Industries

QAD Redzone for Industrial Manufacturers

Operator-centric production is typical for many industrial manufacturing enterprises.  Whether it is the semi-automatic production of engineered materials such as flexible packaging and wire or team-based assembly of product variants, the effectiveness of the shop floor workforce is critical to the success of the organization. That is why having a connected worker software like Redzone is essential for industrial manufacturers.

Industrial manufacturing challenges require an adaptable approach to shop floor operations. The demand mix of modern manufacturing includes standard “catalog” items but increasingly also includes customer-specific variants of those items. This requires both the shop floor equipment and personnel to be responsive to dynamic changes and adjustments on the fly. This flexibility must be achieved while maintaining the highest product quality and a sensitivity to inventory and other costs.

With QAD Redzone’s connected worker software, industrial manufacturers can enjoy sustainable productivity improvements with organic double-digit uplift to increase revenue and margins — without adding people or equipment. With a shift to a truly connected and collaborative workforce, QAD Redzone’s software enables a lean manufacturing culture with ongoing continuous improvement driven by shop floor ownership. Operator engagement contributes to dramatically reducing worker turnover with a connected workforce energized to excel by transforming into a more collaborative, more engaged team thanks to implementation of industrial manufacturing software.

Optimizing Production Visibility

QAD Redzone provides real-time visibility into every aspect of your production process. This empowers you to make informed decisions, proactively address issues, and optimize your operations for maximum efficiency. QAD Redzone automatically collects data from your shop-floor equipment, sensors, and other sources, providing a comprehensive view of your production line in real-time. This data is then analyzed to identify trends, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement.

Visualize key performance indicators (KPIs) through customizable dashboards and reports. Track production progress, identify potential delays, and monitor overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) at a glance. With machine learning-powered Insights, you can leverage machine learning algorithms to predict potential disruptions, identify patterns in production data, and receive proactive alerts for deviations from planned schedules. Seamlessly integrate with your existing ERP and MES systems to gain a holistic view of your operations, from order management to production execution.

Handling Labor Challenges

QAD Redzone helps you address labor challenges by optimizing workforce management, improving communication, and empowering employees. It lets you maintain a database of employee skills and certifications, identify skill gaps, and provide targeted training to enhance workforce capabilities. You can optimize labor allocation based on production needs, employee skills, and availability from there. Facilitating seamless communication between shop floor workers, supervisors, and management is easier through mobile devices and in-app messaging. Plus, shared access to production data, performance metrics, and work instructions encourages them to stay engaged and actively participate in these improvements.

Ensuring Operational Efficiency

QAD Redzone drives operational efficiency by streamlining processes, reducing waste, and optimizing resource utilization. It optimizes production schedules based on real-time data, demand forecasts, and resource availability. It minimizes downtime and maximizes throughput. It tracks inventory levels in real time, optimizes stock levels, and reduces carrying costs. It prevents stockouts and ensures timely material delivery. It monitors quality metrics in real time, identifies defects early, and implements corrective actions, leading to consistent product quality and reduced scrap rates. Implement lean manufacturing principles to identify and eliminate waste in your operations. Streamline processes and improve overall efficiency.

QAD Redzone: Empowering the Modern Manufacturer

In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, efficiency and agility are paramount. QAD Redzone provides the tools and insights you need to optimize your operations, empower your workforce, and drive continuous improvement. Here’s how:

1. Accelerate Time-to-Value with Rapid Deployment

QAD Redzone is a cloud-based SaaS solution that deploys rapidly and seamlessly integrates with your existing infrastructure. This means minimal disruption to your operations and a faster return on your investment so you can: 

  • Go live quickly and start seeing results sooner.
  • Reduce the burden on your IT resources and minimize implementation costs.
  • Easily scale the solution as your business grows and evolves.

2. Engage Your Workforce with Intuitive, Mobile-First Applications

QAD Redzone features user-friendly mobile apps designed specifically for frontline workers. These intuitive interfaces simplify tasks, enhance communication, and promote engagement that allows you to:

  • Drive rapid user adoption and maximize the value of your technology investment.
  • Establish team communication and collaboration, leading to faster problem-solving and greater efficiency.
  • Empower your workforce with the information and tools they need to make informed decisions and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.

3. Unlock Real-time Visibility into Your Production Processes

QAD Redzone integrates directly with your shop floor equipment, automatically capturing real-time production data with unparalleled accuracy.

