IT/OT Convergence in the Factory of the Future

Since the advent of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), experts and enthusiasts have been talking about the coming together of IT (information technology) and OT (operational technologies). Some call it an integration, while others call it a convergence. I call it a good thing. In this post, I’ll talk a bit about the convergence/integration of IT and OT, why it matters, and what it will look like in the

What Sandpaper Will You Use? – Part One

What to Use to Get the Most of Your Demand-Driven Changes Demand-driven manufacturing leaders are always refining their tools and tactics to ensure they’re spending their time wisely. This blog marks the first in a three-part series about using the tools of TOC, Six Sigma and Lean to help manufacturing leaders gain the most benefit from their demand-driven transformation. Three in One TOC, Lean, and Six-Sigma should all be part

Modern Metrics

How Technology Has Changed What We Measure The two areas of my working world are embracing technology like never before: Marketing and manufacturing. While digital content and automated technologies gave birth to the modern marketer, a more real-time, digitally connected enterprise is driving modern manufacturing strategies like the Factory of the Future, Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 – all of which are grounded in Demand-Driven Manufacturing methods. This got me

Made for Manufacturers

By Sarah Balogh Made for Manufacturers A common statement I hear from customers is that they are working with technology and software that doesn’t provide the functionality they need as manufacturers.  They are told that certain enterprise software packages “can do everything” they need to plan, schedule, and run their factories.  But months after implementation they feel a sense of disenchantment.  Why is this? Software Made for Manufacturing What these

Manufacturing + Technology = A More Unique You

Communicating your distinct value Manufacturing and technology are merging like never before. We’ve all read about how manufacturing will transform through concepts that include Industry 4.0, the Factory of the Future, Smart Manufacturing and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) – all of which are enabled through technology. These concepts are big. They’re exciting. And they offer great opportunities for manufacturers to differentiate in the service realm. When it comes

Using TOC, Lean and Six Sigma to Become More Demand-Driven

What Tools to Use to Get the Most of Your Demand-Driven Changes Last time, we looked at specific companies that I have worked with and how they became more demand-driven using the Theory of Constraints (TOC) as a first step. As you saw from these real-life examples, TOC works well as a pointer to see where you need to change – and what should be the first items on the