Download PDF
Managing Global Supply Chain with Realtime Connectivity
Technology Category
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Electronics
- Healthcare & Hospitals
Applicable Functions
- Procurement
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Global Interconnect (GII) was under pressure to deliver fail-safe products while managing a complex global supply chain. Their antiquated MRP system had reached its limits, making it difficult to manage their growing business and expanding supplier base. For instance, to prevent counterfeit items from entering the supply chain, GII bought a significant number of parts domestically and consigned them to their factories in China. This practice required manual calculations of needed components based on finished assembly usage and inventory levels at the factory. Additionally, communicating with their Hong Kong and China operations required them to share and access data around the clock, which was challenging due to time differences. Furthermore, GII had to account for inventory with a manual backflush process, which was time-consuming and prone to errors.
About The Customer
Global Interconnect (GII) is a worldwide provider of custom engineered cable assemblies, connectors, and components. Their products are used for medical applications, such as electrosurgical tools and critical patient monitoring devices, which have zero failure requirements. GII outsources its manufacturing to lower costs, but this adds complexity and necessitates tight oversight and controls in their day-to-day operations. The company operates in multiple locations, including the United States, Hong Kong, and China, and manages a complex global supply chain.
The Solution
GII decided to replace their outdated system with IQMS, which later became DELMIAWORKS. The new system brought everything together under one roof, including accounting, purchasing, sales orders, and inventory. It also managed multicurrency, which was beneficial for their expansive and growing customer base. The new Quality Module helped them through DHR compliance, with capabilities like traceability and lot coding features. The system provided real-time information, allowing GII to run a much leaner global operation. For example, their carrying costs were lower because they could now bring inventory in on a just-in-time basis. At any point in time, they knew exactly what was in WIP and completed in the way of finished assemblies at their four factories in China.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Remote Temperature Monitoring of Perishable Goods Saves Money
RMONI was facing temperature monitoring challenges in a cold chain business. A cold chain must be established and maintained to ensure goods have been properly refrigerated during every step of the process, making temperature monitoring a critical business function. Manual registration practice can be very costly, labor intensive and prone to mistakes.
Case Study
Hospital Inventory Management
The hospital supply chain team is responsible for ensuring that the right medical supplies are readily available to clinicians when and where needed, and to do so in the most efficient manner possible. However, many of the systems and processes in use at the cancer center for supply chain management were not best suited to support these goals. Barcoding technology, a commonly used method for inventory management of medical supplies, is labor intensive, time consuming, does not provide real-time visibility into inventory levels and can be prone to error. Consequently, the lack of accurate and real-time visibility into inventory levels across multiple supply rooms in multiple hospital facilities creates additional inefficiency in the system causing over-ordering, hoarding, and wasted supplies. Other sources of waste and cost were also identified as candidates for improvement. Existing systems and processes did not provide adequate security for high-cost inventory within the hospital, which was another driver of cost. A lack of visibility into expiration dates for supplies resulted in supplies being wasted due to past expiry dates. Storage of supplies was also a key consideration given the location of the cancer center’s facilities in a dense urban setting, where space is always at a premium. In order to address the challenges outlined above, the hospital sought a solution that would provide real-time inventory information with high levels of accuracy, reduce the level of manual effort required and enable data driven decision making to ensure that the right supplies were readily available to clinicians in the right location at the right time.
Case Study
Gas Pipeline Monitoring System for Hospitals
This system integrator focuses on providing centralized gas pipeline monitoring systems for hospitals. The service they provide makes it possible for hospitals to reduce both maintenance and labor costs. Since hospitals may not have an existing network suitable for this type of system, GPRS communication provides an easy and ready-to-use solution for remote, distributed monitoring systems System Requirements - GPRS communication - Seamless connection with SCADA software - Simple, front-end control capability - Expandable I/O channels - Combine AI, DI, and DO channels
Case Study
Driving Digital Transformations for Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices
Diagnostic devices play a vital role in helping to improve healthcare delivery. In fact, an estimated 60 percent of the world’s medical decisions are made with support from in vitrodiagnostics (IVD) solutions, such as those provided by Roche Diagnostics, an industry leader. As the demand for medical diagnostic services grows rapidly in hospitals and clinics across China, so does the market for IVD solutions. In addition, the typically high cost of these diagnostic devices means that comprehensive post-sales services are needed. Wanteed to improve three portions of thr IVD:1. Remotely monitor and manage IVD devices as fixed assets.2. Optimizing device availability with predictive maintenance.3. Recommending the best IVD solution for a customer’s needs.
