Manufacturing is a complex industry that involves managing a wide range of variables to ensure that products are produced efficiently and to the highest quality. Analytics can be a powerful tool in this process, helping manufacturers to identify trends, optimize processes, and make informed decisions.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look into how analytics can be useful in manufacturing. We’ll explore real-life examples, identify what KPIs to look for, and point you in the right direction of which tools to leverage to make more informed decisions in manufacturing.
Quality Control
One common use case for analytics in manufacturing is quality control. By analyzing data from quality inspections, manufacturers can identify patterns and trends in defects, allowing them to improve processes and reduce waste.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) for quality control include:
- Defect rate
- Rework rate
- Customer complaints
- Warranty claims
These KPIs can be measured by tracking the number of defects or rework that occurs during production, as well as tracking customer complaints and warranty claims. Quality control teams, production managers, and other personnel responsible for ensuring product quality use this data to identify and fix problems with their processes, leading to improved product quality and increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Production Planning
Another use case for analytics in manufacturing is production planning. By analyzing data on production capacity, machine utilization, and raw materials, manufacturers can optimize their production schedules and improve efficiency.
KPIs for production planning include:
- Production capacity
- Machine utilization
- Raw material inventory levels
All of these KPIs can be measured by tracking the number of units produced, the percentage of time that machines are in use, and the amount of raw materials on hand, respectively.
Production planners, supply chain managers, and other personnel responsible for managing the production process use this data to make the most efficient use of their resources, leading to improved efficiency and reduced costs.
Predictive Maintenance
Predictive maintenance is another area where analytics can be useful in manufacturing. By analyzing data on machine performance and wear and tear, manufacturers can predict when equipment is likely to fail and schedule maintenance in advance, reducing downtime and improving equipment availability.
KPIs for predictive maintenance include:
- Equipment downtime
- Mean time between failures (MTBF)
- Mean time to repair (MTTR)
All of these KPIs can be measured by tracking the amount of time that equipment is not in use due to maintenance or repair, as well as the frequency and duration of maintenance and repair events.
Maintenance teams, production managers, and other personnel responsible for managing equipment maintenance use this data to schedule maintenance in advance and improve equipment availability.
Supply Chain Optimization
Supply chain optimization is another important use case for analytics in manufacturing. By analyzing data on supplier performance, delivery times, and inventory levels, manufacturers can optimize their supply chain and reduce costs.
KPIs for supply chain optimization include:
- Supplier performance
- Delivery times
- Inventory levels
These KPIs are commonly measured by tracking delivery times, the quality of products received, and the amount of raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods on hand, respectively.
Supply chain managers, production planners, and other personnel responsible for managing the supply chain use this data to identify and work with the best-performing suppliers, reduce inventory levels, and streamline the flow of materials through the supply chain, leading to reduced costs and improved efficiency.
Customer Analytics
Finally, customer analytics is an important use case for analytics in manufacturing. By analyzing data on customer behavior and preferences, manufacturers can understand their customers and design products that better meet their needs.
KPIs for customer analytics include:
- Customer satisfaction
- Customer loyalty
- Customer lifetime value
All of these KPIs can be measured through surveys, customer feedback, and the total value of a customer’s purchases over their lifetime.
Marketing teams, product development teams, and other personnel responsible for understanding and meeting customer needs use this data to segment customers by demographics, purchasing habits, or other factors, and develop targeted marketing campaigns or product offerings.
Understanding and meeting customer needs can help drive sales and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to increased profits.
What Analytic Tools Can Manufacturers Leverage to Make More Data-Driven Decisions?
Snowflake
There are several tools that manufacturers can use to analyze data and gain insights. One popular option is the Snowflake Data Cloud, a cloud-based data warehouse that allows users to store, query, and analyze large amounts of data. With Snowflake, manufacturers can easily access and analyze data from a wide range of sources, including production data, customer data, and supply chain data, to make informed decisions and optimize their operations.
Analytics platforms like Tableau, Power BI, and Sigma Computing can also be used to analyze data and gain insights, helping manufacturers to make the most of their data and optimize their operations.
In Conclusion
Analytics is a powerful asset that can be used in many different ways in manufacturing. By analyzing data from quality inspections, production schedules, equipment maintenance, the supply chain, and customer behavior, manufacturers can identify patterns and trends, optimize processes, and make informed decisions, leading to improved efficiency, reduced costs, and increased profits.Â
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