Real business impact through practical Internet of Things (IoT) applications

We provide a plug and play solution that can be set up in minutes, and gives you clear insights on your process performance. No complex infrastructure or heavy investment is required, and every team member, from shop floor to top management, can immediately benefit from it.

Key benefits

• Operators on the shopfloor: real time data on process performance and stop reason confirmation

• CI Team/Process Engineer: real-time data OEE waterfall shows clear gaps to improve

• Plant/Department Manager: your factory performance improvement accelerates

• CEO of a multiplant company: view on all plants and easy cross link checks

What is it in practice?

Connected OEE is a plug and play technology that consists of sensors and a wireless data connection installed into any machine (usually placed at bottleneck stations). Live input from these sensors anywhere in the factory is directly linked to a cloud platform. Whenever a breakdown occurs, the system notifies the operator who inputs the reason for the downtime. The automatic OEE analysis can then be visualised from any device. Line managers, operators, CI leaders or anyone in the factory has access to a dashboard where the KPIs can easily be followed. With Connected OEE, manufacturing companies get a clear understanding of their operations performance in real time and can drive improvement initiatives based on factual data.

Boost your performance by connecting your workforce through technology and using one or more connectivity levels across different applications.

Key benefits:

• Supports the workforce in its tasks and assures better compliance with safety, quality and operational procedures 

• Operators can experience first hand the impact and potential of digitalisation. It enables them to embrace the digital journey 

• Your organisation is perceived as an attractive employer where people upskilling is actively applied

What is it in practice?

With the help of robust, user-friendly workflow software and mobile and wearable technology, your workforce (or operators) can be guided and remotely supported during their work. Tools such as digitized checklists or online training material such as video instructions, or digital recordings of measurements, can drastically reduce onboarding time for new employees and improve quality and productivity across the board. Problem spotting becomes more efficient when operators have the ability to take pictures and make annotations on the spot, as it increases response time and interaction between engineers and operators. 

While operators outside are supported in a remote way, engineers can look up measurement statistics or workflow history using a web-based platform at the same time, while providing remote guidance instantaneously from any location. For further learning and continuous improvement purposes, all documentation (pictures, videos, annotations etc..) can be saved.

For further information please check our dedicated webpage on connected workforce

Predict and prevent failure and/or breakdown to increase equipment availability and reduce maintenance costs.

Key benefits

Continuous monitoring of the asset performance to assure that they are in optimal working state.

• Automatic and timely prescription of actions that need to be undertaken in the case of defects or inefficiencies, leading to longer machine life and enhanced operating efficiency

• Improved asset productivity thanks to timely maintenance.

What is it in practice?

Predictive maintenance is a solution developed to prevent and predict failure or breakdown of critical assets that might potentially affect output efficiency, productivity and daily targets in a value chain. The system makes use of a combination of sensors that continuously monitor, record and transmit live and critical asset data to a cloud based IoT cockpit. The cockpit analyses the data and whenever necessary, initiates corrective remedial actions in the form of maintenance notifications in SAP, based on a set of determined algorithms. The maintenance supervisor then dispatches personnel to rectify the detected malfunction and prevent an asset breakdown. This way, large costs connected with unplanned downtime and further reparations are avoided. 

The Golden Batch tool is a digital tool that helps the operator to increase production throughput by providing them with the best parameter setpoints for a given product and a given situation.  The digital tool facilitates data gathering and analysis to drive continuous improvement and better understand the impact of parameters, setpoints and external factors on production throughput.

Key benefits

• Higher throughput thanks to more intensive, focused and regular utilisation of optimal setpoints during production

• Faster reaching and easier maintenance of high and stable production after a product change-over or start-up

• Motivates the operator to act right by including information on environmental impact, quality and other aspects

• Facilitate data gathering and analysis to drive continuous improvement and better understand the impact of parameters, setpoints and external factors on throughput

• Standardizes way of working
  

What is it in practice?

