Smart Manufacturing Track

Most people agree that Smart Manufacturing is a journey, not a destination. But, should that journey be a walk or a Quantum Leap?

Some say it takes a methodical approach, building infrastructure and standardizing processes and terminology before layering in added capabilities to reach your goal. Others dive right in, looking at the IoT (Internet of Things) as the greatest opportunity of our lifetime to transform their businesses. Who do you think is right?

MESA's Smart Manufacturing Track lineup represents both ends of the journey, as well as stages in between. From a global manufacturer with 100+ plants just starting their journey to another company transforming themselves into a digital enterprise, this lineup offers something for everyone - regardless of where you are on your own journey.

Check out the lineup below, and then check them out in person in May!

Session #1: Starting the Journey

Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 9:00-10:00 am

Trelleborg is at the Gate: Starting their Smart Manufacturing Journey

Read the summary blog and download the slides, here.

Speakers: Tom Norbut, Project Manager, IT Infrastructure Services, Trelleborg; Erik Nistad, Chairman, MESA International

Trelleborg considers themselves to be truly just beginning their Smart Manufacturing journey, driving a "Production Intelligence" initiative across 120 plants globally. Learn how they've gotten started, what they’ve accomplished to date and where they're turning for help moving forward.

In this session:

  • Learn how Trelleborg is translating a broad desire to understand and adopt Industrie4.0 into actionable plans
  • Understand how they are building support across global Manufacturing Excellence and Information Technologies organizations.
  • See how MESA International is educating Trelleborg’s executives and production colleagues to build a common baseline of knowledge across the business in support of their goals.

Session #2: Laying the Foundation with MES/MOM

Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 11:15 am-12:15 pm

Virgin Orbit Blasts Off into Production with MES Solution

Read the summary blog and download the slides, here.

Speakers: Andrzej Goryca, Sr. Manufacturing Systems Manager, Virgin Orbit

Many manufacturers started their Smart Manufacturing journey years ago - before we called it ‘Smart’ manufacturing - by implementing MES (or MOM) systems. Virgin Orbit, best known for capturing our imaginations with its development of commercial spacecraft and its goal of providing suborbital space flights to tourists, is one of those manufacturers. Their discrete, complex manufacturing operations provide significant challenges, which require systems support to manage. Work-in-process units incorporate engineering changes as the process progresses, for example, and Engineering has to be involved every step of the way - in material review processes, dispositions, and rework instructions. Virgin Orbit partnered with iBASEt to manage their complex manufacturing environments.

In this session:

  • Learn how Virgin Orbit transformed an entirely paper-based environment into a connected, digital enterprise deployed on time and within budget.
  • Understand the techniques and technology used to get quicker returns on investment, cultivate executive sponsorship for technology investment, set realistic expectations for the business in terms of timeline and scope of work and manage project deviations and scope change by asking the “5 Whys”.

Session #3: Accelerating with Analytics

Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 2:00-3:00 pm

Small Manufacturers are Smart Manufacturers with Analytics

Read the summary blog and download the slides, here.

Speakers: Paul Little, Sr. Business Intelligence Analyst, Vecima Networks; Michelle Wells, Principal Product Marketing Consultant, Mid-Market

Deploying manufacturing systems is often the first step in Smart Manufacturing, but driving your business with analytics off the plant floor is when many companies begin to run.

Vecima Networks manufactures cable boxes for the hospitality industry and wanted to make operational data-based decisions to refine its manufacturing process. However, multiple tools and spreadsheets in production created data silos and governance issues, limiting visibility and usefulness of operational information. Vecima Networks moved to an integrated analytics platform, which provides visibility across the entire company to key performance indicators, eliminates data silos and leads to continuous improvement of the manufacturing process.

In this session:

  • Learn how the solution has proven so popular that the data began driving spontaneous business discussions, empowering people to make evidence-based decisions based on real data.
  • Understand the difference between Metrics, Key Performance Indicators and Analytics.
  • Learn how analytics are available to companies of all sizes.
  • Learn how an analytics platform used to it full potential becomes a platform to drive Smart Manufacturing programs.

Session #4: Digital Transformation

Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 4:15-5:15 pm

Think BIG, start small – the keys to Balancing Speed and Agility in Digital Transformation

Read the summary blog and download the slides, here.

Speakers: Steve Jaeger, Chief Information Officer, Quad/Graphics

Quad/Graphics realized all aspects of their end-to-end value streams need be optimized with speed and agility. Quad has been realizing the Smart Manufacturing principles throughout its value chains, including digital automation and optimization in Manufacturing processes and deploying increasingly automated robots on the shop floor.

Learn how Quad successfully followed the “Think BIG, start small” imperative, freeing $60M in capital by automating their Order-to-Cash process in the first phases of their Digital Transformation journey.

In this session:

  • Hear how Digital Process Automation (DPA) is a key enabler for Manufacturing digital optimizations, helping Quad achieve substantial cost savings, as well as potential revenue generation.
  • Explore how proven disciplines, such as Lean and Six Sigma, are now revamped through a Digital Transformation (DX) platform selected to automate a number of key end-to-end processes.
  • Listen to Quad’s experiences and guiding principles for governing DX best practices through a Quad Digital Process Automation Center of Excellence /Community of Practice that spearheads enablement, iterative methodology, governance, and re-use for core and supporting Manufacturing processes.

Session #5: Approaches for Integrating Legacy Assets Into an IoT Ecosystem

Thursday, May 10, 2018, 7:45 am-8:45 pm

MESA Smart Manufacturing Track

Speakers: Jeff Bates, Product Management, ThingWorx's Speaker

Any manufacturer who hopes to stay competitive in today’s market needs a connected factory. But legacy machines—often critical to operations—can be extremely difficult to connect and integrate into an IoT ecosystem. Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of three different strategies for integrating legacy machines—as well as a framework for exploring which approach will best fit your unique needs. This session also includes in-depth examinations of factors (such as cost-effectiveness, connectivity efficiency, functionality flexibility, and more) to consider when integrating legacy data with modern smart manufacturing tools.

In this session:

    • Explore the business value—and competitive necessity—of integrating legacy machines with modern equipment for complete visibility into operations
    • Evaluate the pros and cons of three integration strategies, and consider how each relates to connectivity, flexibility, scalability, cost effectiveness, and overall benefits to the enterprise
    • Learn the questions you can ask to identify the right integration methodology for your organization’s specific goals

Session #6: Analytics That Matter

Thursday, May 10, 2018, 11:00 am-12:00 pm

MESA & LNS Research Deliver 7th-edition Industry Research

Speakers: Chris Monchinski, Chair, MESA Analytics Working Group

Andrew Hughes, Principal Analyst, LNS Research

Since 2006, MESA International has lead industry’s efforts to understand the performance metrics that matter to manufacturers and to provide insights into how modern technologies improve access to these metrics. The technologies continue to evolve rapidly, and MESA continues to offer focused research findings to keep up with the pace of industry - evolving our focus beyond metrics to advanced analytics.

Interact with MESA’s Analytics Working Group and our industry-leading research partner, LNS Research, to unpack the findings from our 7th biennial research project* on this important topic.

In this session:

    • Learn how companies view the role and value of IIoT technologies in harnessing the power of today’s data-rich devices and systems.
    • Examine the effects of advanced analytics combined with practices and capabilities on manufacturing operations performance and business financial results.
    • Receive a copy of the public 2018 'Analytics that Matter Research' project report.

*NOTE: the online survey for this research is still live. Take the survey now and receive the full research report.