• • • IOT • • •


From a technology perspective, finding a resolution starts by connecting data from relevant systems, sensors and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices into a centralised digital platform, such as Shiftconnector, to provide a real-time, 24/7 view of operations. Crucially, shift teams must also be able to contextualise operational data in order to generate insight and in turn draw real conclusions, this forms the cornerstone of making informed decisions to drive plant-wide continuous improvement initiatives.


Once you have clear and clean process data supported by insights from the shift teams, you can start to conduct a root cause analysis exercise to find a long-term resolution. This is where the emergence of new digital tools come to the fore to help streamline the process.


AI-powered analysis Traditionally, many production issues have historical precedents, but the solutions are often wrapped up in ‘tacit knowledge’ such as in casual notes or processes that are not formally documented. These can often be lost when experienced workers retire or move on. As a result, the deep institutional knowledge required for informed root cause analysis and swift problem resolution is typically scattered or missing. This leads to delays in problem resolution, as employees must either spend hours searching for relevant information or reinvent the wheel entirely each time a problem is encountered. This is where AI can help by using smarter search technology, such as the Shiftconnector


Artificial Manufacturing Intelligence (SAMI) Search function. SAMI Search can comb through past notes and harvest this tacit knowledge to identify historical precedents that can inform current issues. Using that data, SAMI Solutions can then suggest proven human solutions from similar past incidents, helping manufacturing teams quickly get back on track. Crucially, it links directly to relevant notes and events, so employees can see exactly what happened, who was involved, the most likely root cause and the impact of actions taken. If in-depth dialogue is required, SAMI Chat allows operators to literally ‘talk’ to their plant’s data via a conversational interface, allowing for discussion of potential solutions, root causes and more, just as if talking to a colleague.


Once the root cause of a problem has been identified, corrective and preventive measures can be implemented. In some cases, resolving the issue may be a small but impactful change to the operating procedure which needs to be distributed


across shift teams. In other cases, it may require major engineering modifications to the asset itself, which can significantly affect how shift teams operate the plant.


Here, it becomes the role of continuous improvement to help stabilise the change, ensuring that all manufacturing teams share a common understanding of the new operating conditions and fine-tune the new standard procedures. Depending on technical and regulatory requirements, licensing authorities may also need to be involved. Operational documents should be updated, and relevant staff trained. A digital manufacturing platform supports this process by providing effective task management or distributing instructions in an audit-proof, trackable format with digital signatures.


Embedding a lean mentality


into daily operations Given the macroeconomic pressures on manufacturers, identifying ways to operate in a leaner way is key to staying competitive. Investing in digital systems that combine key process data with critical insights from shift teams can deliver a step-change in root cause analysis and, as a result, continuous improvement. Ultimately, manufacturers now have the opportunity to place the digitally empowered, machine-assisted human at the centre of AI and machine learning action. The question is, who will take advantage?


www.eschbach.com


electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • APRIL 2026 29


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