Manufacturers make things. Efficiency, quality, and cost savings are constantly top of mind. When manufacturers hear technology terms like “digital transformation” they approach it from a practical stand point: how is this going to improve my operations?
Digital transformation must have a purpose (and that should be to increase efficiency, quality, and cost savings), otherwise it’s just a waste of time.
At the same time, manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the increase in volatile customer demand. Processes and supply chains must be adaptable enough to turn on a dime. This doesn’t happen if everything is done manually, in Excel spreadsheets, or in transactional systems that don’t talk to each other.
The idea of capturing data, automating manual processes, and enabling information sharing then becomes imperative. In other words, digital transformation is not such a waste of time since it allows for visibility into operations—across the entire organization including plants located around the globe.
- Controlling the Shop Floor
Manufacturing starts at the shop floor. Manufacturers must have shop floor control, including access to production information, inventory, quality data, and the ability to quickly adjust to machine status across the enterprise.
- Connecting the Business
The shop floor must connect to the rest of the enterprise to make data accessible and promote rapid, accurate decision-making. Beyond the shop floor, suppliers, customers, and employees should have instant access as appropriate to the data they need. Cloud manufacturing ERP not only automates paper-based, manual processes, but also consolidates information into a single set of accurate data.
- Unlocking People Potential
Once the cloud computing infrastructure is in place, people who previously managed IT infrastructure and software systems can pivot to work as business analysts. Production workers can see everything in the “manufacturing moment” over any device rather than hunting down and piecing together information. Managers can view analytics and dashboards that relate to their role from anywhere, over any device, to stay on top of business.
Going paperless, automating processes, and adding granular visibility can initiate the digital transformation in manufacturing—while also laying the foundation for future innovation. Download the infographic for more insights: 3 Keys to Digital Transformation (Need URL).
