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Why shop-floor ROI depends on better process data

Achieving operational efficiency, reducing time waste, and realizing a clear return on investment are critical priorities for process engineers and operations managers looking for solutions to document and improve manual processes. Collecting data on the shop floor is often time consuming and unreliable, but many marketed solutions are complex, expensive, or get stuck in pilot purgatory.

Even with dedicated personnel for observation and data gathering, information can be incomplete or inaccurate. People still rely on written checklists and outdated spreadsheets, and even thorough observations typically fail to capture daily occurrences. Any operational decisions based on faulty data are unlikely to resolve underlying issues. 

Excluding the human factor, data points provided by manufacturing execution systems or individual machines are limited – and not nearly granular enough to understand why deviations happen or where improvements can be made.

Almetra uses cameras and analytics infrastructure to gather rich, real-time data, and applies AI to do the monumental processing work. That data is used to make suggestions and identify actionable improvements. 

And while that all sounds great (we think so), we also know what really matters: the bottom line. Precious minutes saved. Production targets hit. Costs lowered. 

Better data hones best practices

Almetra empowers manufacturers to optimize their processes by using robust data-driven insights, from the very beginning. No need to make broad sweeping changes all at once – the AI helps identify what’s already working within your operations. Maximize current efficiencies, score quick wins with automatic documentation and clearer insights on workforce training.

A Almetra customer in the luxury goods industry was able to reduce their cycle times from 10 minutes 20 seconds to 6 minutes 27 seconds in just 8 weeks. Almetra's algorithms analyzed vast datasets to identify peak performance periods and suggested strategies to replicate these conditions. In another instance, Almetra uncovered 15 different ways of working and highlighted the best one, an improvement even on the existing standard operating practice.

A detailed analysis might reveal that an assembly station performs optimally during certain shifts due to factors such as different organization of workers, varying work standards, training levels, and other operational differences.

For example, in many instances, workers have found more efficient ways of conducting worksteps than the standard practice. The Almetra platform can easily identify and document such cases using anonymized video snippets. These snippets and documentation then support better training practices, allowing managers to replicate successes across the organization. 

Identify waste in manufacturing and logistics

Optimize shop floor layouts

Efficient layout planning is a crucial aspect of manufacturing. Cameras mounted on the shop floor easily analyze the placement of materials and tools, walking routes, and distances and identify where slowdowns or obstructions happen. 

After implementing Almetra, a manufacturer of heating equipment discovered that the current placement of material shelves led to excessive walking distances. By redesigning the layout based on these insights, they reduced pointless walking time, improving productivity by 30.2%.

Reduce wasted work, increase production

Almetra excels at identifying and mitigating wasted work through comprehensive monitoring and analysis. Almetra’s platform tracks machine states and workflow interruptions in real time, and identifies where to target adjustments.

A manufacturer in the construction tooling industry discovered that workers were dedicating more than 20% of their time to logistics tasks instead of production. The root cause for this was that the intra-logistics team was understaffed, and weren’t able to restock the shelves. Instead, the task ended up being done by the workers responsible for assembling the product. Almetra's detailed insights allowed for the reorganization of intra-logistics processes, maximizing the available time for actual assembly work. This led to a significant boost in production efficiency and output.

Hour-by-hour insights keep outputs on track

Almetra provides high-resolution visibility into production flows, offering hourly insights that are crucial for maintaining consistent output.

Manufacturers receive real-time alerts when production deviates from its goal (e.g. cycle time deviations or not adhering to process standards), enabling quick adjustments – and making sure production lines stay on target. Almetra makes it easy to address problems before they snowball into bigger ones.

Real-time monitoring is crucial for quickly detecting and responding to down time, and helps ensure adherence to process standards. One Almetra customer set alerts to track whether processes were following one-piece flow production, or if they were deviating to batch processing. Batch processing creates bottlenecks downstream, reducing the throughput of a line. Thanks to Almetra, the customer was able to reduce batch processing activities by more than 80% and increased total output in the line. 

An electronics component manufacturer identified and addressed the root cause of two operators frequently working together at a station designed for one. The data collected by Almetra facilitated a seamless calculation of the impact, revealing a 40% reduction in station efficiency. This analysis enabled the manufacturer to implement targeted improvements, optimizing the workflow and restoring intended productivity levels.

Invest in improving your processes – fast

Almetra's platform is a vital tool for manufacturers aiming to achieve rapid process improvements as well as overall operational efficiency. 

Digital transformation doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Almetra is relatively simple to install (even on a single line), and requires minimum hardware to get going. We’re here to help you every step of the way. To get a personalized ROI analysis tailored to your specific operational needs, schedule a meeting with a member of the Almetra team today. 

Not ready to chat quite yet? Download this infographic for a simple summary of how Almetra gets shipped, set up at your facility, and starts delivering quality, actionable data within just a few shifts.