Enhancing Productivity by Implementing a Smart Factory (Part 1)

As technology enhances and most systems are becoming increasingly digitised and streamlined, many sectors are having to make changes to keep up with industry trends.

Smart factories are quickly becoming one of the main solutions to this as they offer increased automation for manufacturers and put organisations in good stead when it comes to increasing productivity, staying ahead of competitors and keeping up with customer demands.

But what exactly is a smart factory, and what changes can the industry expect to see in coming years? The National Institute of Standards and Technology describe smart factories as a “fully integrated and collaborative manufacturing system that responds in real-time to meet the changing demands and conditions in factories, supply network, and customer needs.”

Many manufacturers have already identified the need for change and are beginning the journey toward implementing the smart factory concept. However, making the jump from a traditional factory, to a high-tech smart factory may not seem financially viable for smaller businesses.

SMEs should initially consider business priorities rather than focusing on updating and disitalising all systems in one go. It will be simpler, as well as more cost effective to focus on each business goal and update and enhance technology in a manner that makes sense to your business. Below are five main business goals in which SMEs can use smart factory integrations to enhance their operations:

1. Enhanced resource planning

A main priority for many businesses is enhancing its ability to manage resources, and connected factories have the ability to track the location of labour, materials, machines, and moveable assets in real time. If offering greater visibility across your business to ensure the right volume of materials are in stock or on order at any given time, then investing in resource planning system should be your first step in transitioning to a smart factory.

There are many software solutions out there that help with aspects such as resource and material requirement planning and are an ideal place for most companies to start making to transition – particularly SMEs.

2. Compliance and traceability

Traceability eliminates unforeseen issues and saves time and money and for businesses without dedicated tools and processes in place, dealing with traceability queries can soon become time-consuming.

In some cases, the inability to show evidence of origin or use can quickly escalate into a more pressing business issue. Having the ability to track forward and back with certainty is very important, especially as manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to prove that the materials they produce meet a range of quality standards and are ethically sourced.

Traceability extends far past being concerned with goods in, goods out and how something is made because technology has brought consumers far more power than ever before. Because of this, investing in a supply chain and traceability focused software solution should definitely be considered.

Source: Businessnewswales