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Use Case: Better Decisions wth Real-Time Data in Manufacturing | On Time Edge

Written by Digital Transformation Team | June 19, 2024

Today’s manufacturing environment is inundated with data from ERP and MES to LIMS, CMMS, PLM, warehouse management systems, and even standalone instruments. While these sources provide valuable insights, their disparate formats (time-series logs, PDFs, images, CAD drawings, etc.) create fragmentation, delays, and inflated costs. Traditional data management methods, which involve duplicating and transforming data into centralized storage (cloud or on-prem), have proven to be slow and inefficient.

The challenge: Disjointed data

An aerospace audit recently highlighted that the average manufacturing plant manages over 80 data sources, with some even handling hundreds. The conventional approach requires:

  • Duplication and transformation: Data is copied redundantly and manually transformed before centralization.
  • Significant delays: It can take 12-16 weeks for data to become usable.
  • High storage costs: Maintaining both raw and transformed data significantly increases expenses.
  • Limited accessibility: Multiple teams face challenges as IT struggles to support diverse tools and data formats on siloed systems.

These hurdles impede timely decision-making and limit the effective use of critical data for operational excellence.

The ZONTAL advantage: Unlock the true value of your data with real-time availability

ZONTAL revolutionizes data access by establishing a unified data model that seamlessly ingests and transforms data from every source instantly. Key benefits:

Faster data access  |  With ZONTAL, data is available in real time, reducing the traditional wait time of 12-16 weeks to seconds or minutes.

50% lower storage costs  |  Eliminating redundant storage of raw and transformed data cuts costs dramatically.

Flexible AI and analytics support  |  With standardized, instantly available data, teams can deploy AI, simulation tools, and real-time analytics immediately, empowering rapid decision-making.

Streamlined IT operations  |  The need for manual data preparation is removed, allowing IT and OT resources to focus on higher value projects.

Create scalable manufacturing value with On Time Edge

While ZONTAL provides the technical foundation for real-time data enablement, On Time Edge’s professional services and domain expertise are critical to achieving rapid and scalable value. We combine deep manufacturing knowledge with proven integration methodologies, ensuring that data from multiple disparate sources is unified and contextually enriched for actionable insights.

Expert data modeling and integration — On Time Edge specialists work closely with manufacturers to map legacy systems and various data streams into the ISA-95 framework, creating a robust data foundation. This expertise ensures that every data point, from sensor readings to quality metrics, is accurately contextualized.

Rapid, scalable deployment — Leveraging On Time Edge’s tailored methodologies, manufacturers can achieve fast implementation, ensuring that the benefits of real-time data become operational swiftly and can scale with business needs.

Customized analytics and simulation — On Time Edge develops AI-driven simulations and predictive models that utilize real-time KPIs such as machine uptime, cycle times, defect rates, and energy consumption. These models forecast maintenance issues, quality deviations, and process bottlenecks, enabling proactive interventions.

Persona-driven empowerment — On Time Edge designs customizable dashboards tailored to the needs of various stakeholders, including the vice president of manufacturing, IT leaders, and quality and compliance teams, empowering them with the specific insights necessary to drive operational improvements.