If you are driving down the road and approach a stoplight that is turning yellow, do you speed through the intersection or do you slow down and stop the car? If you are driving on the highway and the speed limit is 55, do you set your cruise control to 65? Many drivers do not consider the standards behind yellow lights and speed limits as measures to keep them safe. If these standards are there for the safety of everyone, why do many people not obey them?
This analogy can be applied to new protocols or systems on the factory floor. As people, we are resistant to change. Manufacturers should openly communicate the reasons behind change since understanding why something is being done is an important element for success. If employees understand what a smart solution is trying to accomplish then they are more likely to make the most of it! When implementing smart manufacturing solutions, business coaches can help mid-sized manufacturers improve their position in the market by providing insights from their experiences with other manufacturers and helping them achieve their targeted business results.
The FactoryEye team wants to introduce you to our new partner, Mike Ungar, a FocalPoint business coach who provides support and guidance for manufacturers to help them maximize Industry 4.0 implementations. As a FactoryEye partner, Ungar helps manufacturing leaders take full advantage of the FactoryEye Industry 4.0 solution.
Insights from Ungar
As a business coach, Ungar helps companies and business leaders that struggle with issues pertaining to change management, workforce development, and workplace culture. The people on the factory floor are key to success and Ungar can help leaders engage employees structured coaching and training. Mike helps companies maximize their Industry 4.0 solutions and provides coaching for other client challenges as well.
As a Lean practitioner, Ungar has spent many days on the shop floor helping leaders engage their workers in collecting data and problem solving. With the evolution to digital data capture, some leaders express concern that the operators will become detached from the data and therefore from what is really happening on the shop floor. Mike sees this challenge differently.
“Rather than have operators capturing data manually, which often takes them away from their production activities, in the Industry 4.0 world we want to automatically capture data and use the time that associates use to spend in this data capture to work on solving more problems or solving problems more quickly,” Ungar says. “The individuals who are closest to the process most often have the best insights into why things are happening the way they are. We need to teach shop floor personnel how to capture their observations that will provide valuable input for more robust solutions.” Digital solutions for data capture should replace whiteboards and flip charts. These manual tools can now be used in support of problem solving.
In these unprecedented times with labor shortages and supply chain issues, Ungar helps manufacturers adapt to an evolving business model with his valuable insights and is proud of the personal relationships he has built with people along the way. Over the years Ungar has seen manufacturers develop in innovative ways. During our conversation Ungar reminisced on how motors on the factory floor used to have stickers that would change color when the motors would get too hot and risk failing. In those days operators would have to walk around and manually check on the stickers. Now, with smart solutions like FactoryEye, manufacturers can use sensors to capture real-time data that can indicate machine failures much sooner to prevent lost profits from machine failures. Ungar said, “These days I can receive a warning on my phone that something is wrong, allowing more time to problem solve to see if we can extend the life of the motor or plan for its replacement!”
Business coaches like Mike Ungar can greatly benefit mid-sized manufacturers who are incorporating FactoryEye’s Industry 4.0 solution for continuous improvement on the factory floor. If your team is experiencing challenges with time management, teamwork, or developing a long-term strategy, then you should consider reaching out to a business coach.
A Background of Valuable Experience
Mike Ungar boasts a background rich in experiences that have made him an incredibly dynamic business coach and executive coach. Following is graduation from West Point in 1980, he served in the US Army in Germany. After his service, Ungar joined Michelin North America in Greenville, South Carolina and was employed there for over 35 years before retiring in 2020. During this time, Mike worked in various roles in continuous improvement, operations, finance, and HR. He has a depth of experience in the application of Lean techniques and workforce development. Since his retirement from Michelin, Ungar spends his free time with his grandchildren and sneaks in the occasional round of golf when not coaching others. Ungar volunteers with many veteran-related organizations and actively advocates for the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in creating a healthy work culture.
How do I get started Industry 4.0?
If you are a mid-sized manufacturer and would like to find out more about FactoryEye then please reach out on our website and you will hear from our team shortly. We cannot wait to show you how quick and efficient an Industry 4.0 transition can be for your team.