  • Gain unprecedented visibility into your production process, identify bottlenecks, and track key performance indicators (KPIs) in real time.
  • Make data-driven decisions to optimize production schedules, allocate resources effectively, and proactively address potential issues.
  • Enhance overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by minimizing downtime, reducing waste, and streamlining operations.

4. Integrate Systems and Leverage Powerful Analytics

Seamlessly integrate QAD Redzone with your existing ERP, MES, and other business systems to create a unified data environment. Leverage powerful analytics tools to unlock valuable insights and drive informed decision-making.

  • Gain a holistic understanding of your operations, identify areas for improvement, and track progress towards your goals.
  • Break down data silos and foster collaboration across departments, leading to better alignment and improved performance.
  • Make strategic decisions based on a comprehensive view of your business, supported by data-driven insights.

5. Ensure Quality with Real-time Monitoring and Control

QAD Redzone provides real-time tools to monitor quality metrics, enabling proactive defect identification and swift corrective action implementation.

  • Ensure consistent product quality, reduce scrap rates, and minimize the cost of rework.
  • Increase customer satisfaction by delivering high-quality products that meet or exceed expectations.
  • Build a reputation for quality and reliability, strengthening your competitive advantage.

6. Optimize Production Flow with Real-time WIP Visibility

Track work-in-progress (WIP) in real-time to identify bottlenecks, optimize production flow, and ensure on-time delivery.

  • Fine-tune production schedules based on real-time WIP status and resource availability.
  • Reduce production lead times and improve delivery performance.
  • Minimize work-in-progress inventory and streamline your production processes.

Usage Guides

Overcome Manufacturing Challenges with Confidence

Staying ahead means tackling challenges head-on. QAD Redzone isn’t just software; it’s your partner in navigating the complexities of the modern factory floor. Let’s explore how Redzone transforms common obstacles into opportunities:

Unplanned Downtime: From Reactive to Proactive

Our predictive maintenance capabilities analyze historical data and real-time sensor readings, acting like an early warning system for potential breakdowns. Instead of reacting to failures, you can proactively schedule maintenance, keeping your equipment running smoothly and maximizing uptime. And if an issue does arise, instant alerts empower your maintenance team to respond quickly, minimizing disruptions and keeping production flowing.

Changeovers: Swift and Seamless Transitions

Changeovers, those essential but often time-consuming transitions between product runs, can be a major drain on productivity. Redzone streamlines this process with digital work instructions delivered right to your team’s mobile devices. Clear, step-by-step guidance ensures consistency and minimizes errors, while built-in collaboration tools allow for real-time communication and problem-solving. Say goodbye to lengthy changeovers and hello to increased efficiency and output.

Machine Setup: Precision and Quality from the Start

Achieving consistent product quality starts with precise machine setups. Redzone helps you establish and enforce standardized procedures accessible through interactive digital work instructions. Real-time monitoring ensures your machines operate at peak performance. At the same time, seamless integration with quality control systems allows you to track defects and identify trends, enabling continuous improvement and minimizing costly errors.

Data-Driven Decisions: From Hindsight to Foresight

Redzone goes beyond historical analysis, combining past trends with real-time insights to provide a dynamic view of your operations. Our predictive analytics capabilities leverage machine learning to forecast future performance, identify potential risks, and empower you to make proactive, data-driven decisions that optimize your manufacturing process.

Quality Control: Real-time Assurance

Redzone empowers you to go beyond traditional inspection methods with real-time quality monitoring. Detect defects early, prevent them from reaching your customers, and analyze data to identify root causes and implement corrective actions. With Redzone, you can build a reputation for excellence and ensure customer satisfaction.

Training and Knowledge: Empowering Your Workforce

Redzone provides a platform for creating and distributing up-to-date digital work instructions, accessible anytime, anywhere. Develop engaging, interactive training modules that accelerate learning and boost knowledge retention. With Redzone, your workforce is always equipped with the latest information and best practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Case Studies

QAD Redzone has helped numerous companies achieve significant improvements in productivity, engagement, and retention. Here are a few real-world case studies that highlight their success stories:

