with paper forms for anything from confirming quality procedures to seeking vacation days and everything in between. Having an abundance of paper is not only a storage question but a data security and management one as well. The more vital information you have tied up in physical hard copies, the more vulnerable you are to data loss and theft.

Take a peek through your file cabinets to see what data is collected on the production floor utilizing paper forms if you want to make a huge and immediate effect. There are so many good reasons to go paperless, from reduced clutter and centralized data for better decision-making to an easier transfer of knowledge among employees and receiving customer payments quick.

Paper forms are fundamentally inefficient and can lead to waste, product problems, and regulatory compliance concerns. By simply digitizing your paper forms, you will be able to significantly speed up your processes, cut expenses, and improve visibility.

Bring Supervisors, Managers Onboard First

Because they will be directly involved in the creation of the final solution, having managers be part of the digitization project is crucial. Ask your maintenance, quality, safety, or production management whether their present procedures have any pain point or issues. Another buy-in of the utmost importance is that of your CEO. The CEO is often responsible for rubber stamping the changes but may not be completely informed on what they mean or how they will play out.

Is there a problem with waiting for the data to be released? Are there any issues with data gathering, such as inaccuracies or omissions? Are the steps being followed correctly, or are they being overlooked? These are the kinds of questions that managers are best poised to answer.

Gather information and ensure alignment. Establish a baseline KPI that you can use to show your business case for expansion by measuring the ROI of the digitization project. You may then proceed with a comprehensive digital rollout once the core issues have been resolved.

Conclusion

Digital technologies will be used in the next-generation manufacturing facility to increase efficiency and production. Customers will grow to anticipate a certain quality of service as more facilities implement new technologies. Keep your manufacturing facility competitive by digitizing it and reaping the rewards. Keep the above tips and considerations in mind and make sure you see the ROI on the digitization efforts you need to remain competitive in a constantly evolving manufacturing landscape.