The golden batch tool is designed to improve the throughput of a process. First, operators input the required information in the system to determine the current operating conditions. Based on these conditions, the system then supplies a list of "golden batches" - a predetermined set of parameters that give the best results for the current situation. The system also provides a simplified visualisation of the production process, containing key parameters to follow up and achieve the optimal result. Operators are encouraged to reach high throughput, good quality, and other key results through an engaging user experience that provides positive feedback when reaching a new golden batch. Every time a new golden batch has been found and saved by the operator (and approved by the engineer), it is added to the system database. The tool continuously improves itself by storing new and better batches for future reference.

Improve the transparency, accountability and efficiency of your supply chains in manufacturing via track & trace solutions. Get a clear overview of the movement of products throughout manufacturing and identify possible weak links that can be targeted to improve efficiency and performance.

Key benefits

• Decrease in material waste by accurately and automatically following products going through the factory.

• Increase in cash flow due to a decrease in losses of products thanks to the tracking and tracing of the products during the manufacturing processes.

• Reduce cost of quality as the products are continuously monitored, thus preventing damages that can occur during the manufacturing process.

What is it in practice?

Track & trace is the concept of tracking several parameters of a product during manufacturing such as: time, date,  location, product specifications and quality measurements.  Depending on your needs and specific working environment, several solutions are available. Examples include:Track & trace using blockchain technology, predictive/prescriptive logistic planning using AI, automated warehousing, etc. Implementing these technologies can lead to a significant decrease in material waste and improve the cash flow of your manufacturing process.

Identify energy leaks and reduce energy costs by having a clear overview of the consumption of each asset to identify worn out equipment and get notified when certain thresholds are crossed.

Key benefits

• Clear overview of energy consumption of each machine to identify the most costly ones

• Identify obsolete machines and get notified to inspect or replace them to prevent further inefficient usage

• Helps with the consideration of implementing newer machines or manufacturing methods by offering objective data of the current consumption and predictions of future consumption.

What is it in practice? 

Energy management technology is a system that can easily connect to various types of sensors and make use of data from e.g. temperature and humidity sensors, CO2 sensors, flow meters, fuel meters, energy meters on high and low voltage, etc., to give a structural overview of everything on a central dashboard. Energy consumption is monitored in real time, allowing you to identify potential targets for improvement. By monitoring key parameters, the system can also predict the expected energy use and raise an alert whenever the difference between the predicted and real energy consumption exceeds a certain level which can indicate malfunctions or failures in the process. It allows for quick interventions to solve problems, which can lead to substantial cost savings.

Protect your business against disruption: create safer, more secure, compliant and faster transport flows for your shipments by using a real-time logger. This is a smart device collecting live data during transportation and enabling real-time visibility and control over your products. 

Key benefits

• Create visibility and control over your distribution operations (e.g. view on network hotspots for lanes, carriers, ports, etc.) 

• Enable informed, data-driven conversations with your business partners 

• Enable automation via AI-generated insights 

• Improve efficiency and compliance through proactive detection and resolution of issues

• Ensure independence by staying in control of your products, be carrier-agnostic, generate and own your data

• Drive seamless supply chain, making net-zero defects real

• Provide a single source of truth enabling accelerated decision-making

• Meet customer expectations in terms of tracking and visibility

What is it in practice? 

Real-time monitoring consists of a data logger that can be attached to your shipments (container, pallets, trucks, refrigerated box, etc.) in order to collect critical data and allow real-time visibility and control. Different loggers are available on the market, with a wide range of capabilities and features: for example, temperature, light, shock, location, humidity, and so on.

The data logger is linked to a specific shipping unit and sends key real-time data  to a central platform. This platform translates the collected data into key insights. 

Insights should be used to take concrete actions. This requires a robust operating model and a clear governance structure. To maximise the benefit of a real-time monitoring solution, companies must put in place structures that enable agile ways of working and communication.

Each company is unique and the choice of data logger must be in line with the business vision, risks and opportunities. Each product is unique and the type of data logger chosen should be appropriate to the product's value, risk, safety and compliance needs. 

An IoT application, combined with a visibility dashboard, could serve as a logistics control tower for the organisation.