Digital Shopfloor Management
Digital shop floor management in the Smart Factory is the further development of the classic concept of on-site management to control and stabilize shop floor processes in real time.
This is not about transferring analog shop floor management to a drive, visualizing key figures on a monitor or sending lists of measures via e-mail.
Rather, digital shop floor management is characterised by the following features:
- Collection of data relevant for shop floor management at its source and its automated use (e.g. MES / ERP systems, intelligent workflows)
- Visualization of real-time process and performance key figures through standardized calculation of source data
- Use of digital assistance systems such as machine learning for problem solving, which support the early identification of problems and causes of problems and the definition of countermeasures
- Structured knowledge storage and learning systems with standardized and cross-location knowledge distribution
These approaches make it possible to visualize relevant process and productivity data such as OEE, bottlenecks, cycle time deviations, process instabilities or quality problems in real time, thus creating the basis for fast and sustainable error or deviation correction (faster PDCA).
The automated and consistently designed connectivity of plants as well as a uniform data and information model has two decisive advantages. Firstly, cross-plant benchmarks can be carried out and secondly, administrative work can be eliminated through automation and freedom to solve problems can be gained.
Further fields of application of digital shop floor management are flexible shift and employee scheduling, reactive on-site resource control and fast reaction routines in the context of predictive quality or maintenance management.
ROI supports companies in the holistic planning and implementation of Digital Shopfloor Management from the conception to the anchoring of a culture of continuous improvement:
- Creation of a big picture of the SFM elements to be digitized, including a presentation of the influences on organization, qualification and management
- Derivation of the necessary IT modules and the functional/technical requirements, e.g. prerequisites for automated acquisition of operating and machine data (BDE / MDE), process parameters, measurement data
- Definition of the IT architecture and selection of IT tools, e.g. for visualization and analysis, data management and aggregation, hardware (SFM boards), system-based problem solving (e.g. ROI-EFESO Tool SOLVACE - www.solvace.com)
- Front-end setup: cross-location consolidation of data sources and user-oriented provision via shop floor boards and apps, ensuring defined standards and KPIs, real-time visualization
- Definition or upgrade of the analog SFM requirements
- Piloting and roll out
- Necessary training and qualification measures as well as accompanying coaching of the implementation.
Case Study
Quality improvement in the automotive industry
A leading global automotive manufacturer wanted to mobilize and accelerate its entire network of nine factories in terms of costs and quality.
With ROI, the Group established a completely new football-inspired practice of competing for championship leadership. The project team thus dynamised rigid plant structures and work routines.
Case Study
Quality in production
A medical technology company wanted to reduce the number of defects in the production line of one of its top products by a factor of 10. Together with ROI, the company identified the appropriate starting points and ensured quality improvements that can also be scaled to other product lines.
Case Study
Lean Digital Manager
The ROI certification program for "Lean Digital Manager" shows how digitization of lean production works. It combines lean management strategies with industry 4.0 technologies.
Case Study
Restructuring and cost reduction in mechanical engineering
A company in the plant and mechanical engineering sector had to secure its competitiveness. ROI identified all the parameters for the necessary changes at a production site in Germany and started the turnaround with a multi-faceted restructuring approach.