Plastic manufacturers are faced with significant challenges. Seventy per cent of revenue goes on raw materials, meaning they need to maximise efficiency to deliver profits and maintain margins. At the same time, sustainability is an issue, as increased scrutiny of single use plastics puts pressure on sales, impacting manufacturers that need to prove their environmental credentials. And with much of the sector producing products for downstream manufacturers, it can be exposed to challenges affecting other industries outside of its control. How ThingTrax’s Smart Manufacturing Platform brings together plug-and-play sensors and advanced AI analytics to support plastic manufacturers to:
By using ThingTrax’s plug-and-play sensors, plastic manufacturers can start reducing their energy requirements straight away, helping to cut costs and create a more sustainable organisation. Attaching to all mentions, the sensors capture data across their entire factory, with built-in energy monitoring. This means they can see where energy demands are, what is causing the consumption and take steps accordingly.
Get more from machines, labour and processes by connecting production, processes, assembly lines, work stations and operator clothing. With a complete view of the entire factory, through a single dashboard, plastic manufacturers can proactively identify and manage downtime and other issues, rather than reacting. In doing so, they will save money and increase productivity.
By connecting machines and workers, plastic manufacturers can lay the foundation to turn their factories and plants into smart manufacturing hubs. Using ThingTrax, they can collect data and implement machine learning to establish a platform from which they can unlock the opportunities of Real-Time Quality Management, Autonomous Shift Management and Autonomous Guided Vehicles.
A leading manufacturer of plastic injection moulded components based in the UK was losing almost £2000 a day due to a minimum of two machines not working per shift. Staff weren’t being deployed or redeployed accurately, shifts were based on forecasting rather than data, and some staff lacked training to cover machines during breaks, leading to increased downtime.
Using the Smart Vision System, the manufacturer is now able to monitor and deploy specialist teams effectively, getting them into the right place at the right time. Having a clear view of its employees’ skill sets, it can now also ensure that operators are accurately deployed to cover breaks and other periods of worker downtime.
The manufacturer is now realising savings of £1680 a day. Based on the factory operating 253 days a year (minus weekends and bank holidays), that equates to £425,000 a year - a significant boost for the business and a major help in achieving a profit and improving margins.
