FEATURE PROCESS AUTOMATION ACT ON DATA AND IMPROVE QUALITY


Unifying quality related data can transform operations and ready an organisation for Industry 4.0. Michael Lyle, president and CEO at Infinity QS, explains the crucial role of the Enact platform


A


s a concept, Industry 4.0 is very much a continuation of the previous


revolution, allowing computing power and automation processes to become connected with the internet in order to visualise the entire production line. What makes this unique is that these ‘smart factories’ can leverage data analytics and artificial intelligence to make their own decisions. In doing so, manufacturing processes can benefit from scalability, efficiency, and access to information. On the surface, these benefits are obvious. So why do many manufacturers seem reluctant to embrace Industry 4.0? A recent poll by the EEF, The


Manufacturers’ Organisation, revealed that 42% of organisations have a ‘good understanding’ of what Industry 4.0 is. However, the challenge lies in trying to incorporate it into their future strategy. In fact, only 11% from the survey said they are able to support the next industrial revolution. While many might point their finger at


outside influences such as challenges within the current political climate and their potential impact on the manufacturing industry, the reality is a lot simpler. Many manufacturers, while surrounded by talk of industrial revolutions, are still reliant on legacy practices, which are often grounded in iterations of Industry 3.0 and even Industry 2.0. Arguably, the biggest example of this is the approach to quality. Historically, a manufacturer’s quality


management processes are often approached manually. If you ask someone to describe how they manage quality, they might give examples of statistical


8 JULY/AUGUST 2017 | PROCESS & CONTROL


process control charts used to study how a process changes over time – the main driver for this being the ability to use the insights from the data to reduce recalls and meet compliance standards. For these organisations, the tools of the trade are a pencil and clipboard. Information is handwritten on worksheets, which then end up sitting in a filing cabinet, or at best siloed in databases or file servers across the organisation. This suggests that quality control is no more than an insurance exercise to protect against failure. Critically, it also suggests that firms are


failing to recognise the real value of the information they are collecting. If used effectively, this data can provide strategic operational insights to help drive continuous transformation in quality, processes, and overall operations. This is something that enterprise quality solutions firm InfinityQS has looked to address with the launch of Enact, a native-cloud Quality Intelligence platform said to revolutionise the role of quality. The Enact Quality Intelligence platform helps managers and quality professionals


The Enact Quality


Intelligence platform helps managers and quality professionals easily view quality information across all regions and plants, using any device


easily view quality information across all regions and plants, using any device, and allowing the user to highlight how processes are running, where problems exist, and where quality resources should be engaged to generate the greatest benefit. The data gained can then be used to improve yield, compliance, and resource utilisation, through an aggregated end-to-end view of production sites across the entire enterprise. Companies are then able to develop a continuous improvement programme that uses valuable quality data in three ways: • Enterprise Visibility: When all quality- related data is unified from all sources into a standardised and centralised database, it’s possible to visualise more than the quality of a single production line. The outcome is real-time visibility of the entire enterprise, from end to end — including suppliers, incoming inspection, raw materials, in-process checks by operators and the quality lab, process data, packaging, and finished products. • Operational Insight: With visibility of the entire operation, useful and actionable insight is generated about the enterprise’s processes, suppliers, and operations. Improved analytics and reporting help to apply best practices consistently across all plants, lines, processes, and products in a prioritised manner. • Global Transformation: Finally, the


Michael Lyle is President and CEO of Infinity QS


resulting insights can be applied to streamline, optimise, and transform processes and operations across the enterprise, elevating product quality, improving efficiency, and creating exponential cost savings. This loop of excellence – enterprise


Quality-related data can be used to improve yield, compliance and resource utilisation


visibility leading to operational insights, which then lead to organisational transformation – demonstrates the capabilities and scalability which can be gathered from digital transformation, enabling an organisation to gain maximum value from their quality data. Ultimately, there are three fundamental


drivers of the factory of the future: upstream and downstream system integration, centralised data from across the enterprise, and powerful analytics that can be used to transform operations. This is exactly what Enact provides. Enact helps manufacturers see the entire enterprise—information that has never been previously available. This insight can be used to drive global business transformations, getting the organisation ready for Industry 4.0.


Infinity QS www.infinityqs.co.uk


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