Building a smart factory isn’t just about creating a digital-first environment. A truly intelligent workplace utilises technology to go beyond automation and empower better, safer ways of working.
In this article, we’re exploring how analytics and wearable technology help teams create smarter factories by increasing efficiency, improving adaptability, and driving better decision-making.
Redefining the ‘smart’ factory: go beyond automation and create a workplace that learns from itself
Factory floors are dynamic, complex places where operations move fast, and efficiency is key. To facilitate efficiency in these environments, teams typically automate processes to streamline operations. But to really get the most from this digital-first approach, teams must do more than just blend physical and digital processes – they must build factories which can support a constant, real-time feedback loop driven by analytics and workplace wearable technology. By creating an environment that essentially learns from itself, these businesses can truly optimise processes and improve operational performance.
The ideal feedback loop involves wearable technology that monitors exposure to risk from common factory floor hazards, including dangerous proximity, noise, vibration, and dust. As data on individual workers’ exposure is collected, it’s also transmitted – in real time – to cloud-based Analytics platform that constantly collects, collates, and transforms the data into actionable insights that teams can use to drive better decision-making on the ground.
Empower teams and workers to make better health and safety decisions
Of course, given how busy and fast-paced factory floors can be, it’s critical that workers are able to course-correct in the moment, without any delay. This is one key hallmark of a smart workplace: that individuals have fast, easy access to reliable and accurate information that makes doing their job easier, faster, and safer.
The right workplace wearable technology makes this possible with real-time alerts that warn workers about potentially dangerous conditions. For example: sensors placed around an exclusion area can communicate with workers’ wearable technology to alert them when they get too close to the restricted zone (alternatively, workers with the necessary credentials can program their wearable to allow them near an exclusion zone without any alerts). With this technology in place, workers can make more informed decisions about how or where they’re working, without additional intervention by a team lead or supervisor. This helps workers stay safer without slowing anything down.
Smart factories are powered by Analytics
The heart of a smart factory is analytics.
A powerful, cloud-based analytics platform makes data-driven decisions possible, which facilitates optimisation, and directly supports safer ways of working.
Analytics collect the data which is captured and transmitted by workplace wearables before transforming it into digestible, accessible insights that teams can use to better understand their workplace risk environment. These platforms are essential for organisations who need a flexible, scalable, secure tool that can help move essential information around their business, fast.
With the right analytics solution in place, teams can easily identify factory floor patterns, trends, and hotspots, and even reveal worker habits or behaviours which might be impacting the health and safety of an individual employee. For example, analytics can reveal when a certain worker is consistently being exposed to more risk from exposure to vibration or noise, indicating a potential issue with operator competency or PPE. With this kind of information to hand, team leads and supervisors can take meaningful steps that directly address known issues. Without this layer of pinpoint insight, teams must rely primarily upon periodic risk assessments to inform their approach to risk management. And while such assessments are a necessary element of a comprehensive compliance plan, they simply don’t offer the relevant, accurate information that’s required to immediately and effectively improve health and safety outcomes for workers.
Build an interconnected ecosystem of technology that unlocks insight and powers your business
Smart factories aren’t just built on automation and robotics. Smart factories are environments where cutting-edge technologies seamlessly work together to facilitate efficiency, productivity, and safety.
Workplace wearables and analytics are integral for building a smarter factory. With the insights generated by these technologies, teams can make more informed decisions that support everything from faster production cycles and predictive maintenance, to streamlined operations and lower overall costs. Most importantly, these technologies can unlock a better approach to risk monitoring and management that’s accurate, reliable, and designed to drive meaningful change.
In a fast-paced and dynamic factory environment, smart technology is technology that cuts through the noise to provide clarity, insight, and a deeper understanding of your workplace risk environment.
R-Link is Ideagen Reactec’s third-generation workplace wearable technology. Powered by a world-class analytics platform, it’s designed to give teams a 360-degree view of their total risk environment, so that they can improve productivity and efficiency, and drive better health and safety outcomes for workers.
To speak with a member of our team about how workplace wearable technology and analytics can transform your factory floor, just email us or use this form.
