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SMT007-Sept2020

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SEPTEMBER 2020 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 43 prescriptive maintenance even earlier than before and achieve 99%—maybe even 99.5% quality—by limiting issues that might arise. They've further defined "red zones" to avoid to achieve that 1% left. After they get to that point, though, there is really nothing more that can be done. Those at this point need to reexamine and even redefine these zones. The question is not simply whether the green zones are really green. Crucially, regarding all the regimes pre- viously thought inoperable—those red zones— the question is, "Are they really red?" By comparison, in Factory B, a machine data system is installed to ingest data across all machines. It automatically calculates green and red zones based on the data across the organization, flagging only those spe- cific areas or problems it is not already con- fident in. Those issues are then served to a Lean team of only two experts. Some of the calculated red and green zones are the same. However, some are very different—identify- ing areas where life can be extended, capacity freed up, and quality maintained or improved with vast efficiency increases. As the factory continues to run, the new data further paints a canvas of green and red, eventually making it into the perfect picture that defines exactly how to operate. There is no question which factory fares bet- ter, and which is poised to move forward with a modern, adaptive workforce with tools that generate a whole new plane of vision. Embrac- ing that mindset comes with the advantage of workforce recruitment. The majority of incoming workers are interested in jobs and careers that utilize their skills—modern skills that play very well in an Industry 4.0 world. Fewer and fewer workers are looking for jobs without them, and many are coming into the workforce with efficiency and utilization skills already in hand. But can this alternative approach work for manufacturers with lots of machines and pro- cesses all over the world? Make no mistake, while this was a liability in Industry 3.0, it's actually an asset in Industry 4.0 because of the ability to build a larger data set. More machines feeding information equals a faster rate of learning for the algorithms. To really understand what can be done with the remaining 1%, the answer to the question lies in another question: Are you looking at the right thing? For those still trying to whittle away at the remaining 1%, it requires a process of recog- nizing, visualizing, and clarifying the giant mass of inefficiency sitting underneath it. Those who continue to squeeze tighter on leg- acy process controls built up over time just to get another fraction of a percent will find it harder and harder to remain competitive going forward. Manufacturers who adopt new tools and capabilities, then go back and reevaluate the path they've traveled, are the companies that emerge stronger, smarter, and quicker in an Industry 4.0 world. Those who have moved forward with the lat- ter have already found that the question was less about what could be done with that last 1% all along and more about what was hiding behind it. SMT007 Andrew Scheuermann is CEO and co-founder of Arch Systems. Andrew Scheuermann

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