Whirlpool employs operation efficiencies insight

Lighthammer, supplier of the Operational Excellence platform for manufacturing, and an SAP xApps Partner, announced that the Whirlpool appliance company has selected its Manufacturing Performance Improvement (MPI) composite application to deliver real-time insight into operating efficiencies through the SAP NetWeaver '04 open integration and application platform.

Lighthammer , supplier of the Operational Excellence platform for manufacturing, and an SAP xApps Partner, announced that the Whirlpool appliance company has selected its Manufacturing Performance Improvement (MPI) composite application to deliver real-time insight into operating efficiencies through the SAP NetWeaver ’04 open integration and application platform.

MPI allows users of the mySAP Business Suite family of business solutions to implement manufacturing performance improvement initiatives through real-time access to the data in existing systems on the shop floor. With MPI, this data is available in mySAP Business Suite as a data feed for Six Sigma and other continuous improvement initiatives. MPI leverages Lighthammer’s connectivity to virtually all data sources in manufacturing such as control, historians, maintenance, and quality systems. Users can define metrics and alert criteria, along with the corresponding corrective action. Actions may be taken in any other mySAP Business Suite application to resolve an issue rapidly and drive operational excellence across all manufacturing nodes in the supply chain.

Jim Shimp, Whirlpool director of global supply chain applications, says, “The inclusion of real-time reporting of equipment and production line operating efficiencies through the SAP Enterprise Portal will provide additional insight and benefits for plant maintenance managers, operations managers, and division VPs, allowing business decisions to be made with a consistent, real-time flow of data from plant operator through executive management.”

—David Greenfield, editorial director, Control Engineering, [email protected]