“How are you different than the competitors?”
We get this question a lot, and it’s a great question. If we were looking for new software or partner for our own company, we’d ask that exact same question. Given the landscape, it’s important to know how any software is different because you want to make sure you’re getting the best possible solution, right?
While the benefits you’ll get from Mingo Manufacturing Analytics are specific to you and will be largely based on your goals and needs, there are 5 key components that differentiate us from the competition.
1. Complete Solution
Mingo Smart Factory is the only complete solution. This includes connecting sensors and PLCs and contextualizing data gathered and providing visuals with dashboards.
Really what that means is that we can help you figure out how to get connected to all different types of machines, help you determine what hardware is needed (and provide said hardware), and contextualize the data collected so that it’s actually useful. You get a single solution that meets all of your needs.
We won’t hide the fact that there are companies that will sell you hardware with basic dashboard and data solutions, just as we will provide you with the hardware you need. If you’ve done your research, you’ll know these solutions exist.
But, the other companies won’t be able to give you everything you need to understand productivity in the factory or give you real-time insight. Whereas, Mingo does that, and does it well.
You may have to figure out how to get the data to the company, there isn’t a team to help you figure out what hardware you need or how to connect all of your machines.
Of course, there’s a lot of companies that can sell you the hardware, but do you know what’s right for your plant? You’ll have to figure that out on your own, too.
And, oftentimes, if you want visuals beyond those pre-created, it will require lots of development on your end, too.
But, do those companies provide a complete solution from beginning to end? Typically, these providers create more challenges than they solve.
Mingo is a proven solution that connects any machine. Need to make 100-year-old machines “smart”? No problem. Or, do you need to connect a brand new machine, with every bell and whistle and amazing computing technology that is less than a year old? We can do that, too.
We’ll provide you with the hardware, implementation assistance, visuals, and support, all in one.
With Mingo, you can start getting data very quickly and efficiently.
2. Out of the Box Solution
Unlike our competition, we provide an out-of-the-box solution with no required customization.
The biggest advantage, beyond the various dashboards, is a pre-built operator interface for operators on the floor to enter data and get real-time feedback, allowing them to know how they’re doing at all times.
Many competitors either don’t offer that or you have to build it out yourself. While that may not seem like a big deal initially, building out custom solutions fully requires a substantial amount of work, both in time and money. Think about the software development efforts that would take. You’ll need a substantial amount of expertise to get started, lay out a list of the metrics you’d need or would like to see, and then start building it out.
Sometimes, this is done with a consultant, but that sounds expensive, right? Regardless, it’s a cumbersome process, especially considering you have other things to do.
With Mingo, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. We’ve done the work to know which metrics you need and built those out in the solution, making it truly out of the box.
The promise of pre-built dashboards and an operator interface really speeds up the implementation time, too, giving you the ability to start working on your goals sooner rather than later.
However, we should point out that if you wanted to customize Mingo, the option is available. We would be more than happy to teach you the skills you need to do that.
3. Speed of Implementation
To our next point, since it was briefly mentioned above, speed of implementation is also a big differentiator. We can implement faster than almost all of our competitors, and we can do it remotely if needed.
We can have a handful of machines up and running in days. Not weeks, not months, not years, but days. That quick implementation process allows you to collect valuable information from the day you go live, putting you one step closer to stopping problems as they happen and knowing if you’ve won the day. You’ll be able to start eliminating downtime by knowing about it the day you go live.
Then, as you get farther into your journey with Mingo, you’ll tackle problem after problem, issue after issue, continually improving your floor along the way.
4. Flexibility
We offer a flexible solution. You may be wondering what really means. Simply, it’s the idea of taking any data from anywhere and making it meaningful for manufacturers like yourself.
Think wireless sensors on legacy machines and utilizing all different types of PLCs. Need the option for an operator interface? We’ve got that. Multiple dashboards, varying forms of scoreboards? Downloadable information into CSV files? It’s all possible.
We can get any data into the system to give you the insights you’re looking for.
The promise of flexibility also includes things well beyond the basics, too. We can do counts, detect when the machine isn’t running, pull process data like speed flow rates, feed rates, current rates, pressures, and really anything that will affect the outcome of production, and tell you whether or not you’re producing a quality product.
Mingo can give you the data that matters most.
5. Easily Maintained
You can maintain the system all by yourself. While that may not sound incredibly enticing, it’s more beneficial than many realize.
You don’t need specialized employees or an army of programmers dedicated to only maintaining this piece of software. It’s built to provide ease of use for operators, your engineers, your continuous improvement staff, the C-suite, yourself.
While the insights you gain are vast, the ease of use allows the entire manufacturing organization to run, own, and maintain the software itself.
Summary
Those are 5 factors that differentiate us from the competition. But, when we talk with manufacturers like yourself, it’s important to dive even deeper, to figure out your goals and needs. That insight allows us to better understand how each feature built into Mingo will help you drive improvement, increase performance, and improve efficiency.
To put it simply, understanding how Mingo is different from the competition first starts you and your objectives.
“What are you trying to accomplish? What is the main goal you want to achieve?”
When we start the conversation by digging into the details of your company, we understand how you want to use our software and help you figure out how it will help solve the problems you’re facing. Then, you’ll understand, in specific detail, how each feature will provide you with big benefits.
Of course, if you want a basic scoreboard that you’ll likely outgrow within 6 months, a competitor might be the answer. But, if you want a solution that will provide the insight you’re looking for and will scale across multiple plans, Mingo is your solution.
This is why it’s important for us to talk about what you’re trying to accomplish with manufacturing analytics. At the end of the day, how we differentiate from the competition circles back to your needs and goals.
When we have a better understanding of you and your needs, we can answer your question regarding how we set ourselves apart from the competition more specifically. There, we’ll dive into the details and specifics.
