24Flow is inspired and built on #lean and #qrm
Origin of an operations platform
It enables manufacturers to evolve, at their own pace, towards a scalable and future-proof company.
✓ Paperless Factory. Enhances efficiency and reduces feedback time.
✓ Connected Factory. Provides insights across teams, accounts, and suppliers.
✓ Smart Factory. Enhances throughput and reliability with smart flow controls.
✓ Future-Proof Factory. Uses low-code technology for easy, secure platform extensions.
The paradox of planning
“No MRP on the shop floor and certainly no APS.”
Before an SAP implementation, a Plant Manager at a Make-To-Order factory claimed there was no need for MRP or APS on the shop floor. This challenged my ERP/MRP beliefs, compelling me to join the factory. I learned that rigorous planning often falls short. Adapting to changes quickly and monitoring production priorities closely proved more effective than following rigid plans.
A successful implementation of complex operational planning tools in a Make-To-Order environment is almost always a fata-morgana. As complexity and utilisation rise, planning becomes increasingly difficult. (The paradox of planning by Pascal Pollet of Sirris | Innovation forward)
As time flew by, I realised that to achieve a better delivery reliability, creating visibility on the shop floor is a crucial element.
Visibility on the shopfloor
Using Lean and QRM tools like KANBAN and POLCA enhances transparency and provides a more accurate status of production orders than ERP systems.
However, despite the fact that the company had undergone a positive evolution based on the above solutions, people kept on complaining about problems with timely internal delivery of sub-assemblies and the fact that hands-on guidance and supervision of the production workflow was still required.
As a result, we envisioned that digital technology could bring this additional visibility to the shop floor and enable faster and better decisions by a people empowered shop floor, without management intervention or escalation.
Future-proof your operations today!
24Flow is human-centered and creates a framework that fosters ownership on the shopfloor.
Decisions on the shopfloor
“What a fool”
The traditional reliance on ERP systems for planning often led to frustration among teams, who better understood the ground realities. They relied heavily on their experience.
The only thing these teams lacked was an accurate view on promised delivery dates and future workloads.
We decided to change the way of working: Responsibilities were assigned as low as possible in the organisation, replacing top-down planning by management.
By empowering teams with digital tools providing real-time insights into operations, we facilitated more independent and effective decision-making, leading to improved cooperation and operational efficiency.
A self-steering 'open-connected' shop floor
“Happy and ready for change”
The synergy between physical improvements and digital tools fostered a proactive, self-regulating shopfloor environment. Teams began independently suggesting improvements, significantly enhancing operational outcomes and cultivating a continuous improvement culture. This was proven by an outspoken operator who made the statement above in a newspaper article. We were blown away by this, it made us very proud.
Our efforts led to the development of a new operational framework, utilizing digital work orders and a real-time feedback system to support these changes.
These efforts also created external visibility and were awarded with the label ‘Factory of the future’ by Agoria. This was quite an honour and also helped to show (management) that Manufacturing activities in high-wage countries can be competitive.
Embracing future-proof manufacturing
“Affordable, scalable, upgradable and secure”
Transforming 24Flow into a robust, self-regulating operations platform has been a significant journey. By avoiding detailed MRP on the shop floor and enhancing visibility, the platform empowers teams and supports a self-steering environment. As a secure, enterprise-grade platform, 24Flow adheres to Lean and QRM principles, enhancing the resilience and future-readiness of manufacturing operations.
The integration of responsive, scalable, and secure digital tools demonstrates that substantial support for production systems is achievable and beneficial for mid-sized companies. This approach not only meets internal needs but also enhances external visibility, contributing to competitive manufacturing practices.
24Flow has its origins and will evolve along the insights that were discussed previously.
As a result, its DNA will always have following principles:
- No detailed MRP on the shopfloor.
- Enable increased visibility on the shopfloor.
- Empower people, teams and organisations to make decisions on the shopfloor.
- Towards a self-steering ‘open’ and connected shopfloor.
We are proud that 24Flow is a secure, enterprise grade operations platform, inspired by Lean and QRM best practices. It strengthens production systems, makes them more resilient and future proof.
Don’t hesitate to contact me to learn more
Digitalizing your operations and shop floor is the first step towards implementing Industry 4.0.
Talk to our experts and find out how to get started.
ABOUT US
24Flow is a modular operations platform that empowers discrete manufacturers to reduce lead times through digital support of operators and management. Inspired by lean and QRM, 24Flow controls the flow of production orders which increases visibility and results in shorter lead times, improved delivery reliability and a reduction of work-in-progress and inventory.
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