Achieving Operational Excellence - WONDERWARE - #2

Welcome to this special supplement to Automation World, sponsored by Wonderware, a business unit of Invensys. Mike Bradley, president of Wonderware, discusses how today's manufacturers can achieve Operational Excellence and improve bottom-line performance.

Automation World: What is operational excellence, and why is it important?

Mike Bradley: Operational excellence is when a manufacturer has streamlined its processes, analyzed real-time data to make more-informed decisions, and put that information to work continuously in managing its operations—not just at the plant or the corporate office, but across the entire organization that touches the supply and demand chain.Why is this important? Because operational excellence results in higher cus­tomer satisfaction and loyalty, optimized production, improved plant performance, increased consistency and elimination of costly inefficiencies. The bottom-line— manufacturers who implement operational excellence are in a better position to compete on a global stage.

AW: How can manufacturers develop operational excellence in their plants and processes?

Bradley: For operational excellence to succeed, a manufacturer needs to involve its entire operations team to achieve business objectives. Traditionally, we've thought of plant supervisors, operators and engineers as "owning" the manufacturing operations space. But to achieve operational excellence, a manufacturer has to assemble all of the key decision makers for the business, including: operations executives and managers, informa­tion technology (IT) managers and engineers, as well as the plant personnel.

to be supported with unique views of production and performance. This visibility needs to be available in real-time, such that the collaborative efforts of the right people can be harnessed to quickly react to inevitable variations and changes to customer orders, supplies and plant asset availability.

AW: What tools does Wonderware offer to help its customers achieve operational excellence?

Bradley: Wonderware is delivering significant busi­ness benefits to customers today with a unique approach to software architecture, called the ArchestrA software technology. This single, extremely productive software environment is built on top of Microsoft .NET platform technology and can work with, and add value on top of, virtually any existing manufacturing and business system that is already installed in cus­tomers'plants. The Wonderware Systems Platform, applications Modules and QuickStarts are all built on ArchestrA technology which allows customers to create company standards and evolve their integrated manu­facturing solution at their own pace.

But as companies accelerate the use of real-time plant and manufacturing information, combined with corpo­rate IT information, they need to address inherent secu­rity issues.Wonderware extends the underlying Microsoft security to address the operational needs of who, where, what and how plant information is accessed.

AW: What tips do you have to build an operational excellence team?

Bradley: Driving this type of change and challenge takes company management commitment and individ­ual employee commitment to innovation. If you are going to harness the effectiveness of a diverse team to achieve operational excellence, the team needs to be equipped with the latest software tools.

However, the most critical performance edge often comes from empowering all of the people involved. Each corporate organization possesses unique cultures, management structures and people skill sets that need

AW: Has the drive to operational excellence affected vendor and partner choices for manufacturers?

Bradley: An important lifecycle cost consideration is the need to select and develop deep working relations with software vendors that have a proven track record of continually delivering on business-driven innovation. Operational excellence systems can take months, and sometimes years, to implement on a global scale, and they typically remain in service for a decade or more. Therefore, commitment to ongoing enhancements and a credible roadmap that evolves with standards and tech­nology, is a key partnering consideration. •

Manufacturers who implement operational excellence are in a better position to compete on a global stage.