Comtech Industries was exposed to the power of data with a view to increase factory floor efficiency by an engineering intern, Huy Tran. Supported by an Entrepreneurs’ Programme Innovation Connections grant, Comtech Industries employed the recently graduated intern to implement data capture systems.
The Challenge
Comtech Industries hosted Huy Tran, a University of Queensland Engineering intern for nine weeks. From Huy’s work, Comtech Industries became aware that factory floor manufacturing efficiency and performance could be improved through developing data capture systems. Huy’s understanding of the factory floor combined with knowledge of the power of data from his engineering degree presented an opportunity to improve operational processes.
Comtech Industries were aware of their limitation in making use of data generated by their machines to it’s full potential. The data is often not captured, and data that is recorded is not analysed to provide insights to how factory floor performance and efficiency can be improved.
Our Response
Comtech Industries were referred to the Australian Government's initiative the Entrepreneurs' Programme, Innovation Connections service by the program's Growth service. With support from CSIRO's SME Connect Innovation Connections facilitator Scott McNeil, Comtech Industries scoped a data processing optimisation project to improve factory floor performance and efficiencies and applied for the Innovation Connections Graduate Placement grant to support the employment of Huy.
The Results
The 12 month project has made Comtech Industries internal systems substantially more efficient, and they now have visibility of operational performance. Benefits from the project include improved tracking performance, and employee and process performance management. At the end of the project, Huy was employed by Comtech Industries and is continuing to assist with operational improvements.
We have now employed the graduate beyond the 12-month project. We have substantially reduced overtime and increased output as a result of being able to capture, analyse and develop operational improvements from the data.
— Tim Wall, CEO, Comtech Industries
Our Collaborator
