Avoid firefighting: SaaS Based Shop Floor System Framework

The SaaS Based Shop Floor System Framework
1
Objective
To provide a comprehensive yet simple Data Collection framework on the Shop floor for
Manufacturing, and help in delivering a Performance Driven Management System.
This would consist of the following,
A. A simple system on the Shop floor to record - problems & issues,
B. A simple system on the Shop floor to record - Stoppages & reasons for the same,
C. A simple system on the Shop floor to record - daily production so as to compute, Efficiency or
OEE if possible,
D. To help bring the Maintenance function under scrutiny in order to avoid fire fighting and
improve asset performance and life,
E. To provide a simple system for Manufacturing Excellence by applying RCA
Purpose
The purpose would ideally be to,
1. Improve the visibility and transparency on the Shop floor by listing down problems being faced
thus helping in eliminating them in the long run through Improvement initiatives,
2. Deliver as Planned, On Time and reduce process costs and overheads by applying LEAN
methodologies & a robust but simple RCA framework,
3. Help in tracking & working on NC’s (Non-Conformities) that get generated out of Audits,
4. And finally to setup a Business Excellence Framework on the Shop floor in order to setup and
measure KRA’s and KPI’s!
5. And finally to implement a system that is sustainable and helps in achieving profitable growth.
What would be termed as “Simple”?
By simple we mean –
1. Any system that can be deployed within a week’s time or even lesser, ideally 3 days!
2. A Business Model / Revenue transaction process, that will not take more than 1 hour to explain,
3. A presentation that will be self-explanatory and will induce the client to go for it!
4. A Simple Training module that can be executed along with an evaluation process and with
periodic review mechanisms, either online or otherwise,
5. Where we make use of adequate Technology to improve data collection and authenticity, like
use of Tabs or Mobiles or Kiosks or Interfacing to CNC machines or PLC’s if required,
6. A knowledge base that can be used across customers!

2
What do we already have?
We broadly have 4 Systems that run independently. Hence we may have to integrate some
of them systems mentioned below to make them more viable as an offering.
1. The Status Board System (ALPS) – A status board monitoring system that can record any
problem or issue on the Shop floor against a well-defined Support function / Problem
Resolution department, i.e. what is the hurdle or problem and who & which department
will resolve it? These could be departments like Quality, Planning, Stores, Tooling, etc.
And if desired … though not necessary … these problems could further be categorized
based on SQDC (Safety-Quality-Delivery-Cost).
Modus operandi (MO) – Physical recording on a board or paper card and then entering it in the
system, say at the end of the shift or day.
Critical Success Factors (CSF) – This will require a focused approach from Production to record
these problems properly and categorize or classify and then distribute them to the concerned
departments. So initially some efforts to mobilize their resources would be required.
2. The RED Tag System – A system that can record any abnormalities in the Plant (including
SAFETY) as a whole but would mostly be used on the Shop floor i.e. in the manufacturing
environment. This is an offshoot of TPM that can be very simply applied by any
manufacturing setup to identify and resolve abnormalities in the plant.
MO – This too is a Physical recording of any abnormality, normally on coloured Cards. This is
more known in the Industry as it is / was a part 5S in TPM. So people know about it. Except
initially it was only meant for tagging material on the shop floor whereas later on people starting
using it to track or tag any abnormality on the shop floor. Here they can also track various
Leakages and Safety issues.
CSF – These tags need to be available for people to use, so probably in some cases we may have
to give them a template in order to make this operational or activate this.

3
3. A Production Recording System – That can record machine-wise APQ i.e. Availability or
stoppages, Productivity or daily production & Quality or rejections on the Shop floor.
This can help in computing OEE or even OLE & OPE. This can first be for just monitoring
what is happening and then mark it up against the planned requirements in order to
measure the key results.
MO – Well, this is normally being done physically in either some register or production slip
format, but not in much detail unless management doesn’t emphasize on it strictly. The problem
is the authenticity of the data mostly that of Stoppages and their reasons which go unverified.
CSF – If it is an ingrained part of their KRA then it will certainly be done. Here there could be a
requirement for automation in order to collect this data … of Production, Rejection or even
Stoppages which may have to be looked into.
4. FTM : The Maintenance System – A system for Plant Engineering and Maintenance to
prepare the Asset register and record Breakdowns, PM’s other work done and resources
used on them along with a basic TPM and RCA framework. This will help in increasing
the ROI of the assets and in turn improving the OEE from a maintenance point of view.
MO – Collecting Machine Breakdowns is the most important part followed by PM. This usually is
done in a Log book, plus the problem can also be sent in an Online / Real time manner.
CSF – We have been doing this in larger companies successfully, except for smaller setups we
need to be take a stance as there may be need to train people to do the needful. At this moment
smaller setups may not go for this system initially.

