Driving Smart Efficiency:

How a Global Technology Leader Streamlined Production and Reduced Downtime with Arch

To manage its high-volume magnetic production lines remotely located in China, a global smart manufacturer turned to Arch. Faced with communication barriers and inefficient manual data practices, the company deployed the Arch Platform to automate downtime tracking, generate process insights, and scale production without added labor. Within months, downtime dropped by more than 10%, reporting was fully automated, and the approach was primed for expansion across internal and contract manufacturing sites.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

Downtime reduction of more than 10% on magnetic production lines.

Scaled to 20 lines without additional operator workload

Automated reporting replaced manual Excel + Qlik workflows
Improved collaboration between remote technical teams and the factory floor
Scalable model ready for broader implementation across global operations

The Challenge

Managing high-value production lines remotely created inefficiencies that manual systems couldn’t solve, especially as production scaled. Key operational challenges included:

Communication gaps between Israel-based management and China-based teams
Manual data collection via Excel and Qlik dashboards
Limited visibility into downtime root causes and trends
No scalable solution to support expansion to additional lines

The Arch Approach

Arch provided a secure, scalable platform that automated data collection, enabled downtime labeling, and delivered insights without disrupting existing systems. The Arch Platform deployment featured:

Integration with Kepware for machine-level PLC data access
Use of end-of-line machine signals as downtime pacemakers
Real-time and end-of-shift downtime labeling by operators
PLC tag mapping to surface non-native machine error conditions
Creation of automated process insights without manual logging

Key Outcomes

Downtime Reduced by Over 10% Through Targeted Insight

Arch enabled automated identification of performance issues, replacing slow, manual analysis with accurate, real-time data.

● Downtime lowered by 10%+ at key production lines
● Improved response time to issues across remote teams
● Focus shifted from data collection to process optimization

Operational Scalability Without Added Overhead

As production scaled, Arch eliminated the need for additional operator resources for data logging or downtime tracking.

● Scaled from initial deployment to 20 lines
● No increase in manual data entry effort
● Supported future growth with a repeatable model

Reliable, Automated Reporting Enabled Executive Confidence

The Arch Platform replaced error-prone manual workflows with real-time data feeds that powered executive-level insights.

● Automated reports delivered to leadership
● Eliminated the need for Qlik + Excel-based summaries
● Created a trusted, repeatable reporting structure for multiple sites

Strategic Lessons

Smart manufacturers can drive real efficiency gains when operational data is connected, automated, and delivered at scale without the burden of manual intervention.

Key takeaways include:

Remote visibility empowers global collaboration: Real-time data bridged geographic and functional gaps
Automation reduces overhead: Less manual work, more operational focus
Tag-level precision matters: PLC mapping exposed hidden failure modes
Scalability drives value: Arch enabled sustainable expansion to more lines and more sites
Executive trust starts with clean data: Automated reports built confidence at the top