A Surgical Approach to Increasing the Manufacturing Efficiency of Medical Equipment

Customer Success

Juxtum Software Connects Shop Floor for Improved Operations

CHALLENGE: Machine Communication Out of Step with Growth

Just as a physician relies on medical equipment to provide crucial feedback on patients, the manufacturer of said medical devices needs consistent, interconnected machine monitoring to ensure the devices are made cost-efficiently, on time, and without error. One of the world’s leading medical technology companies, in recent years, has expanded and diversified its manufacturing operations ambitiously. With each new product or acquisition came new machinery. So, by mid-2021, only three of this client’s more than 100 machines were connected and communicating data about how they were performing. And the three machines that were connected were neither pulling enough of nor the correct type of data to suit the organization’s growth. A key issue: The existing adapters did not provide complete information on how the components aligned – their geometry – thus limiting how well managers could monitor machine performance and optimize output. The client wanted to run its machines more efficiently and increase production numbers at a lower cost but could not find a solution using the current adapters. So, the client invited Juxtum’s engineers to assess their processes.

SOLUTION: Juxtum Connect

During the shop floor assessment, Juxtum learned about each machine from which the client wanted to gather information – make, model, age, controller type, processes it is responsible for, the kind of data available from the device, units of measure for the data, and much more.

Next, Juxtum implemented a plan to install software adapters on each machine to collect actionable data while keeping work-floor disruptions to a minimum. Phase I of the client’s digital transformation connected eight machines and focused on overall equipment effectiveness related to machine availability and performance. Some of the specific information delivered by the software adapters included the percentage of time each machine operated, at what times each went idle, and the number of parts produced per machine. By using a secure data collection software, Juxtum Connect, the client benefited in three ways:

• Juxtum’s patented technology automatically discovers and configures the adapter for each machine’s unique geometry and physics. As a result, information the client could not previously access from its assets was now obtainable.
• The fast, non-invasive installation of the software limited worker interference, and future updates to the software can be made without disruption to production. The installation of each adapter took less than 10 minutes, allowing for eight machines to be connected within one hour.
• Juxtum Connect is built to the MTConnect® standard, allowing all the client’s connected machines to communicate real-time data in an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard vocabulary.

RESULT: Lower Costs, More Flexibility, Better Output

In only a few weeks, the client resolved several causes of production slowdowns and unplanned machine downtimes. For example, the client could see when the temperatures on specific drives started to rise or when its machines were pulling more current, proactively alerting them to potential maintenance issues before the asset failed. Pleased with the results, the client is reviewing the next steps for Phase II, which involves connecting 500 to 1,000 industrial assets across its global facilities. The Juxtum approach provides the client with a more financially manageable rollout of its digital transformation, so the client can add on services within budget as its systems expand.