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Pharma 4.0 Technologies in OEE Monitoring
Pharma 4.0 Technologies in OEE Monitoring
Ioannis Danias
Continuous Improvement Specialist
Industry 4.0 has significantly transformed the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. The integration of digital technologies into manufacturing processes is one of the most significant changes, enabling real-time monitoring of production processes and ensuring that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a key performance indicator for pharmaceutical production and packaging since it provides a measurement of equipment and process productivity and performance. In today’s fast-paced and intensely competitive business environment, utilizing technology for accurate OEE monitoring is becoming increasingly crucial for pharmaceutical organizations. It helps to maintain their competitive edge by monitoring processes in real-time and making data-driven decisions to enhance their operations continuously.
Challenges of Monitoring Overall Equipment Effectiveness
Monitoring OEE is a crucial aspect of manufacturing operations, but it can present a number of obstacles. These obstacles can make it challenging to obtain accurate OEE measurements and impede the capability to enhance production processes continuously.
A. Difficulty in Acquiring Precise Data
One of the most challenging aspects of OEE monitoring is collecting reliable data. A number of factors, such as equipment malfunctions, manual critical data entry errors, and a lack of standardization in data collection processes, can cause this. These factors may result in misleading OEE calculations and a skewed understanding of production performance.
B. Inadequate Production Process Visibility
Insufficient visibility into manufacturing processes is another obstacle to effective OEE monitoring. Without a clear view of the manufacturing line, it can be difficult to determine the root causes of production losses and the areas needing improvement. This can lead to missed opportunities for improvement and a decline in production efficiency as a whole.
C. Labor-intensive Manual Calculations
Lastly, OEE monitoring can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, particularly when manual calculations are utilized. This can result in delays in data analysis and reporting, making it difficult to identify and resolve production issues in a timely manner. In addition, manual calculations are susceptible to error, which can further compromise the precision of OEE measurements.
In conclusion, the obstacles associated with OEE monitoring can make it difficult to obtain accurate and actionable production performance insights. Therefore, it is essential to implement technology that automates data collection and analysis, provides real-time visibility into production processes, and simplifies OEE calculation to overcome these obstacles.
Industry 4.0 Production Monitoring Main Benefits
By monitoring the production process in Industry 4.0, manufacturers are able to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies quickly and implement corrections. This ability reduces downtime and increases overall productivity, resulting in a more productive manufacturing process. By identifying inefficiencies and taking prompt corrective action, manufacturers can reduce waste and downtime, resulting in long-term cost reductions.
A. Computerized IIoT-Driven Data Collection and Evaluation
The ability to collect real-time data is another important advantage of production monitoring in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). In the past, manufacturers relied on batch reporting and manual data collection methods that were time-consuming and prone to errors. Now, in the industry 4.0 era, manufacturers can collect and analyze data with the click of a button. This information can be utilized to make informed decisions regarding production processes and identify areas for enhancement.
B. Improved Collaboration
Moreover, real-time data can facilitate improved collaboration and communication between departments and stakeholders in the manufacturing process. Especially production and maintenance departments need to make synchronous decisions, even based on the last minute shop floor changes.
C. Assigning and Monitoring Tasks
Using a software solution to manage tasks has proven beneficial for businesses operating multiple shifts, resulting in significant improvements in collaboration between operators who do not see each other or their manager due to different working hours.
D. Predictive Maintenance
Monitoring production enables predictive maintenance since, by analyzing data, manufacturers can identify patterns and predict when a machine is likely to fail. Corrective action can be taken in advance to reduce downtime and repair costs while also improving overall equipment efficiency.
E. Improved Quality
Improved quality control is one of the most significant advantages of production monitoring in Industry 4.0. By monitoring production processes in real-time, manufacturers are able to quickly identify any quality issues and take corrective action before they escalate. This could include adjusting machine settings, reworking or scrapping a batch of products, or making other changes to the production process to improve quality. This reduces waste and improves product quality, resulting in increased customer satisfaction.
Utilizing Technology for OEE Monitoring
The benefits of OEE monitoring over conventional manual data collection and analysis techniques are numerous. They include enhanced precision, productivity, insights, real-time visibility of production processes, precise and reliable OEE calculations, and enhancement of decision-making abilities.
A. Computerized Data Collection and Evaluation
One of the most significant benefits of utilizing technology for OEE monitoring is the ability to automate the process of data collection and analysis. Data from multiple sources, such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors, can be collected in real-time with the help of technology.
B. Enhanced Precision, Productivity, and Insights
Automating data collection and analysis yields numerous advantages, including enhanced precision and productivity. There is no risk of human error with automated data collection, and the data is always consistent and up-to-date. This information can then be processed and analyzed utilizing machine learning algorithms to produce accurate and actionable production performance insights, that would otherwise be difficult or time-consuming to obtain manually.
C. Visibility of Production Processes in Real-Time
Another benefit of utilizing technology for OEE monitoring is visibility into production processes using real-time production data. Using technology, manufacturers can monitor production processes in real-time, providing a clear view of production line performance. This visibility enables manufacturers to identify problems as they arise and take swift action to address them. With real-time visibility, manufacturers can make informed decisions regarding how to increase Overall Equipment Efficiency.
D. Precise and Reliable OEE Calculations
Additionally, technology can simplify and improve the precision of OEE metrics. Automated data collection and analysis to calculate OEE more consistently and in real-time. This results in more precise and actionable insights regarding production performance, which can inform continuous improvement initiatives.
E. Enhancement of Decision-Making Abilities
Lastly, technology can provide insights into production performance that can inform decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives. Technology allows manufacturers to analyze data from multiple sources and generate insights based on historical data that would be difficult or time-consuming to obtain manually.
The advantages of improved decision-making include a more informed and proactive approach to continuous improvement, which can result in increased production efficiency and market advantage.
Conclusion
Monitoring OEE is a crucial aspect of production management, providing valuable insights into production performance and aiding in identifying and prioritizing improvement opportunities. A smart factory can achieve long-term success and maintain a competitive advantage by making decisions based on performance data.
As manufacturing operations continue to evolve through the digital transformation journey, production monitoring will play an even more crucial role in ensuring that manufacturers remain competitive and efficient. By using the Vimachem MA&OEE Software as a Service solution, manufacturers can obtain more precise real-time OEE data, boost productivity and make more informed decisions leading to performance improvements.
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Vimachem Manufacturing Analytics - OEE
The Manufacturing Analytics – OEE module is an intelligent Pharma OEE Cloud solution that allows you to collect, store and visualize data across your site / enterprise and apply AI algorithms to optimize production efficiency and product quality.