Macnica provides Kracie with "DSF Cyclone," a manufacturing site digital transformation service - Promoting on-site reform through data utilization -

Macnica (Head office: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Kazumasa Kazumasa Hara; hereinafter referred to as Macnica) announced today that it has provided its manufacturing site DX service, DSF Cyclone*, to the Takaoka Plant of Kracie, Inc. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Tetsuya Kusayagi; hereinafter referred to as Kracie).

■Background
With the sudden increase in demand for herbal medicines, Kracie's Takaoka Factory was facing a situation where it was difficult to keep up with the demand using only conventional production methods and capital investments. The manufacturing equipment and systems were linked, but although data was displayed in real time, there was no system in place to keep records, and information that could serve as the basis for improvement activities was not being accumulated. Furthermore, signals indicating the reason for equipment shutdowns were insufficient, and a system that could also record the judgments and opinions of on-site workers was needed.
To solve these issues, we introduced Macnica 's DSF Cyclone ^*, which can consistently collect, visualize, and support improvements based on data including human judgment, while keeping costs and operational burdens down. By doing so, we aimed to connect on-site knowledge with data and realize a "thinking workplace" that enables continuous improvement.

■Effects of implementation
1. Establishing data-driven improvement activities
By utilizing data collected at the manufacturing site and instantly understanding the equipment status through real-time monitoring, it has become possible to quickly implement specific and convincing improvement measures. Furthermore, rule improvements backed by numerical data have directly led to improved production efficiency, dramatically shortening the decision-making speed from anomaly detection to recovery. This has established a continuous improvement cycle, which has not only ensured stable operation but also further improved efficiency.

2. Fostering a worker-centered "thinking workplace" culture
There was an increase in proactive opinions and comments from on-site workers, and a shift in mindset from a passive "waiting for instructions" attitude to proactive problem-solving, where workers identify issues and think of solutions on their own. At improvement meetings, lively discussions began with the sharing of specific, data-based information, and the initiative of each on-site member was greatly enhanced. Fostering this kind of culture not only improves efficiency, but also strengthens the improvement capabilities of the entire organization and promotes continuous production innovation, forming the foundation for on-site and management working together to build a better manufacturing environment.

3. Establishing a smart factory infrastructure with an eye toward horizontal deployment and future expansion
The data visualization and analysis environment using DSF Cyclone has been deployed to multiple manufacturing lines at the Takaoka Plant, and with the effectiveness of its implementation having been proven, the system is being actively expanded to other plants. This has enabled data collected at each site to be integrated, steadily building the foundation for promoting smart factories across the company. Furthermore, the introduction of real-time monitoring and automatic aggregation functions has enabled a quick and accurate understanding of on-site conditions, dramatically improving the speed and accuracy of improvement activities. Going forward, the company will continue to strengthen its foundation in order to realize a sustainable production innovation system and stable supply system that can flexibly respond to a wide range of changes, such as equipment expansion and the introduction of new technologies.

Macnica was close to the issues onsite and provided careful accompaniment and support for latent problems that had not yet been verbalized. By consistently taking the lead in data collection, visualization, and even the design of utilization methods, and by preparing and providing information in a form that was truly needed by the worksite, the quality and speed of improvement activities were greatly enhanced. In addition, through close communication with the site, we proactively made specific proposals and helped create an environment that encouraged workers to change their behavior. These partnerships went beyond the mere provision of tools, contributing greatly to the cultivation of a workplace culture and the realization of continuous production innovation.

■ Future outlook
At the Takaoka Plant, there are plans to expand the scope of visualization using DSF Cyclone, as well as to expand the number of communication-enabled equipment in the formulation process. Ultimately, the aim is to create a truly "visible plant" where the operational information of all manufacturing equipment can be grasped in real time. Furthermore, Kracie as a whole is envisioning a future where information from each plant is virtually connected, enabling the entire company to share and create optimal solutions to issues at each site.
Macnica will continue to support Kracie in realizing its vision for the future of smart factories.

*: Manufacturing site DX service "DSF Cyclone"
DSF Cyclone is a manufacturing performance system that connects the manufacturing site and production management with performance data to optimize factory production efficiency and productivity. It enables data-driven decision-making for factory operations. Data collection, normalization, and utilization are all in one package, with functionality that makes it easy to deploy throughout the factory. DSF Cyclone was developed by Macnica and has been implemented in a wide variety of manufacturing processes. At manufacturing sites where it has been implemented, efficient manufacturing is achieved based on daily performance data.
For more information, please visit our website.
https://www.macnica.co.jp/business/ai_iot/products/service/137029/

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https://www.macnica.co.jp/business/ai_iot/cases/147971

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Macnica DSF Cyclone Contact Point
TEL: 045-470-9118
E-mail: consulting-iot@macnica.co.jp

*Company names and product names mentioned in this text are trademarks or registered trademarks of Macnica and each company.
*The information published in the news release (including product price, specifications, etc.) is current as of the date of announcement. Please note that the information may be subject to change without prior notice.