Successful digital transformation does not simply happen overnight. That’s why business leaders must zero in on the metrics around adoption, accountability and performance. An effective way to achieve this is to keep these metrics straightforward with minimal ambiguity. In this post, we will go over how each of these metrics can affect the success of your manufacturing plant.
The deployment aspect of digitization is crucial to the overall success of a plant. This step involves the ability to effectively manage the deployment of new technologies until employees become familiar enough with them. Getting started on this requires plant floor operators and managers alike to get involved in the adoption process. High levels of engagement allows everyone, no matter their department, to work towards a single goal.
Success can then be measured through an adoption score that determines if the new technologies are ingrained in daily procedures. Of course, this type of adoption and engagement can also indicate to plant personnel that they all play an important part in the overall digitization effort. This is because these individuals would be able to realize that the metrics for success are not simply determined by data, but by the people themselves as well.
Accountability also plays a huge role in digitization as it works in tandem with the adoption metric. When operators realize that their feedback is being heard, then they are more likely to engage with digital transformation. Therefore, management should be able to identify the best steps to take while correcting any issues that employees are pointing out.
By closing the feedback loop, both management teams and plant personnel become accountable for their suggestions and actions. This is vital to digital transformation efforts as data such as the percentage of resolved issues and the percentage of timely solutions allow everyone to better manage themselves.
Many manufacturing plants struggle with determining the actual maximum run speed and maximum cycle time. As a consequence, the true overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of a plant gets obscured. While time studies may assist in finding the true state of manufacturing lines, they are not always going to uncover the maximum performance potential in an agile workforce. Additionally, if the expected rates are a bit off, then the OEE will be inaccurate.
A smart factory platform must have continuous improvement efforts as a part of its philosophy from the get-go. By acknowledging that plant-wide improvements are a moving target, employees can make reasonable adjustments to manufacturing lines and optimize product flow. In turn, the maximum run rate will always increase. To calculate true OEE, the actual maximum parts per hour must be uncovered before adjusting the performance rates to maximize them out at 100%.
In the Industry 4.0 (i4.0) era, successful digital transformation requires a plant’s entire staff to be engaged and dedicated to using new technologies. A smart factory platform that understands losses and gains while turning them into actionable goals helps individuals at every level of a plant work together and drive continuous improvement. With adoption, accountability and performance as metrics for success working alongside this platform, a manufacturing plant can achieve enterprise-wide engagement, close the feedback loop and increase overall performance.
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