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Thoughts on Manufacturing & AI
Insights on operational excellence, knowledge management, and the future of manufacturing from the factory floor.
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Showing 19 of 19 articles
Your Machines Have Screens. So Why Is That Data Still Not in Any System?
Your equipment runs fine. It's paid off. But it's offline—not connected to anything. Full digitization? Hard to justify the ROI. So you do nothing. Here's a better way.
Elke fabriek die ik bezoek heeft hetzelfde verhaal
Onze beste operator gaat met pensioen. Hij hoort aan een machine of er iets mis is. Dat zit in zijn hoofd. Nergens anders. Dat is geen IT-probleem — dat is een menselijk dataprobleem.
AI Is Plateauing. That's Actually Great News for Manufacturing.
The AI hype machine is recalibrating. And manufacturing desperately needed that reset. The race to 'more intelligent' is slowing — but the race to 'better applied' is just beginning.
You Cannot Transform a Factory by Focusing Solely on Technology—or People
We often debate 'Tech-First' vs. 'People-First.' But neither works if you build them on top of operational chaos. Transformation needs a sequence: Stability → Headspace → Transformation.
The Data Gap: Why the 'Why' Is So Hard to Capture
We're flooded with machine data, but blind to human data. The insights, observations, and instincts that operators have are the missing link in every plant's optimization story.
De Volgende Fase van Operator-Driven Manufacturing
Wij introduceren Oppr.ai's Operator-Driven Continuous Improvement. Er is een fundamentele verschuiving gaande in hoe software dit werk kan versterken en de impact meetbaar kan garanderen.
The Most Expensive Problem in Your Company Isn't Downtime
It's the knowledge you never capture. The real insights aren't in the system — they're in the minds of your people. That's why we built Oppr Insights.
We Turned Lean into a Consulting Cult. Now We're Doing the Same with AI.
AI was supposed to democratize intelligence. Instead, it's the new buzzword for 'digital transformation' projects that deliver another fancy report. We've seen this before.
Most Factories Don't Fail at Finding Problems. They Fail at Fixing Them.
The pattern is everywhere: machines generate data, operators know the hidden 'why', dashboards flag what's wrong — and then nothing changes. It's not a failure of knowledge. It's a failure of execution.
De duurste kennis in je bedrijf is de kennis die onbenut blijft
Je herkent het vast: een hardnekkig kwaliteitsprobleem, een logistiek knelpunt dat steeds terugkeert. Je hebt data en rapporten, maar je mist de cruciale 'waarom'.
Rethinking Lean: From Consultant-Led to Operator-Driven
Lean 1.0 has been commodified into a consulting cult. AI is following the same path. The future is a democratized, operator-driven system that empowers everyone to contribute.
Denk je dat een nieuw softwarepakket dé oplossing is voor digitalisering?
Veel digitaliseringstrajecten starten met de belofte dat software alles oplost. De realiteit? Je laat slimme software los op onsamenhangende, onbetrouwbare data.
From 'Data-Rich, But Insight-Poor' to Data-Driven Success
Do your machines tell you WHAT is happening, but you have no idea WHY? In manufacturing, machines register what happens, but it's the operators who know why.
From Knowing to Doing — Where Does Your Company Stand?
Many manufacturing companies know what to do, but struggle with getting it done. The Oppr Operational Maturity Matrix helps you identify your gap.
Dark Factories: The Future of Manufacturing?
Yes, eventually. But coming from production environments myself, I still see this as a distant future. The human-in-the-loop is, and will remain, the path forward.
The Hype Around 'Sexy' Industry 4.0 Is Over
The focus is shifting from futuristic tech to practical, current solutions that address real-world challenges on the shop floor. It's not about AI for AI's sake.
Why Good Data Is the Key to Successful AI in Manufacturing
Companies rushing to adopt AI often stumble on data collection and structuring. AI models are available to everyone, but good, unique data makes the difference.
Waarom Goede Data de Sleutel is tot Succesvolle AI in de Maakindustrie
Bedrijven die snel AI willen toepassen lopen vaak vast op het verzamelen en structureren van hun data. Succesvol gebruik van AI begint met het op orde brengen van je data.
Knowledge Inclusivity Within Operations
Operations managers often find themselves in firefighting mode. The true challenge isn't just logging issues but fostering a culture where knowledge is shared openly and everyone can contribute.