Mobile technology can profoundly and positively affect the manufacturing
environment, but you need a well-considered and well-planned strategy to
make it work.
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MANUFACTURING IS A PEOPLE-DRIVEN INDUSTRY
Despite its reputation for cutting-edge automation and robotics, manufacturing is
still an industry driven by people. Employees — management, engineers and support
personnel — are the life’s blood of any manufacturing operation.
Manufacturing is also driven by data. Accurate, real-time views of operational data,
both within discrete functions and across the corporate value chain, are critical. And
it’s manufacturing personnel who are responsible for the effective use — capturing,
reporting, interpreting, synthesizing — of that operational data.
For example, American automakers are pushing hard against the boundaries of justin-
time manufacturing techniques. A Ford assembly plant in Wayne, Mich., has made
flexibility an important element of its manufacturing strategy, implementing a production
line capable of supporting several different vehicle types and designs. A large part of the
success of that strategy depends on the close involvement of assembly line workers.
According to one of the plant managers, “We are asking them to be problem solvers.”2
When it comes to process manufacturing, there are two priorities: upgrading aging
IT systems and addressing requirements imposed by new regulatory initiatives, such as
the Food Safety Modernization Act. The first is a strategic opportunity, while the second
is a matter of making accurate and timely manufacturing data a priority, which requires
personnel to be diligent in process tracking and record keeping.
These examples help show how mobile technology and manufacturing have a natural
working relationship with regard to communications, operations and data. “Workers
in the manufacturing industry are mobile in nature,” points out Roopesh Bangalore,
practice head for manufacturing for Wipro Technologies. Leveraging that mobility with
an effective mobile technology strategy must be a priority for manufacturers.
THREE AREAS OF OPERATION
In general, three areas in most manufacturing operations offer the best chance to affect
business outcomes by implementing mobile technology. These are areas where workers
are not bound to desks but operate relatively independently. However, because these
workers are not “desk-tied,” the potential arises for communication disruptions, lost
productivity, and especially for latency in the capture and reporting of real-time data.
• The Shop Floor: Shop-floor workers and engineers manage and assemble items on
the production line or monitor process specifications. They typically record production
and process data manually, leading to data latency and inaccuracy.
• The Warehouse: Warehouse personnel are responsible for inbound shipments, inventory
tracking and traceability, and replenishment of goods. Accurate, real-time logistical
and inventory data is critical for just-in-time manufacturing, efficient supply chain
operation and quality of service.
• The Field Force: Field-force personnel interact with customers, partners and suppliers
directly. They require the most accurate and up-to-date data regarding products and
“ Mobility involves
a comprehensive
study of the
business processes
that you want to
take mobile.”
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4 FEBRUARY 2012
Services and accurate, real-time capture of demand and inventory data will provide the
manufacturing organization with valuable insight for production scheduling.
Mobile technology, whether cell phones, smartphones, tablets and/or electronic pads,
can effectively address these “desk-less” data requirements — but not without a wellplanned
and well-executed mobile technology strategy.
A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
Although mobility in manufacturing seems suited to a targeted approach, that does not
mean it should be limited in scope or strategy. “Mobility involves a comprehensive study
of the business processes that you want to take mobile,” says Bangalore.
Such a comprehensive study would incorporate an internal assessment of enterprise
strengths and pain points related to worker mobility and data entry, notes Bangalore.
That internal study should be complemented with a benchmarking study of the mobility
deployments of competitors and organizations in related industries. Also, feedback
from mobility experts and potential vendors would be invaluable.
An effective manufacturing mobility strategy goes beyond implementing a few simple
policy changes and a suite of mobile IT applications. Automating role-specific transactions
through a user-friendly display with easily identifiable icons for tasks such as data
entry, support calls, barcode scanning, etc., will help workers make a hassle-free jump
from manual operations to device-based execution.
Device ergonomics, such as form factor, features and ruggedness, are an important
consideration. Tablet devices are on their way to becoming part of the manufacturing
mainstream, and it’s exciting to see how manufacturers will leverage the limitless
possibilities of such tools for maximum advantage in the value chain.
