The Global Lighthouse Network (GLN) was created by the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains to accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies throughout the global manufacturing community. The Lighthouse Manufacturers who make up the network earn this distinction for demonstrating leadership in deploying Industry 4.0 technology at scale, transforming factories, and driving financial, operational, and sustainability improvements.
Lighthouse factories lead the manufacturing community in the adoption of Industry 4.0 technology, such as manufacturing intelligence software platforms and advanced manufacturing analytics applications.
How can your factory become a Lighthouse?
Lighthouse factories meet high standards across four categories:
- Demonstrate that a significant impact was achieved.
- Offer several examples of successful use cases.
- Prove that a scalable technology platform is in place.
- Document strong performance in key areas such as change management and capability building.
Factories admitted to the Lighthouse Network all deploy advanced manufacturing processes, have high levels of automation, use both connected devices and advanced data analytics to optimize production and implement Industry 4.0 technologies at scale. Examples include Bosch’s smart factory in Germany, Foxconn’s Taiwan factory, Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceuticals facility in Ireland, and Flex’s Industry 4.0 factory in Austria.
Flex leads the way into a new era of manufacturing.
The Flex site in Althofen, Austria, was admitted into the Global Lighthouse Network after demonstrating how it deployed Industry 4.0 technologies to improve operational efficiency and meet higher environmental standards. The Austria factory employs innovative technology solutions to:
- Offer a virtual line operator assistance system that halts the production line when quality issues are detected
- Provide end-to-end visibility into Flex’s entire supply chain in real-time
- Use automated, just-in-time materials management to reduce line-side-stock, freeing up production space and increasing product changeover capacity
- Integrate IT infrastructure with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to create real-time energy flow data monitoring and alerting
- Deploy an advanced analytics platform to draw actionable insights using data from machines, optical analytics systems, and other sources
See the webinar by Flex: How is Industry 4.0 Driving Advanced Manufacturing?
ArchFX provided the advanced analytics platform that has been an integral part of Flex’s Industry 4.0 journey. Flex partnered with Arch Systems because their robust platform could extract data from new and existing machines, creating a universal solution powered by rich, actionable data. Successful implementation of the Arch solution enables real-time dashboards, Global KPIs, custom reports, and advanced analytics that help Flex succeed.
“The Flex factory site in Althofen, Austria demonstrates how a manufacturing company and its workforce can leverage actionable innovation and purpose-driven sustainability to lead change.” – Francisco Betti, Head of Shaping the Advanced Manufacturing and Production Platform, World Economic Forum.
Lighthouse Manufacturing with ArchFX GLO™
ArchFX GLO™ is an operational intelligence solution built by manufacturing experts with action management at its core. GLO redefines how global manufacturing sites are managed, equipping local sites with intelligent, expert tools tailored to their individual needs. By integrating work and communication into a unified global standard solution, GLO harnesses all available manufacturing data, using machine learning to drive action management from the top floor to the shop floor.
With ArchFX GLO, front-line operators have immediate access to real-time information through overhead displays. They can capture downtime data accurately and employ guided playbooks for expert actions. Engineering teams receive instant alerts, contributing to global playbooks and scalable solutions across sites. This integrated approach ensures swift responses, data-driven decisions, and optimized performance – all essential for achieving lighthouse manufacturing status.