I Holland Enhances Manufacturing Efficiency with Lighthouse Shopfloor-Online for Tablet Forming Tools
Customer Company Size
Mid-size Company
Region
- Europe
- Asia
Country
- United Kingdom
Product
- Shopfloor-Online
- SPC-Light
- Complaints and Concerns Module
Tech Stack
- Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- PLC Integration
- CRM System Integration
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Waste Reduction
- Customer Satisfaction
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries
- Pharmaceuticals
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Predictive Maintenance
- Machine Condition Monitoring
- Inventory Management
Services
- System Integration
- Software Design & Engineering Services
About The Customer
I Holland, based in Nottingham, UK, is a leading manufacturer of tablet forming tools, which are essential in the pharmaceutical industry for producing tablets with distinctive shapes, colors, and embedded logos or text. These tools are precision-made to ensure that the correct dose is formed when the top and bottom halves of the tool come together. The manufacturing process involves various discrete operations, including cutting, shaping, grinding, heat treatment, and tip formation, along with numerous inspection operations. The company operates on a batch basis, with multiple orders at different production stages across the floor. I Holland's tools are designed to produce millions of tablets, requiring them to be hardened for extensive use. The company has a single production facility that operates 24/7, necessitating efficiency improvements to meet growing demands without adding new production lines or shifts.
The Challenge
Around the year 2000, I Holland faced a significant challenge in its manufacturing operations due to the lack of any systems running or reporting on its factory lines. The operations were small enough for those involved to 'know what was going on,' but with the appointment of a new Finance Director and a new Managing Director, both with strong manufacturing credentials, there was a demand for 50% growth in production over a five-year period. This necessitated better visibility of all parts of the production process. The lack of information and data was evident, and it was clear that changes were needed to achieve the desired growth. The first step was to implement a scheduling system and key machine monitoring system, along with a standalone SPC system from Lighthouse Systems, known as SPC-Light. However, further shop floor-specific capabilities were deemed important to meet the new management's requirements.
The Solution
To address the challenges, I Holland implemented Lighthouse Systems' Shopfloor-Online in April 2004, replacing the previous SPC-Light system. This enterprise-wide solution provided greater control to operators and improved links between order processing systems and shop floor operations. The implementation aimed to enhance productivity through efficiency improvements, particularly in waste reduction. Historically, waste was caused by extra throughput that was scrapped after production runs, running at 10-15%. The new system eliminated the need for manual calculations by operators, reducing human error and allowing quality measurements to be input directly into the system. This enabled immediate issue flagging and quicker resolution. Additionally, the availability of information on the shop floor reduced lead times, increased capacity potential, and allowed I Holland to offer 'priority deliveries' as an enhanced service. The system also facilitated capacity planning, downtime analysis, and quality improvements by mapping critical machines within the factory. In 2007, Lighthouse Systems implemented PLCs to collect machine data directly into the MES, empowering operators to lead development and improve production visibility.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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