Versacall Technologies

Innovative System For Improving Productivity

The Internet of Things & OEE: Why Manufacturers Should Be Embracing Both

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The world is changing rapidly. As it does, more and more devices are becoming connected to the internet. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as “The Internet of Things” (IoT). IoT has already started to revolutionize how we interact with the world around us, and it’s only going to become more prevalent in manufacturing. OEE manufacturers need to know about it in the years to come.

So what is IoT? What is OEE? What does this mean for manufacturers? And why should manufacturers be embracing both? These are just some of the questions we will answer here.

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the idea that everyday objects can be connected to the internet and communicate with each other. For example, a refrigerator could be programmed to order groceries when it senses that supplies are running low.

Benefits of IoT

IoT has numerous benefits for manufacturers, including:

  • Increased efficiency
  • Reduced waste
  • Greater visibility into production processes
  • Improved safety and security

What is OEE?

OEE stands for “Overall Equipment Effectiveness”. It’s a way to measure the performance of a manufacturing process by analyzing different elements like availability, performance, and quality. By measuring OEE, manufacturers can get a better understanding of how their processes are performing and pinpoint areas where improvements can be made.

Benefits of OEE

  • Identify areas for improvement
  • Improve safety and security
  • Increase efficiency
  • Decrease downtime
  • Help reduce waste

Why Manufacturers Should Be Embracing Both IoT and OEE

Both IoT and OEE have a lot to offer manufacturers in terms of efficiency, productivity, cost savings, and customer service. By combining the two technologies, companies can get an even better understanding of their production processes and identify weaknesses that need to be addressed.

This allows them to make informed decisions that will enable them to produce better products at a lower cost and in less time.

What are OEE Systems?

OEE Systems are software solutions designed to measure and monitor OEE in manufacturing. By combining data from different devices into a single platform, manufacturers who use OEE can glean valuable insights about their production processes in real-time. This helps them make better decisions, optimize operations, and identify areas for improvement.

Revolutionize your Business’s Productivity with VersaCall’s OEE System

Our OEE System provides industry-leading technology that allows manufacturers to increase productivity and output while decreasing downtime. Our VersaCall OEE systems provide clear and concise communications in real-time, so you can stay on top of your performance at all times.

Additionally, our advanced reporting features allow for detailed analysis to help improve your decision-making.

With our OEE system, manufacturers have seen a 3-9% increase in input, 10-12% decrease in downtime, and a return on their investment within 2-6 months.

The world is changing rapidly, and manufacturers need to keep up in order to remain competitive. By embracing both the Internet of Things and OEE technologies through OEE systems, companies can get an edge over the competition and produce superior products at a lower cost. 

Sign up today for a free demo of the perfect OEE system for your business to revolutionize its productivity and decrease its downtime.

10 Things To Consider When Choosing a Manufacturing Execution System (MES)?

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If you are in the market for a Manufacturing Execution System (MES), it is important to know what to consider when making your decision. There are many factors that go into choosing the right MES for your business, and it can be difficult to know where to start. 

Here, we will discuss what exactly MES systems are and the 10 things you should keep in mind when choosing one.

What is a Manufacturing Execution System?

An MES system is designed to help manufacturers monitor, control, and optimize production processes in a factory or workplace. It automates the entire manufacturing process from raw material tracking to finished product delivery, helping streamline operations and increase efficiency.

What To Consider When Choosing a Manufacturing Execution System

There are many things to consider when choosing an MES for your business. We have broken it down into the 10 most important things to consider:

1. Efficiency

MES systems enable your business to increase its efficiency by incorporating real-time data into the manufacturing process. With an efficient system, you can cut down on production time and ultimately reduce costs.

2. Flexibility

Look for a system that is able to adapt to your company’s changing needs and demands, with features that can be tailored to your specific and changing requirements.

3. Rapid Return on Investment (ROI)

A good MES system should enable you to achieve a return on investment in a short amount of time. Make sure the system you choose is capable of delivering both short and long-term value for the money you intend to spend.

4. Gradual Implementation

Choose an MES system that can be gradually implemented across your business, helping you to improve operational efficiency over time while making the transition smooth. 

5. Reporting and Analytics

Ensure the system you select is able to record and analyze data for insights that help you make informed decisions about production systems and processes. The output of your MES system should include the convenient access to complete and actionable data.

6. Simplicity of Implementation Process

Consider a system that has an easy-to-follow implementation process, so that you can get up and running quickly with minimal disruption to operations. Choose an MES supplier that will provide personal customization and implementation support.

7. Scalability

Look for an MES system that can scale as your business grows or your business needs change, ensuring it meets all of your expectations over time.

8. References from Current Users

Consider getting references from other businesses who are already using the system to see their experiences and if it is a good fit for you.

