In an era where manufacturing competitiveness hinges on efficiency and innovation, digital shopfloor management has emerged as a cornerstone for success. SFM Systems, founded in 2018 in Darmstadt Germany and a pioneer in this industry, continues to redefine the industry standards, leading the charge towards a more interconnected, transparent, intelligent, and efficient future.
The Current Landscape: The world of shopfloor management is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by digitalization. In 2023, we witnessed the integration of technologies like IoT, AI, and big data analytics reshaping manufacturing floors. However, as we step into 2024, the stakes are higher, and the scope is broader as business start to learn and understand the importance of digitalisation. The focus now is not just on automation but on intelligent automation – systems that learn, adapt, and optimize processes autonomously. The idea behind being able to detect deviations and solve problems using data analytics, systematic problem solving, and machine learning has become easier with digital shopfloor management software and other technological advancements.
SFM Systems: A Leader in Innovation: At the heart of this transformation is SFM Systems. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in shopfloor management, SFM Systems has been instrumental in developing digital shopfloor management solutions that are not just technologically advanced but are also practical, scalable, and user-friendly.
Their digital shopfloor management software, the Digital Teamboard, characterized by their seamless integration capabilities, real-time data processing, and predictive analytics, have empowered manufacturers to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and productivity.
Case Study: Real-World Success: SFM Systems’ impact is best understood through their successful deployments. For instance, VOITH Turbo in Garching produces components for the drive technology of commercial vehicles, such as automatic transmissions, brakes and electric motors. This success story shows how Voith Turbo used their Digital Teamboard to digitize their previously analogue shopfloor management with pen, paper, CSV files, SAP, SQL databases and Excel lists. In doing so, they created more transparency across the hierarchy, disruptions are processed more quickly and plant management can react more quickly to market requirements.
Highlights:
- Elimination of manual shopfloor management activities
- Better evaluation of data and access at any time
- Easy connection of third-party systems via standardized interfaces
- Individual adaptation to the organization
- Building a cross-departmental knowledge database
Looking Ahead: The 2024 Outlook As we venture into 2024, the landscape of digital shopfloor management is set to evolve further. Key trends that SFM Systems is closely monitoring and actively contributing to include:
- Sustainable Manufacturing: With the growing emphasis on sustainability, digital shopfloor solutions will play a pivotal role in optimizing resource use and minimizing waste.
- Customization at Scale: The drive towards personalization in manufacturing will require more agile and adaptable shopfloor systems.
- Shopfloor Transparency at all levels: Seamless integration and transparency at all levels of the shopfloor through digitalisation and consolidated data shopfloor boards (KPIs, reports, statuses) showing the status of the factory workers, machines and complete shopfloor management overview.
SFM Systems’ Roadmap for 2024: SFM Systems is not just responding to these trends but is actively shaping them. In 2024, the company plans to roll out enhanced versions of its solutions with improved AI algorithms, more robust data security with ISO 27001 certification, and greater interoperability with a range of manufacturing equipment and systems.
As industries continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation, SFM Systems stands out as a beacon of innovation and reliability. Their commitment to advancing digital shopfloor management not only positions them as industry leaders but also as key enablers of the manufacturing sector’s future. It is possible to perform a free digital shopfloor readiness check through their website to better understand where your shopfloor stands and how to prepare it for digitalisation.
By staying ahead of trends and continuously evolving its offerings, SFM Systems is not just a provider of solutions; it is a partner in progress, consulting and steering the manufacturing world towards a smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable future.