For years, top firms like Danaher and Toyota have used their production systems to gain an edge. It’s not about being fast or efficient. It’s about improving processes at a pace that other companies find hard to match.
Sound production systems give firms a clear view of their performance. They help compare results across different plants. They promote competition within the company. This simplifies the sharing of best practices and minimizes any confusion. These systems train staff and attract talent. They help everyone perform at their best.
The most effective production systems are simple and structured. They must also fit the company. They help companies set clear goals and find the right tools to meet them. This makes it tough for competitors to replicate their success.
Today, companies can use technology to improve. The IoT is key. IoT devices provide vast amounts of data that help improve production processes. To enjoy IoT, companies need to rethink how they approach production—like how 22Bet reassesses its customer experience to stay ahead of competitors.
Four Dimensions of the IoT’s Impact
The rise of IoT and digital tools won’t change production systems. They aim to support operations and decisions in modern organizations. It will transform how they are built and run. It will improve four main areas:
- connectivity
- speed
- accessibility
- anchoring
Connectivity
Traditional production systems have separate tools. They are loosely linked by rules that govern their use. These guidelines are usually on paper or a corporate intranet. In the future, links will be tighter and more automated. Fast digital connections will allow the whole system to run seamlessly.
The integration will transform production systems in two key ways. First, performance will be measured and managed using accurate data. Sensors will track the entire production process, from the inspection of incoming materials through manufacturing to final inspection and shipping. Companies will store the sensor output in a central data lake. Hey will also incorporate information from both internal and external sources.
This includes supplier specs, quality indicators, weather, and market trends. All this data will set the production system’s targets. It will also measure its performance. Staff will see, at a glance, if the system is working.
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Second, connectivity will support better fact-based decision-making. Up-to-date production data will remove the guesswork from making changes. More automated data collection and reporting can help. It can let frontline workers and managers take on bigger roles in problem-solving and process improvements. Advanced analytics will help us find the causes of quality issues and equipment breakdowns. This will allow for quicker fixes. Furthermore, stored information about similar topics solved elsewhere will help identify appropriate solutions.
Speed
Today’s production systems are necessarily retrospective. They want to be very responsive. So, they stress discipline, high standards, and getting it right the first time. But the reality falls short. Manual measurement and management mean that most improvement opportunities go unseen. They can only be found after a shift ends and the numbers come in.
With real-time data collection and analysis, production systems can be more responsive. Any deviations from set standards can be flagged instantly for corrective action. We can better find the root causes of those deviations and possible fixes. The entire improvement cycle will speed up.
Managing day-to-day operations will get slower, and capability building will be challenging. We will use customized online training to meet each employee’s needs. In addition, IoT technologies will enhance production systems. They will speed up the process by finding gaps in plant performance. Then, they will use new best practices to update the processes. (See the sidebar.)
Accessibility
In the future, production systems will unify data storage and make data access easier. All employees will use a single portal. It will have real-time data, standards, and tools for improvement. This system will alert team leaders to issues and suggest fixes. It will help solve problems faster.
These portals will also connect with external partners. They will let suppliers and experts track quality and suggest ways to improve it. With secure access, equipment manufacturers can even check and maintain systems remotely. Plus, companies can compare their performance with others to stay competitive.
Anchoring
We foresee a strong effect of IoT and digital tech. It will anchor the production system in the organization’s psyche. It will solve a key challenge: sustaining change to improve.
This anchoring effect will be achieved through several different methods. First, the unified data, interface, and toolset will help. They will enforce the adoption of standards and ensure that the best way is the easiest. If the best settings are a button click away, staff won’t need to improvise plans or override machine settings.
