As we wrap up 2024, we are proud to celebrate a year of growth and success for SCW.AI and our customers.
We expanded our reach, welcoming new manufacturers from diverse regions and industries, all striving to achieve operational excellence. From significant reductions in unplanned downtime, changeover durations, and microstops to minimizing scrap, our customers continue to report transformative outcomes. Staying true to our mission, we have once again supported manufacturers in their journey toward world-class operations by helping them minimize costs, maximize throughput, and elevate quality.
This year, we also continued to enrich our modular Digital Factory Platform with cutting-edge solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of manufacturers. These innovations have already received positive feedback from our users, reinforcing their value. Furthermore, we introduced an Advanced ROI Calculator—a powerful tool that enables manufacturers to estimate the financial returns of their digital transformation initiatives. Join us in exploring the top innovations and developments of 2024, and take a glimpse into 2025—a year set to bring even greater achievements for our clients and SCW.AI.
Action Tracker: Make Your Daily Meetings More Effective
In 2024, we introduced the Action Tracker, a new execution module in our Digital Factory Platform designed to revolutionize shop floor management. Replacing outdated paper-based methods and cumbersome spreadsheets, the Action Tracker empowers manufacturing executives to manage operations with ease and precision.
With Action Tracker, shop floor workers can report issues at the push of a button, streamlining communication and problem-solving. These reported issues can be converted into actionable items, enabling managers to assign tasks to specific employees with detailed instructions, clear definitions, and due dates. Managers can effortlessly monitor the status of these actions, gaining a real-time overview of progress and ensuring accountability across the shop floor.
By turning daily meetings into hubs of actionable insights and structured follow-through, Action Tracker enhances the productivity and effectiveness of shop floor discussions. With improved accountability and streamlined task management, manufacturing teams can focus on executing strategies that drive operational excellence.
Station View: Monitor Your Factory, Machine by Machine
This year, we introduced the Station View Dashboard as part of our OEE Tracker Module, completing our vision for comprehensive factory monitoring. Together with Global View, Site View, and Line View dashboards, Station View empowers manufacturers to monitor operations from a macro to a micro level in real-time.
The primary goal of Station View is to provide visibility into the structure of production lines, which are composed of stations or individual machines. Often, low OEE in a production line is caused by a single machine operating below its target speed or producing items of subpar quality. These inefficiencies create a ripple effect, slowing subsequent machines or compromising quality downstream, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the entire line.
Station View pinpoints exactly which machine is causing the bottleneck, enabling manufacturers to take corrective actions or schedule targeted maintenance to resolve the issue. By addressing these inefficiencies with precision, manufacturers can significantly enhance their productivity and maintain more effective production lines.
Continuous Improvement Solution Kit:
Unleash Self-Competition
A McKinsey study underscores the vital link between manufacturing excellence and continuous improvement—a process where producers set ambitious targets and consistently strive to surpass them. By frequently achieving initial goals, resetting benchmarks, and promoting self-competition, manufacturers can progress toward the ultimate objective of zero waste and defects.
At SCW.AI, we recognize the power of self-competition and its role in driving better outcomes. To support this philosophy, we introduced the Continuous Improvement Solution Kit—a set of four key reports that enable manufacturers to evaluate their performance across various objectives:
1. Schedule Adherence Report
The Schedule Adherence Report allows manufacturers to compare actual and planned durations for setup, run, and cleaning phases of each work order. This comparison helps identify bottlenecks or recurring inefficiencies. For instance, if actual run times consistently exceed planned durations, this report provides insights for conducting root cause analysis and implementing corrective measures.
2. OEE Adherence Report
The OEE Adherence Report offers detailed insights into runtime, downtime, actual OEE, expected OEE, and the actual-to-expected OEE ratio for each work order. By focusing on the actual-to-expected ratio (illustrated as a yellow line), manufacturers can assess how closely they meet their OEE targets, with 100% indicating perfect alignment. By addressing bottlenecks and achieving consistent alignment, manufacturers can elevate expected OEE values and sustain continuous improvement.
3. Changeover Analysis Report
The Changeover Analysis Report evaluates setup and cleanup processes, distinguishing between major and minor tasks while showing whether they were completed within target durations. By identifying tasks that consistently exceed target times, manufacturers can pinpoint inefficiencies and implement solutions such as targeted training.
4. Labor Performance Report
The Labor Performance Report provides a granular view of individual worker performance, enabling manufacturers to identify specific training needs. For instance, if a worker consistently spends more time on line cleaning and setup than the target, as highlighted by this report, personalized training can be arranged to enhance their efficiency. This targeted approach not only improves individual performance but also boosts overall shop floor productivity.
Optimum Job Shop Scheduling with Smart Simulations
In 2024, we made significant advancements to our Scheduler module, enhancing its integration with the AI HUB. These updates were designed to create a synergy between digital solutions and human planners, combining the precision and speed of advanced algorithms with the strategic decision-making and adaptability of experienced professionals.
A standout feature of this improvement is the Optimization Result Comparison, which allows planners to generate multiple scheduling simulations with varying objectives—such as minimizing changeovers, ensuring JIT delivery, maximizing OTIF performance and many more. These schedules are produced within seconds, offering a clear comparison of expected manufacturing KPIs. This empowers planners to select the optimal work orchestration strategy that best aligns with their current operational priorities.
Additionally, planners retain the flexibility to fine-tune schedules manually, ensuring adaptability and precision. By fostering a seamless collaboration between human expertise and digital tools, allows agile manufacturing and achieving cost reductions of up to 20%.
A Holiday Gift from SCW.AI: Advanced ROI Calculator
Just in time for the holiday season, we launched an advanced version of our ROI Calculator—a free and invaluable tool for manufacturers embarking on their digital transformation journey. Designed to provide actionable insights, this tool enables users to simulate the potential return on investment (ROI) by inputting specific business variables and expected OEE values.
We encourage manufacturers to experiment with different scenarios to uncover the immense potential of a digitally optimized factory. Whether you are exploring strategies to improve efficiency, reduce cost, or boost throughput, the ROI Calculator offers a clear picture of how transformative digital solutions can elevate your operations.
Example ROI Calculator results for a pharma manufacturer with 10 lines and $10M annual revenue. Its OEE is increased from 30% to 40% as a result of digital transformation.
Start 2025 with SCW.AI:
Cut Costs, Boost Productivity, and Build Resilience
As we step into 2025, SCW.AI’s Digital Factory Platform continues to empower manufacturers to achieve operational excellence. Scalable, simple to implement, and designed for rapid transformation, our platform enables businesses to cut costs, boost productivity, and build resilience in an ever-changing market. Whether you are looking for specific solutions or embarking on a full-scale digital transformation, SCW.AI is your trusted partner in shaping the future of manufacturing.
Have questions or want to learn more? Reach us now!
Want to start 2025 and beyond strong? Experience the power of the Digital Factory Platform firsthand. Schedule your personalized demo today.
🎅Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a successful New Year🎄
The SCW.AI Team
