The last few years of supply chain disruption have proven the value of visibility to organizations and the need to be proactive. One is impossible without the other, but neither is possible without the right technology.
“As a digital twin, we map all the processes and flows of a customer’s network,” said Rick Diefenderfer, vice president of transportation for Tada Cognitive Solutions (TadaNow).
TadaNow builds software platforms for logistics and supply chain operations. Its digital twin solution, Digital Duplicate, brings together insights from multiple platforms, including its own Factory Manager, Production Scheduler, Line Supervisor and Warehouse Pickers solutions, to offer real-time guidance and alerts to help manufacturers fulfill daily production goals.
Connecting the chain
Diefenderfer said TadaNow allows users throughout the chain to connect “command signals” from production, suppliers and electronic data interchanges to build forecasting and track supply levels “to give you the landscape of that whole environment.”
Digital twins are virtual representations of physical supply chains. According to IBM, “this just means creating a highly complex virtual model that is the exact counterpart (or twin) of a physical thing. The ‘thing’ could be a car, a building, a bridge or a jet engine. Connected sensors on the physical asset collect data that can be mapped onto the virtual model. Anyone looking at the digital twin can now see crucial information about how the physical thing is doing out there in the real world.”
For supply chains, that means taking what traditionally have been siloed solutions — enterprise resource management or warehouse management systems, for instance –- and connecting them in a virtual world.
“Our approach to the problem is we are going to develop a digital twin of every component in the system and [connect each system],” said Paul Singh, chief revenue officer for TadaNow. “If I am sitting in the warehouse, I have a whole view of what every warehouse person should have. Today, systems are siloed. Tada is layered on top of those silos. Then you have a 360-degree view and you can run different scenarios and you can see what will happen if you [make different choices].”
Control tower view
TadaNow recently introduced a digital twin-enabled Production Control Tower that is “designed to improve operational visibility within your factory or network of factories, synchronize dock to point-of-use and production operations and improve productivity with real-time insights into the hands of the production team.”
Digital twins help businesses navigate disruption because they are able to make quicker decisions based on the insights gained from them. For instance, Diefenderfer said a business could look at the impact of reducing material inventories on delivering the end product.
“You are marrying up material to processes, to labor, to ensure efficiencies within the four walls as well as assurances of getting the material in a timely manner,” said Diefenderfer.
Just as important, as many businesses have learned recently, is the ability to connect all suppliers. Diefenderfer noted most manufacturers work in a multitier environment, but few have connectivity beyond their Tier 1 suppliers. Connecting further down to Tiers 2, 3 and even 4 allows the manufacturer to better forecast. In cases where the Tier 1 may not be able to meet the demand, the lower-tier suppliers are able to see what will be demanded of them and react quicker.
“Now everyone can view their environment and see what’s important to them,” said Diefenderfer.
Adding transportation to the mix
Transportation is also an important part of this digital twin strategy. If a supplier is going to be late with a part, that information is funneled through the system and even generates alerts. The twin allows this scenario to be tested so that when an actual alert occurs, the business is ready with a plan.
“Most companies have limited ability to answer what can be built today let alone tomorrow,” said Seshadri Guha, CEO and co-founder of Tada Cognitive Solutions. “Rather than relying on error-prone spreadsheets and time-consuming phone calls and emails, TadaNow provides an integrated Production Control Tower that automates many manual processes in manufacturing, giving enhanced real-time visibility to production teams.”
Production Control Tower contains more than 10 applications targeted to solve daily time-consuming challenges such as material short for build, priority of internal work orders and potential impact to customer promise, the company said. For example, the “clear-to-build” capability provides dynamic replanning options in situations where build slots are likely to be missed due to material and labor gaps for each production line. With built-in workflows, planners can track root causes and mitigation actions. Another application, the digital production board, delivers failure mode analytics for productivity losses across the entire operation — internal warehouse, machine shop, paint line and assembly stations.
“At the highest level, you now have one single point of truth that is synchronizing your entire supply chain,” said Diefenderfer.
TadaNow is able to build out a solution within six to eight weeks typically, and each setup is designed specifically for the business’ unique situation.
Click for more articles by Brian Straight.
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