Overall, manufacturers must realize that a mobile technology implementation is
much more than a tactical change — it is a strategic effort intended to directly affect
business processes profoundly, positively and for an extended period of time. Such an
effort requires careful planning and implementation.
THE PARTNER IMPERATIVE
That’s why manufacturers planning a mobile technology strategy would do well to
consider enlisting the help of an experienced and knowledgeable partner. An outside
associate can provide valuable expertise in terms of technology and trends, as well
as objective insight regarding an organization’s critical processes and problem areas.
To help a manufacturer optimize a mobility strategy, a service provider must have
experience and expertise in two areas. First, knowledge of the manufacturing sector at
large, across diverse markets and segments — discrete, process and batch — provides
valuable perspective. Second, depth of skill and talent in mobile technology, both at the
individual-device level and the infrastructure level, are a must for a servicer in such a
fast-moving, highly evolving area of IT.
When considering outside help, look for a service provider that partners with best-of-breed
Mobile technology
and manufacturing
have a natural
working
relationship.
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5 FEBRUARY 2012
Technology vendors to help furnish and support a comprehensive, cutting-edge mobile
technology solution. In addition, look for a servicer with a track record in enterpriseoriented
technology solutions — one that can show you verifiable case histories and
customer recommendations.
Experience should equate to data. Actionable data from benchmarking real-world
mobile solutions should be an important element in a mobile service strategy.
CONCLUSION
More and more, employees are shifting computing tasks from traditional devices, such
as desktops and laptops, to mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Manufacturers
must protect data that’s being sent back and forth between the corporate
network and these users’ devices. They must also manage and secure the proliferation
of diverse devices — employee-owned and company-owned — that are running on
different platforms.
A mobile technology strategy can help both discrete and process manufacturers create
new and better efficiencies in their organizations. Mobile technology can help address key
problem areas within the manufacturing environment, including production workload,
wait time, latency, loss of productivity, unnecessary motion, defects, asset utilization,
logistics and inventory accuracy. Addressing these areas will help manufacturers reduce
costs, increase speed, and extend flexibility and reach.
Most importantly, a mobile technology implementation can help manufacturers leverage
their two greatest assets: personnel and data. By making employees more productive,
and data more accurate and timely, a manufacturing organization can realize significant
process change and competitive advantage.
But creating an effective mobile strategy and technology isn’t quick or easy. Manufacturers
would do well to seek out experienced advice and support to aid in this vital,
future-oriented effort.
Wipro Technologies has redefined enterprise mobility with a complete solution that protects and supports the manufacturer’s information assets — on the widest range of devices, wherever they are — while also simplifying the management process every step of the way, from one-click deployment to intelligent access control to immediate locks and wipes.
Wipro’s Enteprise Mobility Management solution provides a comprehensive approach to all employee- and company-owned mobile devices — including BlackBerrys, iPhones and other smartphones, iPads and other media tablets — within an organization, unifying the support and policy enforcement for all these mobile devices and extending the standard ITIL processes used in traditional desktop management services.
Enterprise mobility management in manufacturing combines two areas of strength for Wipro. In terms of manufacturing, Wipro has accumulated a wealth of experience by serving several hundreds of manufacturing clients — discrete, process, and batch — across diverse markets and segments. In terms of mobility, Wipro has created a service infrastructure incorporating an army of engineers and experts, along with a list of innovative vendor-partners.
“By partnering with some of these best-of-breed technology vendors we can help design and deploy a comprehensive mobile technology solution,” says Roopesh Bangalore, practice head for manufacturing for Wipro Technologies. In addition, Wipro has deep expertise and a long history in enterprise-oriented technology services. “That expertise can help us to provide a mobility solution right from the shop floor to top floor,” he says.
In addition, providing both expertise and actionable data is a hallmark of Wipro Technologies’ services. Leveraging best practices and replicating successful initiatives in real-world mobile solutions is an important element in Wipro’s mobile service strategy. “Best practices data should be the first consideration set for manufacturers going mobile,” says Bangalore. “They will have a good idea what certain processes have already been made mobile in similar industries. That way manufacturers can draw from the learnings—rather than burning their hands.”
