They Just Don't Get It!

Data, when used properly, turns invisible friction into visible action. The critical step? Measure the impact. Make sure your corrective action kills the elephant and keep tracking it to ensure it doesn't quietly return. Story: Data Saves the Project (and Maybe my Job) We had just invested in a custom-built machine to automate the manufacturing of a niche product. The design was unique—developed in collaboration with the OEM—and we had agreed on strict contractual performance criteria for uptime, speed, and yield. We had high expectations for the impact it would have on our operation. To say we had startup issues would be an understatement. The problem centered on two grippers designed to pick up a part and set it precisely into a frame. It wasn't working. We struggled for weeks to figure it out. Then one day, a maintenance tech came to me with grim news: "It's the parts— they're not consistent enough for this process." He showed me how the plastic parts were slightly warped.

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