Integration – it’s a simple word that holds massive implications in our increasingly data-driven world. As technology capabilities change overnight, we are driven to amass more and more data, which should empower us to make better decisions. But how often does the latest and greatest technology solution fail miserably in practice?
The short answer is “too often.” The world of manufacturing is littered with expensive software implementations that ultimately have not delivered their promised return on investment (ROI). Often, they end up going completely unused and siphoning off time, resources, and lots of precious capital.
Any discussion on shop floor integration inevitably comes back to this: it is imperative that our master data supports our strategic needs. In the manufacturing process, this includes our core material data, as well as data related to producing the product (work centers, BOMs, routings production versions) and data used in the maintenance of equipment (functional location, equipment, BOMs, maintenance plans and task lists).
By embracing a data-driven, integration-minded culture and strategic view of business process and technology, we can drive improved planning, optimized inventory and production efficiency, improved customer service and ultimately increased profitability. Most importantly, we earn a reputation as an organization committed to superior customer experiences and quickly grow to become best-in-class.
