They Just Don't Get It!

This had disaster written all over it—we would probably need new material, new molds, and maybe a new supplier. The cost and disruption to us and our customers would be significant. Fortunately, our operators were using our shop floor system to capture detailed data. I asked, "What does the data say about how each gripper is performing?" Sure enough, identical parts performed at different rates depending on which gripper handled them. That meant it wasn't the parts at all. We presented our findings to the equipment manufacturer. They found a minor design flaw and re engineered replacements—at no cost. The machine went on to deliver the results we'd envisioned. Moral of the Story: Without accurate, detailed data— the voice of the operator—we would have made a costly change that would not have fixed the problem. Data Beyond Plant Floor Data isn't just for solving operational problems. We discovered its stories could help us reshape business decisions at the highest level.

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