GKN Aerospace Achieves 20% Reduction in Operation Time with FORCAM FORCE
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- FORCAM FORCE
Tech Stack
- Advanced Shop Floor Management Technology
- ERP SAP
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
- Customer Satisfaction
- Energy Saving
- Waste Reduction
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
Applicable Industries
- Aerospace
Applicable Functions
- Process Manufacturing
- Maintenance
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Machine Condition Monitoring
- Predictive Maintenance
- Energy Management System
- Process Control & Optimization
- Real-Time Location System (RTLS)
Services
- System Integration
- Data Science Services
- Training
About The Customer
GKN Aerospace is one of the world's largest independent first-tier aerospace suppliers, providing complex, high-performance, high-value integrated metallic and composite assemblies for aero structures and engine products. Based in Newington, Connecticut, USA, the company has a reputation for investing in technological innovation to bring real and practical benefits to their customers, aircraft operators, and passengers. GKN Aerospace's Engine Systems division, which accounted for 50% of sales in 2013, operates in a low-volume, high-mix environment and has close strategic partnerships with major OEMs and tier-one suppliers such as General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Snecma, and MTU.
The Challenge
GKN Aerospace, a leading aerospace supplier, faced the challenge of improving manufacturing productivity in a low-volume, high-mix environment. The company needed a solution to enhance machine utilization, reduce operation time, and improve overall efficiency. With strategic partnerships with major OEMs and tier-one suppliers, GKN Aerospace required a robust system to manage and analyze machine data in real-time, allowing for timely interventions and quality improvements. The company also aimed to integrate this system with their existing ERP SAP to further streamline operations and achieve continuous improvement.
The Solution
GKN Aerospace implemented FORCAM’s Advanced Shop Floor Management Technology, FORCAM FORCE, to improve manufacturing productivity. This technology allows the company to see production data in real-time, analyze machine states, and make timely interventions for quality improvements. The system provides a visual display on the plant floor, showing status information and enabling operators to signal line status based on color codes. This real-time visibility helps in increasing throughput efficiency and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). The technology also supports continuous improvement activities by providing instant feedback on performance changes. In Phase 2, GKN Aerospace plans to integrate FORCAM FORCE with their ERP SAP to further enhance operational efficiency.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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