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INDUSTRY 4.0


FACTORY OF THE FUTURE By John Chambers, director, Ricoh UK


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t Ricoh, we believe that the future of manufacturing lies in the development of smart factories. In fact, it’s why we transformed our Telford factory into an environment where machinery and equipment are digitised and connected to improve automation and self-optimisation as a whole. It can seem like a daunting task overhauling your current factory systems and processes. However, upgrading to a smart factory has allowed our business to operate at a level of precision otherwise impossible while optimising costs. By updating existing production systems, you can improve output quality, reduce costs on materials and downtime whilst optimising labour usage too, giving you the competitive edge needed to survive in this market. So, how do you begin the journey from the factory to the smart factory? Ultimately, like every upgrade, it comes down to investing in software and innovation.


THE USE OF SOFTWARE


When looking to turn your factory into a smart environment, it’s necessary to assess where changes need to be made. We firmly believe at Ricoh that businesses are built on the pillars of workplace, process, technology, and people, and that’s as true for factories as it is for offices. Without these groups working together, your everyday functionality can be unstable. If one breaks down, this will impact the performance of all the other elements too. As a result, we looked at the software we installed as another tool to help streamline our processes and allow employees to focus on more important tasks. A prime example of where this added technology became a core member of the team was using Microsoft Azure predictive analytics. We decided to install this cloud-based software within our machines to notify us when a machine would most likely fail in the coming future. This heads up helped us accurately work out how best to distribute our workforce and reduce downtime, as we could schedule the necessary maintenance when appropriate. It put the power back in our hands and meant we could be in control of situations you could never be in control of before.


Effectively, AI and Machine learning have helped us to keep the cogs well-oiled. In our Telford factory, data from toner cartridges are now collected by machine automation, and Microsoft Azure machine learning is used to predict when the machines should stop filling. Not only does this mean we can provide a consistently precise product to our customers, but it also resulted in us saving an incredible £240k a year.


TRADITION VS. INNOVATION


Manufacturing has historically led the way in innovation, designed by creative and practical thinkers, always looking for the best way to meet customers’ demands and develop an edge over competitors. So when it comes to using emerging technologies to improve production, manufacturing should also be leading the way to streamline efficiencies.


As such, Smart factories are merely the next evolutionary stage of our industry. Focussing on Azure Cloud and Machine Learning tools for a minute, I’ve already outlined the significant savings they provide, but they also offer incredible advancements in what you’re able to provide customers. They allow you to be exact in your offerings, unlike ever before and arm your employees with the necessary tools to deliver day after day, week after week.


A COMPETITIVE EDGE


Being able to deliver high-quality products for your customers consistently is one of, if not the key way, to give yourself a competitive advantage over your competitors. Utilising technology such as Microsoft Azure AI, cloud, and machine learning ultimately arms your business with the capabilities to better perform and deliver on your products and services, improving the customer experience as a whole. At Telford, our Ricoh camera technology feeds into Microsoft Azure to track inventory at all stages of the production cycle. This commercialised solution enables us to inform our customers of the best way to set out their printing production areas and provide detailed tracking for customers and remove the waiting game no one likes to play. What’s more, data from across the factory, including machine automation, human resource, and financial data, is analysed to determine the cost of labour, cost of production, and what measures should be put in place for the factory to remain competitive.


Overall, using technology within your factory shouldn’t seem like a scary overhaul. Instead, it should be looked at as a way to subtly enhance your productivity and performance, streamline your processes so your employees can focus on what’s important and use their skills to the best of their advantage.


Ricoh www.ricoh.co.uk FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | NOVEMBER 2020 13


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