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Share In the realm of manufacturing, idle time refers to any period when resources — whether machines, employees, or production lines — are available but not actively engaged in value-adding tasks. What is idle time in a manufacturing environment? This concept helps paint a full picture of plant productivity and operational efficiency.
Whiteboards, cards and spreadsheets may have had their place, but manufacturers who are serious about improving their competitive position should look to one tool, a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). This blog takes a close look at CMMS software. In a CMMS vs. Excel comparison, the CMMS wins every time.
To fully understand its impact, its important to know how to calculate it, recognize the common factors that reduce it and identify practical steps to improve your teams average. Higher wrench time means more time spent directly fixing the problem, in turn reducing your total downtime. Why is wrench time important?
Share Chicago has long stood as a cornerstone of American manufacturing, fueling the Midwests industrial rise and helping shape the national economy. The citys manufacturing sector characterized by resilience and adaptability worthy of Chicagos City of Big Shoulders nickname remains vibrant. billion in 2023 to $12.5
Share Dallas-Fort Worth is rapidly becoming one of America’s premier hubs for manufacturing, driven by a strategic central location, a resilient economy, and rapid technological advancement. Manufacturers are increasingly investing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to benefit from its robust infrastructure and proximity to major markets.
Share Although it may not receive as much attention as larger cities, Greenville, SC, is nevertheless a powerhouse when it comes to manufacturing in the Southeast. From its humble beginnings as a key hub for textiles and apparel, Greenvilles manufacturing landscape is much more diverse and forward-thinking.
For years, offshoring was seen as a strategy to cut costs, but today, in light of geopolitical risks and troubled shipping lanes, reshoring offers more than just financial incentives. Modernizing these facilities means embracing automation and flexible manufacturing strategies.
Share From the early textile mills that dotted the landscape more than a century ago to the modern plants pumping out advanced wind turbines and more, manufacturing is in Charlottes blood. On its own, Charlotte hosts more than 3,500 manufacturers who employ more than 146,000 workers, according to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.
Share Uneven customer demand creates significant challenges for manufacturers: increased overtime, excess inventory, and wasted labor, among other obstacles. Instead, production leveling or Heijunka offers a proactive solution rooted in Lean manufacturing.
Share No manufacturing business will be successful for long without keeping a very close eye on costs. While there are a host of business functions, each with its own costs, the number that matters most in terms of profitability is the Total ManufacturingCost.
Small and medium-sized manufacturers with successful supply chains rely heavily on robust production planning. Optimizing the production plan, which takes into account the manufacturing process from raw materials to finished goods, can enhance a company’s operational efficiency, cost savings, and customer satisfaction.
This blog explains what enterprise asset management entails, the benefits it delivers and how it relates to computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS). If you’re looking for ways to reduce CapEx and OpEx, this blog will provide some ideas to follow up on. What is enterprise asset management (EAM)?
Share Schedule compliance in manufacturing and industrial operations is a cornerstone metric that reflects how effectively planned work is completed within a specified time window. Often overlooked, this performance indicator is essential for driving productivity, reducing downtime, and ensuring cost-efficient maintenance practices.
In the early ‘90s, American manufacturers began transitioning to a global supply chain model. This shift resulted in the movement of manufacturing facilities off shore in search of lowered laborcosts and economies of scale. In this first blog, we break down supply chain risk management.
Share A manufacturing organization can be likened to a symphony orchestra, and manufacturing operations management (MOM) is the conductor. This blog explains the role of MOM in manufacturing. What is manufacturing operations management (MOM)? Manning levels may need flexing depending on workload and order mix.
Share What is manufacturing overhead? This is an important topic because, as it can make up a large proportion of the cost of goods sold (COGS), it has a big influence on profitability. Manufacturing overheads are all the costs associated with producing products that can’t be tied directly to individual products.
From product quality to delivery performance to costs and cash flow, unscheduled downtime wreaks havoc on plans and budgets. This blog explains what that is and how it helps. Managers understand this, and in most organizations, they’ve implemented some form of maintenance to reduce the risk of these unplanned events.
From inventory optimization and space utilization to seamless order fulfillment, a well-managed warehousing and distribution system can minimize costs, reduce errors, and enhance operational efficiency. This cuts down the time spent searching for products while also reducing human error.
Share Most manufacturers are very focused on efficiency. Defining effectiveness in manufacturing Being effective is about achieving desired results. Defining efficiency in manufacturing In manufacturing, efficiency is generally a matter of resource utilization, because this maximizes the output-to-input ratio.
million jobs could be unfilled in the manufacturing sector by 2030 if current trends continue. If the continuing labor shortage in manufacturing reaches this point, the industry — and the U.S. If the continuing labor shortage in manufacturing reaches this point, the industry — and the U.S.
Digital maintenance is a way to raise productivity and lower costs while improving effectiveness and meeting manufacturing demands. This blog explores the role of digital maintenance services and maintenance management within increasingly complex manufacturing operations. This creates inefficiency and waste.
The only way to succeed is to keep looking for ways to do things better, which is what fuels the drive for optimization of manufacturing processes. Optimizing a manufacturing process is like fine-tuning a race car. This blog dives into the subject of manufacturing optimization. What is process optimization?
