Introducing Tiber: Revolutionizing Machine Downtime Tracking for Enhanced Operational Efficiency
Today Milvian Group is excited to introduce Tiber™, a SaaS application designed to transform how plant managers and machine operators capture and analyze data about machine uptime and downtime, without needing investment in new equipment or retrofits.
In today's highly competitive manufacturing landscape, operational efficiency is paramount. Owners, executives, plant managers, and engineers face tough choices and decisions about how to keep up with the demands of customers while also staying competitive. And having reliable, empirical data is what separates good choices and decision-making from guessing.
In the past, workers stayed with an employer for decades, a lot of knowledge developed over time inside the production operation. Many times, “gut feel” and “instinct” were reliable forms of decision-making because they were backed by years’ of collective experience. Today’s production environment is vastly different. Experienced workers are retiring and manufacturers face the challenges of engaging newer workers who are “digital natives”. These new workers expect rapid feedback, a voice in operations, and modern mobile work tools (think smartphones and tablets, not power tools and clipboards).
To make things even more challenging, the average age of fixed assets (e.g. machinery and industrial equipment) in North American plants in 2023 was over 13 years[1] (a number remarkably unchanged in the last decade), and many of these older, legacy machines lack the ability to share data and join the promised “Industry 4.0” revolution. Even in plants with modern, connected equipment, there is limited visibility into many areas of operations.
The ability to accurately track machine uptime and downtime is critical for maintaining optimal production throughput and reducing costly interruptions. Traditionally, for older equipment, this process has relied heavily on manual methods such as paper logs and spreadsheets, which are not only time-consuming but also prone to human error. However, with the advent of digital solutions, there is a significant shift towards more reliable and efficient methods of tracking machine performance, but this often requires pricey new “smart” machines or expensive retrofits with secondary sensors and miles of costly cabling.
Milvian Group is introducing Tiber, to equip plant managers and machine operators with easy tools to capture and analyze machine uptime and downtime data—eliminating the need for new equipment or retrofits.
Understanding the Challenges of Traditional Downtime Tracking
In manufacturing environments, especially those using older machinery without advanced digital connectivity, tracking machine status is essential. Operators have historically logged downtime and performance metrics on paper or in spreadsheets, and often hours (or days) after the fact. While these methods have served their purpose for decades, they fall short in today's fast-paced industry where real-time insights and operational efficiency are crucial.
There are many challenges associated with traditional downtime tracking:
Susceptibility to Human Error
Manual tracking is highly susceptible to human error. Operators may accidentally misrecord data, forget to log downtime events, or enter information inconsistently, leading to gaps and inaccuracies. This not only compromises the reliability of the data but also hinders the ability to derive actionable insights from it.
Lack of Data Accessibility and Organization
Paper logs and spreadsheets are difficult to consolidate and often lack real-time accessibility. Data in these formats is siloed and must be manually compiled to gain an overview of downtime trends, which is both time-consuming and error-prone. This fragmented approach makes it challenging for managers to quickly assess trends and make informed decisions. Operators may even wonder why they collect paper logs that no one ever has time to read.
No Real-time Monitoring and Alerts
Traditional methods do not support real-time monitoring and alerts. As a result, unexpected stoppages may not be promptly addressed, leading to prolonged downtime and increased costs. The inability to respond to issues as they arise can significantly impact production efficiency. Knowing on Friday that there was a production problem on Tuesday does nothing to help improve weekly throughput.
Lack of Analytical Insights and Reporting
Manual tracking methods do not offer the advanced analytics and reporting capabilities needed to visualize trends and identify bottlenecks. Without detailed insights into downtime causes and patterns, it is difficult to implement workflow optimization strategies. Worse, resources may be directed to solving a minor problem, leaving a major problem uncorrected.
Poor Compliance and Record-Keeping
Maintaining compliance and accurate record-keeping is a daunting task with paper-based records. These records can be lost, damaged, or improperly maintained, posing risks for industries with stringent documentation requirements.
The Shift to Digital: Embracing Tiber
With all the challenges outlined above, many manufacturing organizations have faced the choice of upgrading equipment that incorporates digital data feeds or retrofitting existing equipment by adding secondary sensors (e.g. an electric current sensor to identify “running” and “stopped” states). While these solutions have proven effective, they can be both costly (considering new machines can cost millions of dollars, while existing equipment performs adequately) to acquire and time consuming to deploy.
Tiber stands out as a state-of-the-art SaaS application that enables plant managers and machine operators to digitally record machine uptime, downtime, and reason codes, creating situational awareness on the production floor, without requiring the expense of new manufacturing equipment or retrofits.