4
The Basic System Architecture
Client
Location
Factory / Plant
Division / Product OR Customer Line
Section / Line / Cell
Machines / Asset Register
Support Function Departments
(Problem Resolution Departments)
ALPS RED Tag
Production FTM

5
Broad Level Offerings Roadmap
1. Level-1: Shop Floor Problem Tracking
The Basic System that will cover Production / Shop floor related Problem handling, which may be
a cross between our ALPS & RED TAG systems. Such a system will have a smaller start-up phase,
though would require an Execution Strategy to be setup by the client in order to understand and
then gain from the benefits of such a system.
Such a system would also cover the tracking of NC’s (Non-Conformities) related to Audits. This will
enhance the value perception of the system we are offering to a great extent,
2. Level-2: Organization Compliance Tracking (NEW)
Building a Compliance Framework around the above which would handle Compliance records
related to Certifications and Licenses to run the Company and would cover their processes,
renewals, their records, etc. to bring visibility to such matters,
3. Level-3: Production Quantification for OEE
Then comes the further information gathering related to quantification of Production, Rejection,
Resource Utilization etc. that will help compute Key Parameters like OEE and Efficiency. But for
such a stage to be reached, the above system has to become sustainable over a period of time
with measurable benefits to all its stakeholders,
4. Level-4: FTM for Maintenance
This can be the FTM system which can either be independent or a part of the above. But since this
is not directly related to Profits, hence this would always be a secondary level decision for
Management and Operations. Its revenue model could be per-user based or ideally per-machine
based, whichever that can be practically monitored.

6
Building of the Execution Roadmap
The Basic Setup Process (Technology)
1. Client setup process – This could be One-Client-Multiple-location architecture,
2. Application Setup process – This could be One-Client-Multiple-Applications,
3. Setting up QR as the Central Reporting tool handling Multiple Clients & Applications,
4. Selecting the Revenue Model from pre-defined Options and which would be scalable.
Level-1 Application Start-up Processes (Domain)
1. Setting up the Client Manufacturing structure – (Simple)
2. Defining the Asset Register / Machine Master – (Simple)
3. Listing down the Support function departments – (pre-defined library)
4. Setting up the Standard Stoppages (pre-defined library)
5. Setting up the standard Defects (pre-defined library)
6. Tracking of NC’s generated from Audits (Simple)
The Built-in RCA Framework (?)
1. Why-Why Analysis
2. Action Reports (6W2H)
3. Feedback

7
What will be required to Start-OFF Along with Time?
A. The Base System
1. Their Plant structure as mentioned above – Location – Factory – Division – Section
Time Required: Within 1 hour
2. List of Machines – Code, Name, Description, Responsibility, Machine Group, … followed by
Criticality, CC, Machine Subgroup, Make, Mode, Installation Date, Commissioning Date,
Connected Load, etc.
Note: Out of the above, in the basic Version only the first 2 and Higher Versions only the first
4 fields will be mandatory!
Time Required: Within 2 hours based on Machine list. We can give him an Import facility, i.e. to Import
from Excel to Our system
3. Support Function Departments i.e. Problem Resolution departments – Here we will provide
a standard list or library like Quality, QA, QC, Planning, Production, Maintenance, Tooling,
Stores, Purchase, Sourcing, Dispatch, Utilities … which would be configured ON / OFF at
System Start-up as required by the Client.
Time Required: Ready steady Go!
4. Stoppage Code – Here too we can use the standard 17 / 18 codes as defined by TPM as they
are generic and applicable to nearly all … which would be configured ON / OFF at System
Start-up as required by the Client.
5. Abnormalities – These too can be provided as a Library as they would be generic
Reports & MIS
Using Quick Reports (QR)
Our USP
For Management, the RCA Framework could be a major PULL for them along with visibility of
Shop Floor activities.

8
Technology used so far in the above,
1. A .Net based system built on our Nucleus framework,
2. A .Net based system built on the new Bootstrap GUI framework,
3. Simple XML / HTML / Java / etc. based techniques used,
4. Android & Windows phone based systems,
Service Model that can get generated
At various levels a service model can get generated which can either be done by us or handed over
to an associate. Especially various Training modules can be generated which can be prepared on an
e-learning basis as is being proposed by MKK – covering training and evaluation in an automated
environment.
Ex: Applying the RCA concept could be an area of service that may be required

Avoid firefighting: SaaS Based Shop Floor System Framework

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