Era of instant information

If the machines are able to generate data, the entire manufacturing process can offer instant insights to managers

We live in an era not just of information overload but also instant information. Information overload, which overwhelms readers and viewers of news has now been recognised as a negative force that impairs our ability to filter the unnecessary and the incredible.
 
In the world of industry though, additional information is improving business decisions and enhancing efficiency.
 
Phrases like internet of things (IoT) and connected devices are used fairly liberally but their real impact is on the information that they generate. The quality, speed and quantum of information is helping small and large businesses understand their own organisations much better.

 

In an industrial environment, if the machines are able to generate data about their own activity, the entire manufacturing process can offer instant insights to managers. Much of the delay in decisions making happens because of outdated information systems.
 
Even today, many companies gather information manually then file reports that are collated on a weekly basis. By the time, the reports are analysed and corrective action taken, the company would have suffered faulty products or could not have taken predictive action.
 
“Indian companies are making the big leap to bring shopfloor information directly for business decisions,” says Dilip Sawhney, Managing Director Rockwell Automation. The company is working with large and small enterprises to help them get data from various processes almost instantaneously. Sawhney says more than 85 per cent of his clients are domestic, home grown companies that are eagerly enabling generation of information from shopfloor activities.

This is more complex than it sounds. Companies have to convert their shopfloor into a data generating unit. Each machine has to be connected with others while sensors gather information about their activities. A well designed algorithm and software will allow the shop floor manager to get predictive alerts for maintenance.
 
Many companies have assembly lines with a diverse set of machines, systems and sensors. All of them are use different communication systems and are often in a silo. Getting relevant data from their functioning require all of them to be on a common data sharing platform. They need a process that can automatically connect diverse machines on a single platform to generated comprehensive data flow that tracks every step of the process. Usually the main challenge is to integrate old and new machines on a common platform. If a legacy machine can generate data, then there is a big saving in investing in new machines.

 
The transparency created by the data generation adds to the robustness of decision making. Companies are deploying this approach to different segments of the manufacturing process. Some are getting data on logistics value chain. Others are using it for tracking and managing energy consumption.
 
While some are tracking the efficiency of assembly lines. Instant information on each of these fronts can be deeply beneficial to the company. Very few companies though have been able to connect their entire spectrum of activities in the manufacturing process.
 
Not surprising then that the need for data analysts is growing in India. A study by Ed-Tech company Great Learning says that the demand for data scientists in 2018 was 45 per cent more than the previous year. However even though the demand is rising, all the vacancies are not being filled.

 
The industry has to invest in training more professionals who can manage data and information flowing out of machines that were “mute” so far. Business and manufacturing competitiveness will depend increasingly on the ability of an organisation to get a clear picture of how it functions. A constant on-going process and result audit is possible only when relevant data is available within the shortest time possible.