The digital thread refers to the communication framework that allows a connected data flow and integrated view of the asset’s data throughout its lifecycle across traditionally siloed functional perspectives. It is the digital thread that connects product design, supply chain, production, and maintenance services and allows for a truly smart factory, delivering “the right information to the right place at the right time.”
Is your enterprise prepared for the smart factory evolution?
Benefits of Enabling the Digital Thread
Connecting and integrating traditionally siloed functions supports better decision making at all levels, more effective collaboration throughout the supply chain, and powerful, real-time business insights.
“The potential benefits, both near- and long-term, are undeniable and compelling,” writes Tom Hennessy, VP, Marketing at iBASEt in Manufacturing Leadership Journal. “Quality, control, and risk can be precisely managed in real-time across the enterprise. Business, production, and compliance problems are solved faster, better, and cheaper. Decision support becomes more granular, and is harmonized across the factory and throughout the supply chain. The digital thread brings customers, vendors, and suppliers closer, tying them into holistic feedback and evaluation loops. People, machines, and other resources are put to more efficient use, with optimization driven by better metrics and predictive performance analytics that flag pending issues before they cause outages or quality defects.”
According to LNS, enabling this thread means “significant payoffs” for manufacturers, including:
- 20% more successful new product introductions
- 16% improvement in on-time and complete shipments
Yet, digital thread readiness is surprisingly low. Only 20-30% of companies have made strides to implement it across the enterprise.
Read more about the enabling the digital thread + assess your readiness with iBASEt’s Digital Thread Adoption Calculator.
