The solution lies within the ecosystem in which production machinery operates. The infrastructure available to support the use of equipment within a manufacturing setting – including training and development, machine monitoring, and service and support – must be a key consideration within any purchasing decision. As Kate Rattigan, Senior Product Manager – Advanced Services, Domino Printing Sciences explains, an infrastructure built around real-time, remote support may hold the key to zero machine downtime.
In recent years, there has been increasing global recognition of the importance of sustainable productivity – maximizing production line performance while minimizing wastage – and the role that predictive maintenance and ‘servitization’ play within this.
But to make real, long-term gains in sustainable productivity, businesses need to have the right people focused on processes that are critical to current manufacturing operations, as well as those focused on tomorrow’s innovation. They need the right processes to get the most from their production lines. And they need the right technology and infrastructure to optimize their equipment.
Moreover, with the cost of unexpected downtime increasing year over year, optimizing this infrastructure relies upon the ability to deliver solutions to issues quickly. In today’s operating environment, ‘remote’ is the new ‘next to you’.
People have played and – as far as academics and industry experts envisage – will continue to play a fundamental role in production line optimization. Forbes suggests that advances in technology and automation will enable workers to focus on more meaningful and high-value activities, including design and management tasks. In addition, both MIT and Statista suggest that human-automation collaborations will be the future of manufacturing. Preparing the workforce for this future is an ongoing process that carries greater emphasis than ever today.
Indeed, Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, in his book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, called for leaders and citizens to work together to “shape a future that works for all by putting people first, empowering them and constantly reminding ourselves that all of these new technologies are first and foremost tools made by people for people.”
What this means in real terms, is that manufacturers should ensure they have the support of an equipment supplier who can deliver remote services and is willing to invest in staff training and development. In this way, manufacturers can ensure that employees receive and retain the skills and knowledge needed to use machines to their optimal capacity, including:
- starter training in how to use machines effectively;
- maintenance and servicing to ensure that machines can be kept running at optimal levels;
- training in software/monitoring solutions to look for opportunities to optimize product lines.
In addition, as staff recruitment and labor shortages remain one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers; the prospect of remote training will therefore likely be very attractive, as it allows staff to learn without being away from the production line. Moreover, with changing consumer demands, growing sustainability pressures, and a transitory workforce, it’s worth considering whether the same people will be doing the same job in three, six, or nine months. Having experts on hand to support manufacturers through change will enable business agility and give manufacturers a competitive edge.
With people in the right places, fulfilling the right roles, and equipped with the right knowledge, the next step in mitigating unplanned downtime is to have best practice, remote machine monitoring processes in place to ensure that production lines are operating at optimal efficiency.
Automation, machine integration, and sensors monitoring production line and machine performance, combined with cloud connectivity, can allow manufacturers and their supplier partners to identify even the slightest changes in performance, irrespective of where the machinery might be in the world.
Data collected through automated and connected solutions can be used to baseline how a machine and/or production line is functioning optimally and send an alert in real time when performance degradation is spotted. This information can be accessible on-site to workers who can implement fixes and improvements and to equipment providers who can use the data to offer more customized services aligned to a manufacturer’s defined key performance indicators or preferred outcomes.
This type of proactive insight allows manufacturers and service providers to move from a reactive ‘break and fix’ model to one of predictive maintenance. A model that is, moreover, more closely aligned to the evolving role of people in production line optimization, as the ‘engineer of the future’, achieves intellectual capital focused on data-driven decision-making and customer outcomes.
The final piece of the puzzle is – of course – technology. Through augmented reality, service providers can maximize the value of machinery to offer remote services and effectively be ‘by the manufacturer’s side’ in hours, even minutes – significantly faster than relying on a physical visit.
Advanced remote service solutions can not only speed up the time to fix machinery that requires support but can be used for predictive maintenance, addressing minor issues before they cause a production line to halt, or allowing for changeovers to maintain maximum levels of factory output.
Of course, this also requires machinery designed with ease of service in mind for both production line workers and engineers, which allows for remote collaboration to ensure that customers can self-serve with minimal guidance. Today’s Industry 4.0-enabled machines should, for example, be designed with:
- QR codes to access instruction videos for maintenance, cleaning, and simple repairs;
- parts which can be easily replaced by staff on site;
- a service infrastructure that allows for remote assistance.
Reliability and peace of mind are imperative in manufacturing production lines today. Ensuring the overall integrity of not just individual pieces of machinery but the entire machine infrastructure is critical. It requires a partner who can provide agile solutions focused on helping businesses avoid unnecessary downtime and promote efficiency. The easiest way to do this is with remote tools and services that allow manufacturers to ensure staff are trained, technologies are integrated and optimized, and machinery is easily serviceable without relying on an on-site service engineer, empowering manufacturers to take control of their environment.
Disclaimers
Inks
The information contained in this document is not intended as a substitute for undertaking appropriate testing for your specific use and circumstances. Neither Domino UK Limited nor any of Domino’s group of companies is in any way liable for any reliance that you may put on this document with regards to the suitability of any ink for your particular application. This document does not form part of any terms and conditions between you and Domino, Legal Disclaimers v.1.0 February 2018 and Domino’s Terms and Conditions of sale, and in particular the warranties and liabilities contained within them, shall apply to any purchase of products by you.
General
All performance related figures and claims quoted in this document were obtained under specific conditions and may only be replicated under similar conditions. For specific product details, you should contact your Domino Sales Advisor. This document does not form part of any terms and conditions between you and Domino.
Imagery
Images may include optional extras or upgrades. Print quality may differ depending on consumables, printer, substrates, and other factors. Images and photographs do not form any part of any terms and conditions between you and Domino.
Videos
This video is illustrative only and may include optional extras. Performance figures obtained under specific conditions; individual performance may vary. Errors and downtime on production lines may be unavoidable. Nothing in this video forms part of any contract between you and Domino.
Notes to Editors:
About Domino
Since 1978, Domino Printing Sciences (Domino) has established a global reputation for the development and manufacture of coding, marking, and printing technologies, as well as its worldwide aftermarket products and customer services. Today, Domino offers one of the most comprehensive portfolios of complete end-to-end coding solutions designed to satisfy the compliance and productivity requirements of manufacturers across many sectors, including food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and industrial. The company’s core technologies include innovative inkjet, laser, print and apply, and thermal transfer overprinting systems designed for the application of variable data, barcodes, and unique traceability codes onto product and packaging.
Domino employs over 3,000 people worldwide and sells to more than 120 countries through a global network of 29 subsidiary offices and more than 200 distributors. Domino’s manufacturing facilities are located in China, Germany, India, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and the USA.
Domino became an autonomous division within Brother Industries Ltd. on 11th June 2015.
For further information on Domino, please visit www.domino-printing.com
For more information, please contact:
Jade Taylor-Salazar
PR and Content Manager Domino Printing Sciences Domino Printing Sciences
Tel: +44 (0) 1954 778780
Jade.Taylor-Salazar@domino-uk.com
Jamie Robinson
Marketing Generalist Domino North America
Tel: +1 636-673-3009
jamie.hinton@domino-na.com
