Archive for March 2024
7 strategies to Improve IT/OT Cybersecurity
How can organizations protect both information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) from malicious actors and escalating cyber threats? These threats fundamentally require that IT and OT teams collaborate and work together. However, the convergence of IT and OT has been a challenge across industries. To better understand this phenomenon, let’s first highlight the main…
Read MoreDrive Production with Heijunka
Heijunka, which was initially adapted from the Toyota Production System, is now a crucial component of lean production in several different sectors. The primary objective of Heijunka is to precisely sequence things to spread production volume and product mix evenly over a certain amount of time. This produces a balanced, consistent, and predictable workflow that…
Read MoreRobotics Partnerships Grow to Solve Specific Industry Issues
According to Hai Robotics, its ACR system robots can increase productivity by achieving typical throughput rates of approximately 500 pieces per hour (pph), compared to 100-250 pph without the use of robotics. “Companies face high costs for warehouse space, continued labor shortages and pressure to deliver goods quickly,” said Keith Fisher, president of Honeywell…
Read MoreUnderstanding, Analyzing, and Controlling Common Cause Variation
The pursuit of consistency is fundamental to operational success, yet variability seems unavoidable due to the nature of people, processes, and work environments. While random fluctuations are expected in any system, too much variability negatively impacts an organization’s quality, productivity, and ability to meet customer demands. Understanding common cause variation and implementing strategies to monitor…
Read MoreMitsubishi Invests in ThinkIQ Around Manufacturing and Supply Chain Transformation
ThinkIQ, a supplier of digital manufacturing software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies, recently received investments from Mitsubishi Corp. to accelerate digital transformation with smart manufacturing technologies in industrial supply chains. The focus of this investment by Mitsubishi, the terms of which were not disclosed, will focus on industrial applications in Japan. The open smart manufacturing platform from ThinkIQ…
Read More7 Reasons Why Systems Thinking is Important for Innovation in Organizations
It is critical for modern organizations and teams to constantly innovate, rapidly solve problems, and make effective decisions. With a rise in complexity and connectivity, things have become more complex than they seem. Thus, requiring leaders to dissect diverse parts of an organization or systems that influence one other. Systems thinking provides a perspective on…
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