Share Reshoring has been one of the top manufacturing trends discussed over the past decade. What is reshoring in manufacturing? The term refers to the practice of bringing offshore production processes – those carried out in a country other than a manufacturer’s home country — back to domestic facilities.
Share Introduction to MRO inventory optimization In the context of optimizing inventory, MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) refers to the processes that an organization uses to maintain a strategic balance between the costs of inventory and the availability of parts.
Share Complex products require complex manufacturing processes, and that’s the essence of high-tech manufacturing. This blog answers the question, “What is high-tech manufacturing?” This is needed when the product requires great precision in manufacturing and the cost of failures or mistakes is high.
Share As industrial automation has advanced and expanded, the promise of true “lights-out” manufacturing has been one of the most consistent objectives that manufacturers cite in the benefits of this technology. These requirements draw from a range of automation technology, Industry 4.0
Integrators and manufacturers have tried to address this by mounting them overhead or on rails, and while that increases their versatility, they still aren’t free to roam around the factory where they’re needed. Though first used in warehousing, where they replaced AGVs, AMRs in manufacturing are increasing.
Share Most manufacturing processes are extremely complex, and there are many ways in which things can go wrong. Manufacturers use it proactively to avoid unplanned machine downtime, maintain consistent levels of quality and prevent accidents. After introducing the methodology, this blog discusses when and how it should be followed.
Modern manufacturing has paved the way for improved machinability, enhanced machine efficiency, and superior quality products. Modern manufacturing technology started with the Industrial Revolution that spanned from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century. Modern manufacturing, however, sits at the center of industrial production.
Share Production capacity is always finite — there’s a limit to the number of units that can be put out each shift, day or week — and manufacturers want to avoid promising unachievable delivery dates. At the same time, they need to ensure every resource is utilized as fully as possible because not doing so incurs waste and excess costs.
Once the supply chain experiences challenges, manufacturers will almost immediately see higher prices, longer delivery times and extended resource time to make alternate plans and maintain customer relations. enables — must be the new normal for any business that intends to be proactive and competitive in today’s manufacturing landscape.
Share In the world of manufacturing, mastering efficiency and productivity is the holy grail. With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), however, the potential of ERP systems for manufacturing has grown exponentially. This frees up employees for more strategic work and reduces human error at the same time.
Share Minimizing unplanned downtime should be a priority in every manufacturing plant. This blog explores the topic of machine downtime and gives readers some tools for finding and addressing the root causes. Machine downtime gives supervisors and managers fits because it reduces available capacity. It’s always disruptive.
This blog explores why maintenance budget planning is important. It will include both labor and materials, as well as anticipated spend on contractors. It will include both labor and materials, as well as anticipated spend on contractors. Software licensing costs and equipment rental and leasing may also be included.
Share In every manufacturing plant, someone must ensure the equipment is ready to run and the necessary infrastructure is in place. This blog discusses the main duties of a facilities manager. Expenditures must be forecast and monitored to ensure cost-effective operations. That person is usually the facilities manager.
Maintenance in manufacturing is a many-faceted undertaking, comprising an extensive toolset of tactics and practices. The Alpha Strike rapid improvement event is built on the Kaizen event foundation, drawing from continuous improvement and Kaizen lean manufacturing principles to drive analysis, action and results.
Manufacturers able to sustain a commitment to this kind of incremental improvement see increases in efficiency, reductions in waste and even lower injury and accident rates. This blog explores what it takes to perform a time and motion study in the manufacturing industry. What is a time and motion study?
Share ChatGPT is the name for an emerging artificial intelligence (AI) tool with the potential to make a major impact across a number of industries, including manufacturing. Potential uses for ChatGPT in manufacturing When examining potential uses of ChatGPT in manufacturing, it is important to understand exactly how ChatGPT works.
Mark Humphlett Infor’s Mark Humphlett has seen ERP software innovations make leaps and bounds during the past 25 years while working with manufacturers to solve their challenges. Access to data and data models allow manufacturers to automate non-value-added processes and bring new insights for better, faster decision-making.
Predictive Maintenance in process manufacturing plants such as the cement industry can identify deviations in machine health at the nascent stage before they escalate into full-blown problems that may result in unplanned downtime. There are three facts about cement plants that are universally true: . Introduction to Predictive Maintenance.
Are you looking for guidance on machine parts used in manufacturing automation? If you work in a manufacturing environment, you may be required to know what creates those mesmerizing automated movements in a well-running machine. Workers in manufacturing environments wear many hats these days. Your duties are broad and varied.
In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates manufacturing as the second most dangerous workplace, second only to healthcare. We circle back to how dangerous manufacturing can be and acknowledge how imperative it is to reduce the risks as much as possible. Find it here ).
AsSKA Roboticsfounder Spencer Krause explained in blog post “Why Companies Should Contract Out Robotics Systems Development” and in a recent interview with R&D World : Many of todays businesses seem to hesitate when it comes to outsourcing difficult engineering tasks. million in opportunity cost every time the robot was used.
He evangelizes for a resurgence of manufacturing in America. From their blog post: To restore U.S. manufacturing as a global leader in productivity, bold changes are required. That’s why starting today, all manufacturers will be able to use Pico MES’ digital work instruction suite of tools for free. Does it actually work?
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