9. Real-Time Monitoring

Choose an MES system that allows you to monitor production parameters and make changes in real time, helping ensure efficient operations.

10. Variety of Use Cases

Make sure the system you are considering is able to collect data from a variety of production scenarios, such as batch processing, continuous manufacturing and manual work stations.

Choosing the right MES system for your business can be very challenging. It is important to take the time to consider all these factors that go into making an informed decision.

Selecting the best MES system for your business will allow you to increase efficiency and productivity while also getting the most value out of your investment. Make sure to research any potential systems thoroughly before signing on the dotted line.

If you are looking for MES that includes these aspects of efficiency, productivity, and scalability—we at VersaCall can provide these and more while being tailored to your needs. Sign up for a free demo today for the perfect MES system for your business.

Improve Productivity and Measure OEE with OEE Tracking Software

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When it comes to manufacturing, there is so much happening on the shop floor and it can be very chaotic. It is a challenge to know what is happening and how to improve the processes. This is where Overall Equipment Effectiveness or OEE software comes in. OEE software is a valuable tool that helps you track, manage and improve your manufacturing processes.

What is OEE?

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a measure of how well a manufacturing process or machine is performing. It takes into account factors such as availability, performance, and quality. It is a metric used to define performance and see what needs to be improved.

  • Availability: Downtime, changeovers, and maintenance
  • Performance: Cycle time, yield (non-defective items produced), and scrap (unusable material)
  • Quality: Rework, defects, first-time pass yield or FPY (percentage of product made correctly without any correction needed)

It is used for data collection, provides real-time information about the shop floor operations, and helps supervisors make quick and informed decisions.

Data to Collect with OEE

There are many factors to consider when collecting OEE data. Whether you are doing it manually or using data-collecting software, you need to collect specific data points to calculate OEE accurately. These data points are used to measure and calculate the availability, performance, and quality factors mentioned above.

  • Planned production time
  • Ideal cycle time
  • Actual time
  • Total parts used
  • Good parts

What is OEE Tracking Software

OEE software can help you collect and track all of this data. It enables your business to measure OEE by utilizing analytics and customization. This real-time software can web-based and managed in the cloud or an on premise software.

This software is designed to help you improve your manufacturing process. It can help you identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies. It can also help you track progress and benchmark against other manufacturing processes.

Benefits of OEE Tracking Software

As you can imagine already, there are many benefits of implementing OEE tracking software.

Locate Problems

The data collected by your OEE tracking software can help narrow down the reasons and origins of problems in production. This makes it possible for problems to be categorized and then prioritized based on process improvement and facing the larger issues first.

Manage Downtime

Downtime is a major factor in lost productivity. OEE software can help you manage and work to eliminate downtime by providing real-time information about your manufacturing process.

This information can help you make informed decisions about when to schedule maintenance and repairs. Whether it be unplanned stops in production like breakdowns or interruptions, planned stops like shift endings or Maintainance, or slow cycle time, OEE tracking tracks it all.

Improve Quality

Quality is a major factor in OEE. OEE software can help you improve quality by providing information about defects and rework and optimizing production. This information can help your business or your supervisors make more informed decisions on how to improve quality and avoid defects.

Increase Productivity

OEE is a measure of productivity. OEE software can help you increase productivity by providing information about cycle time, yield, and scrap. Using this information, your business can crack down on productivity issues and capitalize on what is working.

Reduce Costs

OEE software can help you reduce costs by providing information about downtime, defects, rework, and optimizing equipment performance. These reduce the operating time and help distinguish what could be hurting your profit.

How to Choose the Right OEE Software

When choosing OEE software for your business, there are many factors to consider. You will need to decide what your goals are, what features you need, what data you want to be collected, how you want it customized for users, and how you will use the software. It is important to have the right OEE software that fits your business.

Implementing OEE Tracking Software for Your Business

Improving productivity, optimizing equipment, problem-solving, and managing downtime all while reducing cost seems like a scenario where you cannot lose.

If you are interested in learning more about implementing OEE software for your business, we encourage you to reach out to professionals. It could be what saves your business or what brings it from good to great.

Manufacturing Execution Systems and the Benefits of Digitization Within the Manufacturing Space

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Manufacturing Execution Systems, or MES, are software platforms that manage and monitor the production process of a manufacturing company. The purpose of MES is to create a digital manufacturing process and improve communication between different areas of the company.

Here we will discuss exactly what MES is, who uses it, the problems it solves, and what the benefits of digital manufacturing are for you and your business.

What is MES?

MES is a software platform that integrates with your existing enterprise resource planner (ERP) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems to manage and monitor the production process. MES provides real-time data about the manufacturing process, which allows you and your employees to make better decisions about production and document and track the process.

