The digital transformation and lean-digital approaches
Summary
The top goal of most digital transformation (DX) initiatives sounds suspiciously similar to that of lean-manufacturing methodologies — to minimize an operation’s waste and cost while concurrently maximizing its quality (defect-free) throughput of customer-coveted product. COVID-19 only hastened this trend … and rendered efficient employee onboarding and training tools all the more important for companies aiming to embrace the continuous-improvement of DX while allowing new and longtime personnel to participate in ever-evolving business approaches. Lean digital approaches on the other hand employ controls as well as force, temperature, and vibration sensors along with machine-learning software to inform predictive-maintenance routines that are at once more effective and less demanding on maintenance personnel. In this way, lean digital Heijunka helps operations make the most of today’s exceptionally adaptable automated machinery — as well as provide maximum support to plant personnel executing sophisticated manual tasks. All this software standardization imparts benefits that are synergistic with multi-function hardware formats such as the gateways, HMIs, controllers, and motors that don’t rigidly tie set machine functions to specific components.