Key Insights on How Manufacturing Leaders Achieve Operational Excellence
As profit margins tighten due to inflation and supply chain stress, improving efficiency has become a necessity in almost every industry. To that end, companies that rely on complex logistics networks and supply chains are looking for new ways to optimize their networks.
But real process optimization is not an easy or quick fix, especially for firms like those in the Manufacturing industry, whose networks rely on both information technology (IT) and the much older, and arguably more critical, operational technology (OT) components. Specifically, optimizations that span into highly complex assets, and trying to apply traditional optimization methodologies that address single variable improvements may not equate to the kind of real change that a company needs.
“There are simply too many variables in some processes. You can't just oil a single gear and expect the whole machine to run smoothly,” said Radix’s Head of Manufacturing for North America, Justin Conroy.
According to Conroy, decision-makers often assume that just because they focus on optimizing one part of their process that they will succeed in optimizing their entire host of processes. Each industry has specific processes and assets that require specific domain knowledge in order to understand the best paths toward optimization. No one person or group can know everything and no one knows this better than the engineers at Radix. We take a holistic approach to developing stronger and more optimized OT for each and every customer, system, process, and asset.
“I cut my teeth in a very niche part of the process industry in my early years,” said Conroy. “The domain knowledge required was incredibly specific and the work we did carried a high amount of risk for our customers. If we made a mistake like recommending the wrong size relief device, not desiging a flare stack to be tall enough or not sizing knockout drums to have adequate liquid/vapor separation, people may get hurt, or worst.”
Almost every process has complexity and requires a deep understanding of the subject matter that a general philosophy cannot address. From textile makers to automobile manufacturing and everything in between, there are numerous processes that require a nuanced approach to solve. Radix understands this and works with clients to first, understand their needs and their incredibly unique situations, before then developing a process optimization solution.
“The manufacturing industry is still kind of stuck in the 'Digital Transformation’ mindset of trying to optimize their business through some magic bullet of technology,” said Conroy. “And in the last few years, they've realized that what they've been trying to attempt for the past 15 years isn't working.”
In fact, sometimes the highly customized solutions that Radix creates for clients may counter some of the more traditional wisdom found in popular optimization philosophies and guidelines. For example, Conroy says that a company shouldn’t move all of its assets and decision processes over to a digital format just for the sake of doing so. Instead, the end goal is the ability to make better decisions with their data, whatever format that takes.
Radix instead develops solutions that will achieve the desired end result for their clients in the most optimal way possible. “While a bespoke solution may not be as quick or flashy as some commercial, off-the-shelf software, it might ultimately provide better process optimization and increased efficiency,” Conroy said.
While the process of optimizing both the OT and IT within an organization’s networks can sometimes seem overwhelming, having a company like Radix as a partner can alleviate much of the stress. Radix engineers like Conroy’s team know what it takes to develop an efficient solution that takes into account all of the unique aspects of their business and manufacturing processes. And Radix is there for the duration too, from the planning stages, into the rollout and beyond.
Pioneering the Future, Today
So, how will the landscape of process optimization look in the next decade?
From Digital Twin to generative artificial intelligence, Radix is already implementing some of the most innovative technology solutions leveraging a model that facilitates the integration of new solutions for the most effective impact to production, productivity, and revenue.
According to Conroy, artificial intelligence and advanced machine learning will likely make a big impact in the near future, and Radix engineers are already working to show how their implementation can lead to better optimization solutions. But whatever the future holds, almost any company or industry could benefit by adopting the Radix philosophy of deploying highly customized optimization solutions to help both OT and IT networks achieve maximum efficiency and productivity.
For more information, please contact an expert at Contact | Radix (radixeng.com) today!