For example, if there is a problem with one of your machines, MES can find where the problem is and provide you with the data you need to fix the problem quickly.

Who uses Digital Manufacturing Execution Systems?

Manufacturing Execution Systems are used by manufacturing companies of all sizes. MES is especially beneficial for companies with large complex production processes. For example, companies that produce products with many different components, have many machines, or that have a lot of customer customization.

What Problems can be Solved with Manufacturing Execution Systems?

MES can help you solve many different problems in your manufacturing process. For example, with MES, your company will not have to troubleshoot problems with product quality. MES will find them for you. MES also eliminates the time used to track and check the status of certain jobs in production. The system will let you know everything you need to.

And finally, and probably the most important, is avoiding unnecessary shutdowns. Without MES, production lines have to be shut down to find issues and then fix them. With MES, it informs you where the issue is as well as how to fix it so there does not have to be a long process to get back on schedule.

What are the Benefits of Digital Manufacturing?

Manufacturing execution systems can completely change your business and its productivity. They can hold an incredible amount of data while producing real-time insights into the details of our production process. Here are some of the other benefits that MES provides.

  • Eliminating paperwork
  • Improved quality control
  • Improved communication
  • Reduced inventory (cost)
  • Uptime increased
  • Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
  • Improved product tracking and documenting

What are Possible Barriers to Manufacturing Execution Systems?

There are a few possible barriers to implementing MES in your company. For example, you may need to invest in new hardware or software to run MES or make sure your existing system is compatible with MES. You also need to train your employees on how to use MES.

Setting up manufacturing execution systems can be a complex process, but the benefits and efficiency speak for themselves. If you’re interested in learning more about MES and implementing them into your business, we encourage you to reach out to professionals to answer any questions and start the process of setting up MES for your business.

5 Tips & Tricks to Achieve the Best OEE Results

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5 Tips & Tricks to Achieve the Best OEE Results

OEE stands for Overall Equipment Effectiveness and is a measure of how well a manufacturing process is performing. To achieve OEE scores that are optimal, you must learn what goes into the results process. High scores can lead to increased productivity and profitability for a business, making it a crucial resource. However, there are common obstacles that manufacturers face in improving their OEE scores including:

  1. Equipment breakdowns
  2. Set-up and changeover times
  3. Reduced speed or performance
  4. Quality defects

In order to combat or overcome these obstacles, we’ve compiled a list of tricks and tips to help you achieve the best OEE results.

1. Identify and Eliminate Inefficiencies

In the production process, there can be a number of factors that cause downtime or inefficiencies. To avoid this, you’ll first need to identify the root causes of these issues and then take steps to eliminate those bottlenecks. This could involve a number of things including:

  • Maintenance
  • Process changes
  • Training for employees

Eliminating these doesn’t necessarily mean not doing them, but finding ways to do them more efficiently and without interruption to the production line.

2. Implement Continuous Improvement

Implementing continuous improvement practices can help identify and address inefficiencies as they come up, rather than waiting for them to become a major issue. This could involve using daily meetings to discuss problems or implementing a system to achieve OEE results that are favorable.

3. Improve Communication

Regardless of circumstance, poor communication can be a larger hindrance than many realize. Effective communication across all levels and departments can lead to a smoother production process if done correctly. This includes communication about:

  1. Scheduling
  2. Training
  3. Problem-solving

It’s important for employees to feel comfortable speaking up about potential problems or inefficiencies they may notice, as well as having open lines of communication between departments. Once that internal problem has been worked out and a solution is solidified, external communication with suppliers and customers should also be streamlined.

4. Utilize Technology

Technology can be integrated into the overall process to achieve OEE scores that reflect productivity, such as implementing software for tracking and analyzing data or using automation to reduce human error.

However, finding a balance between utilizing technology and not overcomplicating the processes is crucial. Common mistakes can include not properly training employees on new technology or not maintaining equipment regularly, making it more of a burden than a help.

5. Set Realistic Goals

Setting goals is a necessary step in achieving high OEE scores, but make sure those goals are realistic and achievable. Unrealistic goals can lead to frustration and a negative impact on employee morale.

Have a plan for how these goals will be achieved, including involving the employees in problem-solving and decision-making. Regularly review progress towards those goals and make sensible adjustments as needed. Once this transparent line of communication is open to employees, you’ll find it more manageable to reach those goals and come up with solutions.

Partner with VersaCall

VersaCall offers OEE solutions where we address two key problem areas that have plagued OEE reporting in the past: manual data collection and the delay in publishing OEE reports. We provide an easy step-by-step implementation process, providing a quick and efficient system installation.

As WorldClass OEE’s article states, “Don’t fixate on the absolute value of OEE, instead fixate on your ability to improve your OEE.”

Don’t hesitate, to achieve the best OEE results to help your business today with VersaCall.

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