42Q
A Foundation For Smart Manufacturing

For decades, manufacturing execution systems (MES) have been the cornerstone of seamless operations on the factory floor, coordinating activities across all parts of production, from tracking inventory to managing quality control. While manufacturing processes have evolved significantly over the past decade, MES modernization has been largely dormant. Today, on-premise servers and software solutions for MES still dominate. However, cloud-based manufacturing solutions are now recognized for their advantages of simpler deployment with improved flexibility, scalability and cost efficiency. Widespread adoption of Salesforce for CRM applications and NetSuite for ERP systems are prominent examples of how businesses are embracing the cloud. “Businesses are recognizing the value of the cloud in terms of the speed, flexibility and total cost of ownership it provides to improve their operations,” says Srivats Ramaswami, CTO of 42Q. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, 42Q specializes in providing cloud-based MES and digital factory transformation solutions.

"At 42Q, we are revolutionizing MES with a complete digital factory transformation solution, enabling companies to leverage MES at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional on-premise solutions,” explains Ramaswami. A software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering, 42Q’s MES has been deployed in more than 1,000 production lines and at 60 major manufacturing facilities worldwide. Growing acceptance of MES validates the company's confidence that manufacturing processes can be transformed through cloud-based innovation. 42Q customers are often surprised at how easily and quickly MES can be deployed. Because it’s based in the cloud, initial functionality can be rolled out to multiple production lines in only 6 to 8 weeks.

Rapid Connectivity of Factory Assets

As manufacturers migrate to Industry 4.0 and implement fully digital factories that unlock the benefits of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), 42Q’s cloud-based MES is a compelling offering. The company greatly simplifies the implementation of factory automation, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, real-time in-process data collection, and data analytics—all key elements of Industry 4.0. 42Q provides an easy-to-deploy methodology for digital factory transformation, without the need for significant IT resources.

Companies can simply log in, configure and use 42Q’s cloud-based MES solution for better factory floor and equipment connectivity, real-time storage of factory data, statistical process control and end-user analytics and reporting. 42Q includes more than 150 APIs, providing unparalleled flexibility for integration with other mission-critical systems and factory equipment that manufacturers may already have in place.

As a division of Sanmina, a Fortune 500 company that provides end-to-end manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers, 42Q is able to leverage dedicated teams with extensive experience in architecture, development, and implementation of advanced MES and manufacturing automation systems. “We also have skilled integration experts, especially for aerospace, automotive, and medical device manufacturers,” says Ramaswami. The company also offers an integrated solution to help manufacturers meet unique requirements for managing people, assets and manufacturing processes.

We are revolutionizing MES with a complete digital factory transformation solution, enabling companies to leverage MES at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional on-premise solutions

Real-time Visibility, Control and Analytics

42Q’s solution was originally developed for complex, discrete manufacturing, such as the production of regulated medical devices that require strict compliance with regulatory bodies like the FDA. It is mandatory for such manufacturers to undertake regular audits and ensure that quality records, materials and process information are current and accurate. With 42Q, manufacturers can precisely track and manage inventories in real time, and leverage end-to-end traceability features to maintain quality levels and meet production forecasts.

42Q also works well for the highly regulated production of automotive subassemblies. The company provides a real-time digital twin of factory floors to improve global supply chain visibility, production control and operating efficiency. With 42Q MES in place, manufacturers can monitor a virtual rendering of the factory floor, with visibility across dozens of different data collection points.

In the event of a malfunction or operating violation, 42Q leverages this data to alert COOs in a factory instantly, anytime and anywhere. “We also allow our customers to use a self-service analytics engine to analyze the factory data,” says Ramaswami. “We integrate our statistical process control layer on the analytics engine to automatically generate actionable insights for both factory and executive management.” In addition, 42Q can provide tremendous value to a Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) or a supply chain executive who must ensure that critical materials reach the factory on time. With 42Q, a CPO has real-time visibility into WIP (work in process) or finished goods levels in feeder factories or critical suppliers.

42Q’s cloud-based and high-speed MES has the potential to jumpstart IIoT initiatives and disrupt the manufacturing arena. In the future, the company plans to add more innovation into its ‘rapid IIoT cloud solution,’ serving multiple applications across a broad range of verticals. “We are already deploying artificial intelligence, machine learning algorithms and big data analytics into our solutions. This helps manufacturers stay in front of emerging trends in Industry 4.0 and the digital factory,” concludes Ramaswami.