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Case study

The challenge

A leading global tool manufacturing company with multiple lines of business and more than 100 factories worldwide lacked visibility into production metrics, such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). With machines varying in age and complexity, and two fundamentally different types of facilities, few assets were instrumented with sensors that provided data analytics to management. 

Our client knew it had a greenfield opportunity to transition cleanly to digital. Its objective was to create significant value—in the hundreds of millions—in the next five years as it moves from a focus on efficiency improvements to an Industry 4.0 platform that promotes connectivity and digital visualization.

Our approach

Cognizant's deep capabilities in manufacturing operations and proven experience in large-scale manufacturing technology implementations were critical to our client’s success. Our blueprint for the manufacturer’s Industry 4.0 implementation was an integrated, cloud-based platform for gathering, analyzing and sharing information from disparate factories, increasing visibility and making resource allocation more efficient.

We retrofitted equipment with state-of-the-art wireless IoT sensors to enable monitoring efficiency as well as uptime, yield and productivity measures for workers, assets and entire facilities. Next, we designed and deployed an IoT platform—an operational nerve center. We then rolled out the solutions globally, establishing secure enterprise-wide connectivity without disrupting the business and creating a network of plants that respond quickly to changing needs using digital twins.

Industry 4.0 platform optimizes manufacturing processes to promote efficiency

Our client’s teams across the globe are rapidly enhancing functionality with our Industry 4.0 implementation. Measures for OEE are now embedded in manufacturing processes, providing managers with details on asset availability and run time, configuration and customization, scheduling, throughput and quality output, and even downtime or maintenance needs. Real-time notifications and web-based user interfaces enable remote experts to collaborate with shop-floor personnel, empowering the company’s next generation of smart workers. Targeted outcomes include more accurate order fulfillment, lower production error rates and energy costs, and improved safety and compliance.

Scaled

Industrial IoT platform beyond the pilot phase to connect 100+ facilities and 1,000+ machines and production lines

Implemented

the IIoT platform at four plants in less than 12 weeks

Monitored

asset performance with dashboards, yielding insights for decision-making

Targeted

$100+ million in cost-savings and profitability gains over a five-year period