May 6, 2013 - The International Society of Automation (ISA) announces that it has published the third collection of its Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) methodology white papers designed to help manufacturers transform their paper-based processes into real-time operations intelligence that drives innovation and optimizes global supply chain management. The MOM Chronicles: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 3.0 builds on the international success of Books 1.0 and 2.0, and the progress made by the ISA-chartered ISA95 Best Practices Working Group in outlining prescriptive methods for applying MOM standards to advance manufacturing operations technologies.
“The simple truth is that manufacturers who don’t adopt paperless processes for intelligent operations management will not be able to compete globally and will fail in business,” asserts Charlie Gifford, the book’s editor and contributing author. “The more quickly this transformation can be achieved, the faster these companies will be able to continually innovate and improve.” The new book, Gifford says, explains how a standards-based framework can be established creating and maintaining plant operations process definitions and rule sets so that intelligence systems can accurately execute work processes for the entire plant and supply network in a cost-effective manner.
“Currently, the use of industrial computer applications has largely been limited to isolated, department-based systems,” he explains. “And most manufacturing departments define their operations work process and the forms used to enable their processes using a department-based language and data definition. This makes communication between people and systems to execute the single process of flowing materials an expensive translation and slow manual task. “To accelerate innovation and make continuous improvement sustainable,” Gifford continues, “the actual work processes and executing systems must speak the same language and structure data in a standardized way in order to ensure accurate integration, reporting and analysis.”
The MOM Chronicles 3.0 explains the standards and methods for supply chain-focused operations management systems, outlines how to construct the system requirements for a plant or set of plants, and defines roles and processes across the supply chain. “A very important point is that the book explains how a standards-based framework can help complete the transformation to intelligent work processes within three to five years, a much shorter timeframe than the current average of between 10 and 15 years,” Gifford points out. “The faster this transformation can be accomplished the sooner manufacturers can improve their profitability, and optimize their product innovations into and through their supply chain.”
Gifford is president and owner of 21st Century Manufacturing Solutions, a manufacturing consultation firm. For the past 30 years, he has developed advanced manufacturing systems in a wide range of industries: aerospace, electronics, automotive, food and beverage, telecom, energy and life sciences. A widely recognized expert in combining Lean Six Sigma practices with operations management systems, Gifford has contributed to the development of and taught many operations standards, including ISA88 and ISA95. He recently served as chairman of the ISA95 Best Practices Working Group.
He has published more than 45 papers on operations management best practices, and served as chief editor and contributing author of Hitchhikers Guide to Manufacturing Operations Management: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 1.0 and When Worlds Collide: ISA-95 Best Practices Book 2.0. He received an undergraduate degree in chemical and material engineering and a master’s degree in solid state physics, both from the University of Maryland.
About ISA
Founded in 1945, the International Society of Automation is a leading, global, nonprofit organization that is setting the standard for automation by helping over 30,000 worldwide members and other professionals solve difficult technical problems, while enhancing their leadership and personal career capabilities. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, ISA develops standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; and hosts conferences and exhibitions for automation professionals. ISA is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation.
