16 MiMfg Magazine July 2021
advanced technologies are accessible to shops large and small . However , facing that change can be challenging , especially if your company is working with more traditional and conventional manufacturing technology . For older , more established manufacturers or those with fewer years behind them , the evolution that Industry 4.0 represents can be daunting for management and employees alike . It goes beyond operational change and becomes a significant cultural change with the challenge becoming how to bring all stakeholders through that change effectively . Change can often bring resistance and , because of this , getting started can often be the hardest part .
“ It can be technical-oriented resistance , meaning they technically don ’ t know how to work the new software . Or , sometimes it can be political resistance ,” says Jeremiah Worthington , co-founder of Endurium , a technology consultation and IT management company that focuses on the manufacturing sector . Worthington , along with Endurium ’ s other co-founder Eric Gerdes , focuses on engaging with management to help “ evangelize ” Industry 4.0 and how it can benefit the business , while at the same time taking steps to identify the challenges the business is facing and potential solutions . Manufacturers deal with a number of issues from the front office to the production floor , and often those challenges will impact productivity and / or overall efficiency . Identifying those root causes impacting the bottom line is often the first step .
“ Minimal investment in technology and automation can lead to significant gains in efficiency , effectiveness and accuracy while lowering labor requirements ,” says Worthington .
Using Data Collection to Revive a Traditional Plastics Manufacturer
Nigam Tripathi is quite educated in the use of big data and other Industry 4.0 concepts , having worked in manufacturing for 30 years , with about 12 of those years at Ford Motor Company . In 2013 , Tripathi bought W-L Molding , a plastic injection molding company founded in 1945 , and he was immediately presented with a unique challenge to apply his industry knowledge to a company that had been operating with traditional manufacturing technology and equipment .
In order to figure out what steps to take first , next and beyond , he needed to collect data to make informed decisions .
Prosper-Tech is a small manufacturing operation based in Richmond that has utilized robotics and automation to increase their production allowing them to grow and create more job opportunities . Owners Bob and Heidi Devroy are pictured second and third from the far left .
“ One of the first things we did was to centralize data collection and to upgrade current Manufacturing Resource Planning system . What they were using before was pretty outdated ,” says Tripathi . Next is to start investing in automation and evaluate data collection and Enterprise Resource Planning system . “ So , we updated the system and started to look at things like , who is our ( target ) customer ? What are their expectations ? What kind of stuff do we need to do ?”
Installing new equipment , technology and processes was the first step but Tripathi also wanted to inject his data-oriented mindset into the company ’ s culture . Coming from big organizations like Ford , utilizing metrics to make strategic decisions — often in real time — can become second nature , according to Tripathi .
You can get really used to having that information [ from centralizing their data collection ] available . For a company like [ us ], it was really like starting from scratch . So there has been a real education process , and it ’ s been eye-opening for the company .
— Nigam Tripathi , Managing Member , W-L Molding
“ You can get really used to having that information available ,” says Tripathi . “ For a company like W-L , it was really like starting from scratch . So there has been a real education process , and it ’ s been eye-opening for the company .”
The first step in addressing pain points that are affecting the bottom line will typically start with system integration and data collection , according to Mike Schipper , Founder and CEO of InsITe