Benchmark Electronics · Manufacturing · San Antonio, TX · 12 weeks
OEE monitoring automated across 6 plants
A precision parts manufacturer with six plants relied on spreadsheets to track Overall Equipment Effectiveness, causing a two-day delay in reporting downtime events. We developed an automated OEE monitoring system that uncovered $3.7 million in annual recoverable downtime and cut unplanned stoppages by 31 hours each month.
Challenge
The manufacturer relied on spreadsheets to track OEE, causing a two-day delay before downtime showed up in reports. Plant managers couldn’t act quickly because the data was always outdated. They suspected $3M to $5M in lost production annually but lacked accurate measurements to confirm or address the issue.
Outcome
We cut OEE data delays from two days to 15 minutes, enabling faster decision-making. By analyzing data across six plants, we uncovered $3.7 million in avoidable downtime annually. In the first three months, unplanned stoppages dropped by 31 hours each month. Predictive maintenance alerts caught four major equipment failures within six months, preventing costly shutdowns.
Results
- $3.7M Recoverable downtime identified annually
- 31 hrs/mo Unplanned stoppages reduced
- 48 hrs to 15 min OEE data lag
- 12 wks All 6 plants live
We knew some downtime was recoverable, but we didn’t have a clear number on the cost. It’s about $3.7 million a year. Since we started using the predictive maintenance alerts, we’ve prevented four major failures. The system pays for itself every month.