May 2021

27 www.drivesncontrols.com May 2021 MANUFACTURING n is helping us accelerate faster towards our vision.” Moulding the future Bloom-in-Box , an eco-friendly plastics manufacturer located in Burscough, is using robots and process control technology to boost its productivity by at least 25% and to improve quality control, reliability and repeatability when moulding components, reducing the number of rejects and the amount of waste it produces. “We believe that investing in the next generation of moulding machines will develop a more digitalised manufacturing environment aimed at improving efficiency, expanding production capacity, and generating more revenue,”says director David Reardon.“This will allow us to expand and invest in new ideas, create jobs and develop more environmentally friendly products. “Made Smarter has accelerated our ambitions by years,”Reardon reports.“Its support has really driven forward our plans to design and manufacture plastic products with more than just one life. “We have always invested in electric moulding machines because they use up to 80% less power compared with counterparts,” he continues.“Software managing drives and motors in the new machine will reduce energy use by up to 20%. This is a huge saving in both CO 2 and the energy bill.” Crystal Doors , a manufacturer of bespoke vinyl-wrapped furniture components, based in Rochdale, has taken advantage of Made Smarter’s digital transformation workshops to identify the opportunities for technology to overcome some of the challenges it faces. The fully-funded process involved working with an impartial adviser to analyse the business’s product, services, processes and people, and to develop a digital transformation plan tailored to its needs. Crystal Doors also tapped into Made Smarter’s digital technology internship programme, which links tech-savvy students and postgraduates with SME manufacturers. Crystal is using an intern funded for three months to implement a network of sensors that will give it insights into how its machines are performing and to identify potential efficiency improvements. “We have been on a journey towards carbon neutrality since 2015 and are on course to achieve that ambition by 2022,” reports Ben Horn, the company’s digital transformation programme manager.“We want to prove that becoming carbon-neutral is possible for SMEs, not just for the big companies, and that it is an approach that can be cashflow-positive. “By capturing data from all your operations,” he explains,“you can create a full picture that is not just estimation or guesswork, but cold, hard facts that allow you to make informed decisions that enable a more efficient factory and positive for the environment. Working with Made Smarter has really given us the confidence that we can make these advances and still have a profitable future.” DATechs , a Chorley-based alloy wheel refurbishment specialist, has worked with Made Smarter on projects to capture data to give it full visibility of its operations, and has identified efficiency improvements that helped the company to expand its capacity by 55%. “While our motivation has been increasing efficiency and profitability,”says director, Jamie Baxter,“becoming a greener, more sustainable business is an additional benefit. Working with Made Smarter changed our mindset. Once you start to see gains, sometimes big, sometimes granular, you start looking for more.” Other manufacturers supported by Made Smarter are using technology to cut their transport emissions. For instance, The Cumbria Clock Company , a clock repair and restoration specialist based in Penrith, is introducing a bespoke digital management system to give it oversight with the aim of increasing productivity and efficiency, cutting costs and reducing its carbon footprint. “This new system will significantly improve our efficiency to plan routes and combine service visits with call backs and inspections, and reduce annual mileage by 30,000,” explains director, Keith Scobie-Youngs.“This would not only save a significant sum of money, but reduce its emissions by 11% – equivalent to 12 tonnes of carbon – which is very important to me. “Made Smarter has not only accelerated that to now but opened our eyes to so many possibilities which could transform our business from reactive and regular service and repair to a proactive data-driven service provider.” Parity Medical , a manufacturer of mobile wireless computer carts and specialist clinical computing devices, based on the Wirral, is also expecting to cut travel time, costs, and carbon emissions by around 11%. Working with Made Smarter, it has invested in an off-the-shelf software package which will enable its sales staff and customers to meet via an online virtual showroom. This will integrate with the company’s administrative, sales and production systems. Parity Medical believes the software could cut its business travel by 30,000 miles and its carbon emissions by 11 tonnes per year. It will also shrink the initial sales demonstration process from two days to just one hour. “The technology will transform our sales process, removing delays and errors, allowing us to get it right the first time – which will make us significantly more efficient,”says managing director, Steve Wood. “This will increase productivity and accelerate the business’s growth. The reduced travel translates into lower carbon emissions at a time when sustainability is increasingly important to the industry.” As well as offering free, impartial expert advice, Made Smarter has produced a free guide ( https://drivesncontrols.news/9x3w63 ) to help SME manufacturers to take their first steps in reducing carbon emissions and becomingmore sustainable. n http://madesmarter.uk DA Techs has worked with Made Smarter to capture operational data to give it full visibility of its activities, and has identified efficiency improvements that have helped it to expand its capacity by 55%.