Phoenix Mecano Achieves 40% Increase in Parts Produced Using Datanomix
Able to Make More After Implementing Production Monitoring
In August 2022, Phoenix Mecano North America, headquartered in Frederick, Maryland, implemented Datanomix Production Monitoring. They saw an immediate impact to their production performance, sustaining a 40% increase in takt without any increase in demand, staff, or machines.
Initial Challenges
Before implementing Datanomix, Phoenix Mecano struggled to understand what was happening in real-time on their production floor. They relied on manual reports that were outdated by the time they were discussed in morning meetings. Additionally, the information was sometimes inconsistent and inaccurate, making it hard to make informed decisions. Worst of all, unplanned machine downtime was causing a domino effect that impacted 5-10 jobs as the team tried to make up for the lost time.
Embracing Real-time Feedback
The real game-changer for Phoenix Mecano was the real-time feedback from Datanomix. They immediately noticed a difference. Operators became more engaged, turning production into a friendly competition and collaborative effort. With access to real-time data, operators could make adjustments and immediately see the impact of their decisions.
Large TVs hung on the production floor broadcast easy-to-understand information, including what machines are down, and performance metrics. Simple grades and color-coding helped people quickly see where they needed to focus to keep the floor running smoothly.
Performance and Benchmarking Analysis
Another huge boost came from the robust analysis tools that provided deep insights into operations. With Datanomix, they were able to compare current performance with past performance to help Phoenix Mecano identify trends and areas for improvement. Seeing accurate cycle times, broken down by cutting and touch time, translated to better scheduling and planning, which significantly reduced the dreaded “domino effect” of delays.
“Can I remember what was job 4 of the 7 that I did yesterday? And did I have any problems? Am I going to remember that the next time that that job shows its head? This real time feedback piece has been huge. I can’t stress it enough.”
– William Green, Production Manager, Phoenix Mecano
Using Datanomix, Phoenix Mecano updates their costing and router times based on actual performance data to ensure precise planning and resource allocation. This helps them make sure that their production processes are as efficient as possible.
Seamless Integration With ERP
Integration with their existing ERP system was a top priority. Connecting Datanomix was seamless and straightforward and required minimal effort from their IT team. The integration provides a holistic view of their production, making the data meaningful and ensuring their engineering targets align with actual performance.
“On the ERP side, it was by far the easiest integration that we had.”
– Camila Costa, Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Phoenix Mecano
Engaging Operators
Engaging the operators has had a huge impact. The real-time feedback empowers operators, giving them a sense of ownership and accountability. The highly visible performance metrics create a healthy competition among the operators, helping drive continuous improvement. Operators can see the impact of their decisions in real-time, which boosts morale and encourages them to make better choices. This immediate feedback loop is a critical part of the culture at Phoenix Mecano – one that celebrates excellence and collaboration.
“There’s a little bit of banter out on the production floor. Hey, I’m an A+, you’re a B, what’s going on over there on that machine? What job are you running?”
– William Green, Production Manager, Phoenix Mecano
Tooling Insights Drive Down Costs
Phoenix Mecano is very happy with the frequency and speed that new features and functionality are rolled out. One of the most exciting new features are the new tooling reports. These detailed reports on tool usage are helping them optimize tool life, which reduces costs. They are also using the insights into tool performance to drive purchasing decisions. For example, buying a more expensive tool that has better performance in their environment actually drives down tooling costs.
Knowing Where to Focus NOW
Another favorite feature that has impacted production performance is Notifications. Now Phoenix Mecano can set up real-time notifications sent out to designated people when issues happen and go on too long. For example, a machine down for more than 20 minutes can trigger an alert to the supervisor to go help. If that machine is down for more than an hour, another notification can be sent to the production manager. These escalating notifications help ensure that small issues don’t turn into big problems.
The ‘Why” In Their Own Words
In the webinar titled The Difference Data Makes: A Production Monitoring Case Study with Phoenix Mecano, hosted by Maryland MEP and in partnership with The Department of Energy (DOE), Phoenix Mecano used this slide to summarize why they use Datanomix.
At Datanomix, we love to see the impact that Production Monitoring has on our customer’s production performance. The team here works very hard to ensure customers see amazing value. Check out all our Customer Stories here.
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