Let’s be honest: most industrial companies still work with paper to collect field data. This method has several consequences on the company’s processes: double-entry or no entry, difficulty in centralizing and no use of this data. In contrast, in today’s industry, the value of data is invaluable. Data is a precious asset that it is essential to know how to collect and use in order to remain efficient and competitive.
Technicians and operators collect data thanks in particular to maintenance interventions, quality processes… then they are sometimes centralized and exploited despite the fact that they allow managers to carry out and organize the necessary actions: maintenance, process optimization, etc.
We will, therefore, focus here on two aspects of the life of the industry for which the data collected are of very high value:
- Maintenance and optimization of production lines
- Performance improvement
Use data to preserve and optimize production lines
It is undeniable that machines in poor condition do not ensure quality and profitable production. Maintenance is a vital activity in this regard. Whether it is predictive or preventive maintenance, the choice of one or the other depends on several factors (including the specificities of the machines and their costs), these interventions are imperative to preserve and improve production capacities.
To do this, the technicians collect and enter data from the equipment by following the steps listed in the corresponding checklists and operating procedures. The analysis of the data and their comparison with reference values or thresholds may or may not trigger maintenance actions. If, for example, the data collected on vibration or temperature levels approach critical thresholds (predictive maintenance) or values predicted by preventive maintenance, the intervention must take place. In this way, the probability of failure or impairment of production assets is reduced, and capital assets are better managed.
Digital transformation provides considerable support in this process, from the collection of digital data to its processing. The volume of information to be stored and used is also increasing exponentially, hence the rise of new solutions, such as the one we are publishing (Picomto), to facilitate the collection and analysis of field data.
The value of data in terms of performance improvement
The value of data is also fully appreciated when we realize how their proper use can improve performance.
It is important first of all to identify precisely the relevant information to be collected by technicians and operators, and at which stages of the process these surveys should be carried out.
A whole procedure must then be put in place to take full advantage of this raw data. From these, companies make strategic decisions to improve process performance: reduce costs, optimize tasks, reduce machine downtime and non-conformities…
Digital transformation will boost the value of data by facilitating its collection and analysis, which will improve the performance of companies and people much more quickly.
Picomto supports manufacturing companies in the digitalization of their documentation (standard operating procedures, checklists, work instructions, etc.) with its solution and its field expertise in business processes. Feel free to contact us to know more.
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