What Every Company Can Learn from the Best Smart Manufacturers

The Next Generation of manufacturing holds a great promise—and profit.

A similar recognition is that supply-chain managers cannot be one step removed from actual manufacturing, which is what Pratt & Whitney has discovered in East Hartford. There, on the second floor of its main headquarters building, Di Perna has created a war room where large monitors cover the walls with information about which suppliers have promised deliveries of parts on what dates. “We want to integrate data to look at problems in the supply chain before they become problems on our production floor,” Di Perna explains. “We cannot afford to have an interruption.” This is a particularly serious problem in aerospace, where lead times are often quite lengthy. “You order something today, and two years later it shows up,” he says.

“We want to integrate data to look at problems in the supply chain before they become problems on our production floor.”

The supply-chain specialists in the room are using Microsoft’s extended customer-relationship management software to examine whether every supplier has ordered the raw materials to make the product that Pratt is expecting and whether the supplier has the capacity to get the job done. This is Big Data at its best because Pratt has access to many of its suppliers’ own computer systems.

If a supplier has not ordered key materials or does not have an assembly line ready to go, Pratt knows it is at risk of suffering a disruption. If they suspect an “event” or disruption is about to occur, Pratt’s supply-chain mavens have two large monitors where they can schedule face-to-face consultations with suppliers. If reassuring answers are not forthcoming, the supply-chain specialists conduct an “escalation” until the potential problem reaches the top management levels of both Pratt and the supplier—in a hurry. “In a supply chain, there is data everywhere,” says Di Perna. “That’s a critical tool for us.”

THE ADVENT OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
There are many other strands of the new generation of manufacturing that are emerging, including 3D printing. The technology behind this potentially revolutionary way of making parts by printing layer after layer of a given metal or plastic has existed for decades. However, it seems to have finally established a clear foothold, particularly in aerospace with General Electric, Pratt and Europe’s Airbus all using it. “Already, planes are flying with 3D-printed parts in them,” says Dassault’s Comstock, a veteran of 25 years of manufacturing experience.

Imagine that rather than taking a block of expensive titanium and scraping and carving a part out of it—resulting in much of the titanium being wasted—a 3D printer can put down layers of titanium powder and seal each one so that the object has the characteristics of regular titanium—without wasting any of the precious metal. “You also could build products you’ve never been able to build before because of the technological limitations of machine tools,” Comstock explains.


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

    Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

    1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
    2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
    3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

     

    Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.