Ask the Expert: IQMS

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Real-Time Production data is quite literally what the name implies. Manufacturing production information delivered instantaneously as production takes place. Information such as machine status, production rates, material consumption, even process parameters like temperature and pressure. The real-time nature of the data allows operators and managers to respond immediately to production issues and stop problems in their tracks. In this use case, real-time production data is invaluable.

That said, using real-time data in post-production analysis can be equally valuable. Perhaps even impacting long-term productivity more than it does in the short term use case. Taking one or two week blocks of production data and examining it whole cloth can reveal areas for improvement that can be lost in the hustle of day to day results. For example:

• Why is machine A consistently slower than machine B?
• Why does the third shift consistently produce fewer parts per hour?
• Why does operator X always produce more scrap than the other operators?

Simply organizing production data, identifying trends, tracing outliers back to their root cause, and instituting corrective actions will deliver long-lasting gains in manufacturing quality, efficiency, and profitability.