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GainSeeker Suite turns art into science at baking company
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
Applicable Industries
- Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions
- Quality Assurance
- Process Manufacturing
Use Cases
- Predictive Maintenance
- Machine Condition Monitoring
- Process Control & Optimization
Services
- System Integration
- Software Design & Engineering Services
The Challenge
As the private label producer of baked goods for major brands, the company's reputation relies on ensuring that each cracker and cookie it produces meets the taste, quality expectations, and specifications of its customer's brand. Company leadership wanted to shift the company from knowledge-driven behavior to data-driven behavior. They believed that real-time data, delivered via real-time statistical process control charts, was the key to this effort. This data would enable them to reduce variation at critical points in the process and thereby increase the consistency of processes, and ultimately, the finished product.
About The Customer
Hertzler Systems has been a leader in Statistical Process Control, SPC Software, and Six Sigma for over twenty-five years. They provide the leading real-time data acquisition and analytics SPC software, the GainSeeker Suite. Hertzler Systems serves a diverse customer base, including BAE Systems, Crown Audio, McCormick & Company, Inc., Hormel Foods Corporation, Snyders of Hanover, Titleist & Footjoy, IDEX Corporation, and TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Worldwide. Their software and services enable clients to connect, collect, analyze, and visualize data, building a data infrastructure for making data-driven decisions. These capabilities help clients improve throughput and yield, improve cycle times, reduce costs and errors, and increase profitability.
The Solution
Hertzler Systems automated and expanded the company's fledgling manual data system. Beginning in the packaging area, they expanded the deployment upstream to all aspects of processing and baking. The system is fully integrated with other business systems (ERP and financials) and includes the delivery of critical product documentation such as photos of packaging and label details. Empowering workers with real-time data has enabled the company to quickly identify inconsistencies. With readily-accessible data at all stages of the production process, workers are able to pinpoint the sources of problems and correct them rapidly. This has resulted in a positive shift in the company's culture as these empowered workers take more responsibility and ownership for their processes.
Operational Impact
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