Efficiency gains in production through mobile solutions

Current technologies such as mobile apps, cloud technologies, visualization tools, interface integrations in the area of hardware and software, and artificial intelligence are connecting people, machines, and applications. To make success within a company manageable and drive it forward.

With a cloud-based, secure and flexible framework for mobile applications and integration solutions, Hexagon Xalt wants to enable users to drive digitalization forward. In our blog post, we describe how mobile applications can immensely increase efficiency and transparency within manufacturing. Accordingly, the focus here is on the solutions from Xalt Mobility.

Xalt Mobility offers a wide range of tools to develop custom apps native to the iOS and Android platforms in a short time and without much coding effort. Custom apps not only aim to digitize various workflows, but also to close efficiency gaps within a landscape of operational technologies and processes. Accordingly, these applications are good complementary solutions to ERP systems and other existing technologies.

To create such an app or application, users must analyze the problems within the current initial situation in advance and specify requirements for the solution. Problems within manufacturing are:

• No overview of value streams within manufacturing
• Manual lists for recording KPIs and controlling production
• Order status or status of completion of a product is difficult to retrieve
• Outdated data for decision-making

After analyzing the problems and working out the requirements, he is now able to accurately describe a use case or business case that he can address with mobile solutions.
Once a use case is defined, it is possible to develop applications in-house through the Xalt Mobility toolkit. Alternatively, development can be outsourced to Hexagon Xalt or a distribution partner such as MJR.
Let’s go into a use case that can solve the pain points listed above. To do this, we need a Production Execution and Traceability application.
The following figure shows an example of what such an application might look like on a mobile device, such as a tablet. Doe Uabilty can of course vary greatly depending on the requirements and purpose of the mobile solutions.

A manufacturing feedback solution allows users to collect and analyze production-related data in real time from data sources such as equipment, operators or IT systems.
Furthermore, it is used by manufacturing companies to digitally map value streams and identify problems within production as soon as production leaves the optimal state. This enables the user to react faster to problems within the productions to avoid delays and downtimes.

When data is collected within production, it is collected, stored and immediately displayed on the customizable dashboards. With such applications, companies have an overview of functionalities such as time tracking, dashboards with reports on overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), as well as a variety of orders. The advantage of these solutions is generally that users can view exactly what they want to see in the interface. Clear processes and validated data here ensure good, reliable and visible results or insights about production and put project managers or management in a better position to make decisions.

© Hexagon – Xalt OEE Dashboards

An increase in productivity, overall plant efficiency and transparency about the status of orders, equipment and operators are key improvements that a solution of this kind can bring through a platform like Hexagon Xalt. Hexagon Xalt is thus an essential component of Industry 4.0 – which is generally considered to be the intelligent networking of machines and processes in connection with information and communication technology.

If you also have room for efficiency improvements, we can work with you to achieve them in the form of an advanced mobile application on the Xalt platform. Just like our customers, Xalt is constantly evolving. Accordingly, with the introduction of Nexus by Hexagon MI, much more will be possible in the area of mobile solutions in the future. If you want to know more about Nexus right now, go directly to the page: nexus.hexagon.com