Here’s how Tiber revolutionizes uptime and downtime tracking:
Enhanced Accuracy and Reduced Human Error
Tiber minimizes human error by standardizing data capture. With a single tap of a mobile panel, operators can indicate machine uptime and downtime. With a second tap, workers associate predefined reason codes, already tailored to a specific piece of equipment or manufacturing process step. This streamlined input process significantly reduces error rates compared to manual record-keeping, ensuring more reliable data for actionable insights. And by capturing data in the moment, workers need not rely on memory, and there’s no handwriting to misinterpret during a delayed data entry process.
Improved Data Accessibility and Organization
Tiber organizes data automatically, offering centralized dashboards accessible to both operators and management. This centralized data enables managers to quickly assess trends, identify frequently occurring downtimes, and determine necessary interventions without the labor-intensive process of manual consolidation. Enhanced data accessibility is a game-changer, particularly for smaller manufacturers who “manage by walking around” to know what’s happening in the moment and often lack historical perspective.
Real-time Monitoring and Alerts
With Tiber, data can be gathered and monitored in real-time. When an unexpected stoppage occurs, operators can swiftly log the event, which relevant team members can see to trigger action immediately. This proactive approach helps address issues before they escalate, reducing the cost and impact of unplanned machine stoppages. And unlike traditional and on lights, real-time data can be remotely available anywhere in the world.
Insightful Analytics and Reporting
Tiber offers built-in analytics tools that generate detailed reports and visualize trends, such as Pareto analysis of downtime reasons. By identifying these trends, facility managers can make informed decisions on preventive maintenance, resource allocation, and workflow optimization. This level of insight supports continuous improvement efforts by pinpointing bottlenecks and areas for efficiency gains.
Easier Compliance and Record-Keeping
Digital logs maintained by Tiber are more reliable and easier to audit than paper-based records. This simplifies compliance and record-keeping processes, which is particularly beneficial for industries with stringent documentation requirements. Digital solutions retain records in a secure, organized manner, providing an easily accessible audit trail across any timeframe.
Visit the Tiber product page to learn more.
Features of Tiber
Tiber comes packed with features designed to simplify machine tracking and enhance operational efficiency:
- Real-time Machine Status Tracking: Tiber provides real-time tracking of machine uptime and downtime, ensuring accurate data collection and timely responses to issues.
- Mobile Access: Operators can update information from anywhere on the factory floor using mobile devices, making it easy to log events as they happen.
- Easy-to-read Dashboards: Tiber offers intuitive dashboards that visualize machine performance trends, helping managers quickly identify and address downtime issues.
- Centralized Asset Management: All machine data is organized and accessible in one place, facilitating efficient data management and analysis.
- Built-in Analytics Tools: Advanced analytics capabilities allow users to generate reports and conduct in-depth analyses of downtime causes and patterns.
- Compliance and Audit Readiness: Digital logs maintained by Tiber simplify compliance and provide a reliable audit trail, reducing the stress of inspections and audits.
Embracing the Future with Tiber
While traditional methods like spreadsheets and paper logs have served manufacturing plants for decades, the shift to digital uptime and downtime tracking with Tiber offers a more reliable, accessible, and efficient approach. This transition not only supports operators in their daily tasks but also empowers managers to make data-driven decisions that enhance productivity, cut costs, and boost machine reliability.
For small and mid-sized manufacturers in particular, adopting Tiber is an affordable and impactful step toward operational modernization without the expense of new machines or retrofitting legacy equipment. Using Tiber, facilities can keep pace with industry advancements and harness the power of data to improve uptime and optimize machine performance. In an industry where every minute of uptime counts, Tiber is a key asset for staying competitive and agile.
Conclusion
In summary, Tiber represents a revolutionary advancement in machine downtime tracking. By addressing the limitations of traditional methods and providing enhanced accuracy, real-time monitoring, insightful analytics, and easier compliance, Tiber empowers manufacturers to achieve higher levels of operational efficiency and productivity. As the manufacturing landscape continues to evolve, Tiber offers the tools needed to stay competitive and harness the full potential of digital solutions.
Experience the future of machine tracking with Tiber and transform how you manage and optimize your production floor. Embrace the shift to digital and unlock new levels of operational excellence.
[1] U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, "Table 6.9. Current-Cost Average Age at Yearend of Private Fixed Assets by Industry Group and Legal Form of Organization, Line 12: Manufacturing (accessed Wednesday, November 13, 2024).