  • T.H.E.M., a leading innovator in the highly competitive packaging industry, achieved a remarkable 23% increase in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) after implementing Redzone. This improvement stemmed from a combination of factors, including reduced downtime, improved changeover times, and increased employee engagement. Redzone’s real-time data and analytics helped T.H.E.M. identify and address bottlenecks in their production process, leading to significant productivity gains.  
  • Beckett Air, a manufacturer of HVAC equipment, leveraged Redzone to improve their on-time delivery performance by 10%. By providing real-time visibility into production schedules and performance, Redzone enabled Beckett Air to identify and address potential delays before they impacted customer deliveries. This improvement not only enhanced customer satisfaction but also strengthened Beckett Air’s competitive position in the market.
  • Jel Sert, a renowned food and beverage manufacturer, used Redzone to drive a 15% reduction in waste. Redzone’s focus on continuous improvement and employee engagement empowered Jel Sert’s workforce to identify and eliminate sources of waste in their operations. This not only reduced costs but also contributed to Jel Sert’s sustainability goals.
  • Pharmacal, a leading pharmaceutical company, implemented Redzone to improve employee engagement and retention. Redzone’s mobile-first platform facilitated communication and collaboration among Pharmacal’s workforce, fostering a sense of ownership and purpose. This led to a significant decrease in employee turnover and an increase in productivity. 

For more information about the integration success with Becket Ai, Jel Sert and Pharmacal read the full case study

Redzone’s Features

QAD Redzone is a leading connected workforce solution specifically designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities of industrial manufacturing. It empowers frontline teams with the tools and information they need to excel, driving significant improvements in productivity, engagement, and operational efficiency.

Full Production Visibility

With Redzone, manufacturers get a real-time, comprehensive view of the entire production process, from raw materials to finished goods. Monitor every step, identify bottlenecks, and proactively address potential issues before they impact quality or delivery. This granular level of visibility helps optimize production schedules, reduce downtime, and improve overall efficiency.

Frontline Collaboration

Redzone connects the entire workforce, from the shop floor to the top floor, through a mobile-first platform. Teams can easily share information, escalate issues, and work together to find solutions, creating a culture of shared ownership and continuous improvement.

Compliance Management

Redzone helps manufacturers maintain compliance with industry regulations by digitizing workflows, automating data capture, and providing audit trails. Operators follow standardized procedures for critical processes like welding or chemical handling, while the system prompts workers with step-by-step instructions, capturing digital signatures for verification – recording all relevant data for compliance audits.

Improved Productivity

By automating data entry and report generation, Redzone frees up valuable time for supervisors and operators to focus on value-added activities. Real-time performance data allows for quick identification and resolution of production bottlenecks, further enhancing efficiency.

Integrations

Integrating Redzone with a company’s ERP system allows for automatic updates of production data, inventory levels, and order status, providing a unified view of the business and facilitating informed decision-making.

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Real-Time Work-in-Progress Tracking

Production managers can track the progress of a batch of components through each stage of the manufacturing process, identify any potential delays, and adjust schedules accordingly to maintain on-time delivery.

Cross-Facility Scalability

Redzone is designed to scale across multiple facilities, supporting diverse workspaces and offering multilingual capabilities. A multinational company can deploy Redzone across all its manufacturing plants, enabling standardized processes, real-time communication across locations, and centralized data analysis for global performance optimization.

Digital Workflows for Operator Support

Redzone empowers both new and experienced operators with digital workflows that provide step-by-step guidance, helping them to quickly level up and adapt to new processes. A new operator assembling a complex product can access detailed digital instructions with 3D models and video demonstrations directly on their mobile device. This reduces training time, minimizes errors, and improves overall efficiency.

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Digital Workflow Instructions

Redzone supports operators with digital workflows that incorporate text, images, and videos for clear and concise instructions. If a manufacturing process changes, updated instructions with new diagrams and videos can be instantly pushed to operators’ mobile devices through Redzone, ensuring everyone is working with the most current information.

Automated Data Capture

Redzone automates data capture by connecting with tools, devices, and sensors on the shop floor. Sensors on machines can automatically transmit data on cycle times, output, and downtime to Redzone, providing real-time performance monitoring and enabling proactive maintenance.

Performance Metrics Monitoring

By tracking machine performance data, Redzone can identify trends and predict potential failures, allowing maintenance teams to schedule preventative maintenance and avoid costly downtime.

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Ready to transform your industrial manufacturing operations with QAD Redzone?

See firsthand how Redzone can empower your workforce, optimize your production, and drive continuous improvement.