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[Blog Article] Manufacturing Industry DX Digitizing Work Processes! Understanding the Reality of "Water Smoothing"

ＮＸ総合研究所

In the manufacturing industry, the promotion of DX (Digital Transformation) is advancing with the use of robots and AI. However, many manufacturing site managers are likely struggling with the high implementation costs of large automation machinery and the latest software, unsure of where to start. There is a strong demand to begin DX with a small start, leading to an increase in factories that are digitizing the work content of manufacturing processes (work time, steps, location information) to improve operations. Generally, before implementing on-site improvements, site managers in manufacturing environments conduct work sampling with stopwatches and video analysis to understand the current situation. At Company A, a telecommunications equipment manufacturer, there was a challenge with their "water supply" operations, which supply materials in their factory using a "cell production system." Due to the high frequency of movement within the factory during these operations, work sampling and video analysis were difficult, hindering efforts for operational improvement. This case study introduces how the work time, steps, and location information of the "water supply" operations were digitized using IoT tools to clarify issues and work towards operational improvement.