An industrial company is an unbelievably complex network of processes, machines and operatives that work together to make efficient, high-quality production a reality. What would happen if we could get a detailed picture of what’s not working and why, and find a way to make production even smarter? If we could, we’d find simple solutions to a lot of common problems like delays, rework, bottlenecks and planning errors. We’d also find out how to resequence tasks to establish an efficient, consistent and flexible workflow.
And that’s just what the technology and data in Industry 4.0 offers us. Aritex leverages digitalisation to automate processes, manage tasks smartly and integrate solutions that enable decisions to be made quickly and efficiently.
With such huge advantages available, what’s stopping companies from entering the world of Industry 4.0? The issues that experts at Aritex often detect are a lot of mistaken ideas and a lack of awareness of what digitalisation is all about. Overcoming these doubts and helping companies to understand the specific benefits of new technologies and their applications to industrial processes help to break down barriers and boost competitiveness and efficiency. And it can be done.
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Enabling change
We often see that companies are unwilling to be accountable for inefficiencies, because complex decisions are involved that require a certain degree of honesty, self-analysis and the ability to see what’s really happening. Another issue is that the potential to go that much further with technology often intimidates some companies, who fear that they might discover new problems in their already complex day-to-day activities.
The first step therefore is to acknowledge that something is not working like it should, and that there’s a problem or a need for some improvements. When companies own up to this, they generally feel obliged to do something about it and take corrective measures. And that’s when they start to consider digitalisation as a way to make production more efficient.
The most comforting thing is knowing that all companies have processes that could be improved to make them more competitive. This places all companies in an ideal situation to honestly and humbly review their working methods: accepting that there are opportunities for change is the first step in being willing to do so.
A perfect partner for productivity
We’re utterly convinced that the evolution of any company revolves around what it needs and/or what makes it competitive. Companies that are right up there with the other game changers are there because they choose to be, because they have a budget that enables them to include new improvements, and do it often, while other firms feel obliged to follow the footsteps of companies that are out there at the head of the pack, aware that if they don’t, they’ll soon be left behind. You don’t have to be a pioneer in 4.0 solutions: what’s more, being one step behind helps you to not end up making the same mistakes as the ones who are one step ahead. What’s important is to implement digitalisation solutions and make sure that they are mature enough to guarantee an immediate return on investment.
And funnily enough, Industry 4.0 shares common goals with this process, such as efficiency, quality and waste reduction. And that’s where the concept of lean manufacturing comes in, where everything superfluous is eliminated. Efficiency doesn’t just mean doing things faster, it also means doing things in the shortest possible time, removing anything that doesn’t add value to the end product. It involves checking and reducing to an absolute minimum any tasks that offer no added value, because every unnecessary task makes a product more expensive and affects margins, and because it’s a key factor in the search to make a company more competitive. And that’s where Aritex comes in. We function as the keystone, helping companies to find out, how, why and when to successfully automate their processes to ensure complete customer satisfaction.
One essential factor is that automating and digitalising data-gathering are vital to bring about greater process efficiency. Technology therefore becomes a partner in ensuring flexible decision making and improved productivity. Every indicator, such as the time spent on specific tasks, the time between maintenance operations, an operator’s waiting times or the pauses between stopping and starting a machine become variables that distance us from or bring us closer to efficiency and cost control.
The right level of automation
Internal bias often stops people from seeing all the options they can choose from to automate a company, and limits their capacity to consider new ideas and more efficient solutions. The mismatch between what they think they need and what’s really necessary just goes to underline the importance of making a complete assessment before plunging into the world of automation and digital transformation. Companies often underestimate the opportunities and exaggerate the difficulties and costs associated with the project. But a highly detailed evaluation process not only clarifies perceived ideas, it’s also essential for finding effective and accessible solutions in each case.
When companies come to Aritex, 50% of them opt for a solution different from the one they first had in mind. This means that, initially, companies are not fully aware of the opportunities, given that inexpensive and efficient options are feasible solutions to a lot of project issues.
For example, companies often look for ways to automate complex processes, when tackling simpler tasks like palletising or packing products can offer quick and significant returns. To add value, it’s essential to start with what’s simple. And to do this, Aritex uses a smart and sensible approach, prioritising the automation of simple but essential tasks.
The added value of consultation
Digitalisation in the business sector often looks like a costly challenge that’s difficult to implement. But such a viewpoint shouldn’t turn into an insurmountable obstacle to change, because any company can adopt digitalisation strategies at many different levels.
It’s vital to set priorities in the digitalisation process from the word go. Over 60 years of experience make Aritex the ideal guide. We accompany companies through the process of better understanding their needs and challenges, using a clearly defined route map. Guidelines based on a highly detailed analysis enable companies to gradually progress by first resolving the critical problems and then continuing with other important but secondary issues.
Finding specific information for each company is a complex process. The information available on the Internet is usually general and tends to be biased towards the company that generates it. Any consultation with Aritex is comprehensive and impartial, and enables clients to choose where they want to start their transformation process, with cobots, digital planners and other solutions covering everything from production to digitalised workflow. We use an integrated approach to evaluate a company’s processes, infrastructure and staff. This in-depth analysis enables us to identify specific areas where digitalisation and automation can offer significant improvements, not just with operational efficiency but also with costs.
Do you like the idea of making your company more efficient? We’ll be right there with you all the way to make it all happen: Get in touch today!
