How Patrick Found His Factory’s Hidden Treasure

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Blog/How Patrick Found His Factory’s Hidden Treasure

How Patrick Found His Factory’s Hidden Treasure

Let me tell you about Patrick.

Patrick runs a factory that produces choke valves for oil and gas.
The machines hum loudly, running every day, all day.
Orders go out on time.
Profits trickle in steadily... everything seems fine.

But Patrick can’t shake the feeling.
Something’s off.
“We could do better,” he thinks...
He just doesn’t know where to start.

One sweltering afternoon, Patrick’s cousin Ricky stops by.
Ricky works with factories, helping them improve.
The floor is buzzing with activity.
It’s boiling hot... the air smells of grease and metal.

Ricky wipes his brow and asks,
“Patrick, do you know your OEE?”

Patrick looks puzzled.
“OEE? I’ve heard of it... but we don’t track it.
The machines are running, so why bother?”

Ricky raises an eyebrow.
“Are you sure?
Are they running as well as they could?
Or are you leaving money on the table?”

Patrick shrugs.
“We meet our orders.
It seems fine to me... why measure more?”

Ricky leans in with a knowing smile.
“OEE shows how well your factory is performing.
It’s like a magnifying glass for your machines.
It looks at availability, performance, and quality.
Without it... small problems can hide in plain sight.
And those small problems? They cost you big.”

Patrick frowns.
“What kind of problems?”

Ricky explains.
“Availability checks if your machines are running when they should.
Performance asks if they’re running at their full speed.
Quality shows how many of your products are perfect, no defects.

When you put it all together... OEE tells you the truth about your efficiency.”

Patrick rubs his chin.
“But my machines are running.
How could I be losing money?”

Ricky nods knowingly.
“They’re running, yes... but not perfectly.
A few minutes of downtime here...
A slower machine there...
A defective product every now and then.

These small cracks?
They add up...
And they bleed money from your factory.”

Patrick leans forward.
“Okay, how do I calculate it?”

Ricky grabs a notebook.
“Let’s do it now.
First, how much downtime do you have?”

Patrick pauses, thinking.
“Maybe 15% of the time...”

Ricky writes it down.
“And how fast are they running?”

Patrick replies,
“About 90% of their maximum speed.”

Ricky nods.
“Lastly, how many of your products are defect-free?”

Patrick shrugs.
“Most of them... maybe 95% are good.”

Ricky does the math, tapping his pen.
“Your OEE is 72.7%.”

Patrick’s eyes widen.
“72.7%? That’s... low.
I thought we were doing fine!”

Ricky’s tone sharpens.
“You’re losing 27.3% of your potential output.
That’s wasted time... wasted effort...
And wasted money.”

Patrick sits up straight.
“So what do I do about it?”

Ricky smiles.
“Start tracking your OEE every week.
Dig into the numbers.
Why are machines stopping?
Why are they slow?
Why are there defects?”

Patrick nods, listening closely.
“And then?”

Ricky says,
“You fix the problems.
Replace worn-out parts.
Train your team.
Adjust your processes...

It’s not instant...
But it works.”

Patrick takes a deep breath.
“And if I do that?
What happens?”

Ricky leans back with a grin.
“Your factory will run smoother.
You’ll make more valves... spend less...
And grow your profits.”

Patrick decides to give it a shot.
He tracks OEE every week.
At first, it feels like extra work...
But soon, he starts spotting the issues.

A faulty sensor? Replaced.
A worn belt? Fixed.
Workers need training? Done.

Six months later, things are different.
Patrick’s OEE hits 85%...
His factory runs smoother than ever.
More valves roll off the line.
Costs are down... profits are up.

Patrick can’t stop smiling.
“It worked,” he says...
And he knows it’s just the beginning.

That’s Patrick’s story.
What about you?
Are you leaving money on the table too?

Let’s find out.
https://form.jotform.com/250153537901048

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Hi, I Am Ricky Sun

CEO Of Sunlead Technologies Inc. 

Ricky is the founder and CEO of Sunlead Technologies Inc., a company helping oil & gas leaders turn data into actionable insights. With over 15 years in the PI Data Historian field, he delivers high-quality services for the AVEVA PI System. Sunlead’s mission is to maximize client investments in the PI System through tailored, data-driven solutions that enhance efficiency, reliability, and growth.