7 Tips to Find Your Best Smart Factory Assembly Team
It’s only in the movies that a perfect team suddenly assembles with the know-how to save the world. Finding your best industrial assembly team that doesn’t blow up things will take more time.
Whether your Smart Factory planning begins with an empty lot, or just needs a work station upgrade, Southern Tool Specialist is here to help.
Decide How Much Smart Factory Expertise You Really Want
Are you seeking a true solution partner or just a tool seller? The answer may depend on the strength of your internal teams, practices and culture.
Solution providers like Southern Tool Specialist focus on long-term relationships built on supporting a client’s successful adoption of Smart Factory (Industry 4.0) practices. They offer relevant expertise and experience and can be a good sounding-board and source for fresh ideas. If your culture is open to them.
Online tool sellers offer catalog-style shopping but leave the buyer with the challenge to find the right smart assembly tool model. Challenge, you say?! As example, the popular Atlas Copco Angle Cordless Nutrunner Tensor ITB-A has 108 models.
Smart Factory Planning Requires a Dynamic Critical Path Approach
In the action movies you ‘buckle up’ to be ready for any action. The same applies to Smart Factory planning. Unknowns like a Jason Bourne will blow-up your tasks and dependencies. In 2024 was anyone expecting the challenging new normal of today’s roller coaster tariffs?
Success may require you to stay flexible. Does the candidate Smart Factory team’s skills and experience align with this strategy? Can they share examples?
“My number one rule is hope for the best, plan for the worst.” CIA Director Ezra Kramer, Bourne Ultimatum
Seek 'Plug and Play' Discretionary Dependencies
New open-architecture software design favors Discretionary Dependencies. Apply as often as possible to supply line variables, tool selection and software. Ideally, the MES (Manufacturing Execution System) is NOT a Mandatory Dependency locking you into specific vendor solutions.
Does the team you’re interviewing share this perspective? Can they plan accordingly and support your Smart Factory applications?
Interview Experienced Smart Factory Builders with Team Depth
Interview deeply experienced and degreed engineering teams with a full bag of applications. Don’t hold back digging into industry-specific experience that’s ideally based on years and not months.
- Does the team include engineering talent in-house that’s already familiar with your industry’s unique requirements?
- Multi-industry experience can be a good thing too, introducing new, yet proven approaches and solutions.
- Do they offer on-site process consulting?
- How good is their servicing? Do they run a Service Depot with OEM-certified techs? (Having one can positively impact tool cycles.)
- What’s their reputation like, generally and among assemblers like your peers?
- Do they take security seriously? Both yours and theirs?
Run like hell from ‘wizards’ offering magically streamlined solutions with AI-enabled agents, particularly guys dressed like Saruman in the Lord of the Rings.
Do They Offer Multiple Solutions for a Smart Assembly Application?
Is this assembly team ‘locked in’ to one specific vendor that limits their recommendations for critical applications? Access to multiple solutions ensures unbiased recommendations and optimal outcomes.
Today’s manufacturing assembly solutions can include cutting-edge Industry 4.0 solutions from up-and-coming vendors. Larger vendors can offer reassuring experience and resources. Yet often at a higher cost and, perhaps a slower implementation
Your best choice in Smart Factory assembly teams has deep ties with manufacturing assembly leaders plus well-vetted up and coming alternatives.
Reassess the Short and Long-Term Industry 4.0 Build Options
Today’s planning environment is exponentially more challenging than even last year’s. Now is a good time to assess your Smart Factory planning options.
- Do you delay or accelerate key applications?
- Or shift to others less impacted by outside events?
Maybe the best path is to maintain the status quo, i.e. punt.
What’s the candidate assembly team’s POV? Do they seem comfortable with the delay of planned applications? Use the opportunity to parse the true solution partners (with a long-term view) from the tool ‘salesmen’ disappointed by the delay’s impact on their bonus.
Is There a Common View on How AI Should Be Used in Planning?
AI is useful when it enhances analysis and expands options. There’s no doubt that it has a role to play in Smart Factory decisions.
Has your organization created Best Practices for integration of AI into Industry 4.0 planning? What do the candidate assembly teams think? How are they using it?
Consider Southern Tool Specialist for your Smart Factory Assembly Team
Since 2001 STS has been a leader in manufacturing process systems in 10 Southern states. Our degreed, locally placed sales engineers can solve the most challenging applications with today’s Smart Factory solutions and tools.
With expertise in-house, and partnerships with leading solution providers, we deliver carefully crafted and expertly managed assembly solutions.
Got a question? Want a second opinion? Give us a call. We’d love to help.
