Manufacturing Digitalisation Guide (Scotland)

What manufacturing digitalisation means in practice

Manufacturing digitalisation is the shift from paper, spreadsheets, and disconnected systems to connected, usable data that improves decisions on the shop floor and across the business.

It typically includes:

• Connected machines and sensors (only where it adds clear value)
• Production visibility (e.g., OEE - Overall Equipment Effectiveness; downtime; scrap; throughput)
• Digitised processes (quality checks, maintenance, work instructions, audits)
• Integrated systems (ERP, MES, WMS, CMMS, PLM, Microsoft 365)

• ERP = Enterprise Resource Planning
• MES = Manufacturing Execution System
• WMS = Warehouse Management System
• CMMS = Computerised Maintenance Management System
• PLM = Product Lifecycle Management
• Actionable analytics (insights that trigger decisions and actions)
• Cyber-secure operations (IT + OT governance; OT = operational technology)

Common pain points in Scottish manufacturing

Across Glasgow, the Central Belt, and wider Scotland, the patterns are consistent:

• Downtime and stoppages aren’t recorded properly, so root cause becomes guesswork
• Quality data is slow, manual, inconsistent, or trapped on paper
• Maintenance is reactive and critical knowledge sits with a few people
• Stock accuracy is weak due to disconnected stores and production records
• Lead times drift because schedules don’t reflect reality
• Reporting takes too long and gets disputed (“whose numbers are right?”)

The good news: most of this is fixable without ripping everything out.

The six outcomes that matter

To make digitalisation pay back, pick one (or two) outcomes and design around it.

1) Reduce downtime

First move: standardise downtime reason codes and capture them consistently.

• Capture reasons every shift (simple, quick, consistent)
• Flag repeat failures automatically
• Link issues to maintenance actions and history

2) Improve quality and traceability

First move: replace paper QC with digital checks that enforce completeness.

• Digital QC forms with mandatory fields and photo evidence
• Batch/lot traceability linked to production runs
• Fast containment workflow for non-conformances

3) Increase throughput

First move: make bottlenecks visible with live WIP and constraint tracking.

• Track WIP and queues in real time (even if manual at first)
• Standardise work instructions and changeovers
• Use data to confirm where the true constraint is

4) Lower operating cost

First move: target scrap/rework early with earlier detection and feedback loops.

• Reduce scrap and rework by catching issues sooner
• Remove double entry and manual admin
• Monitor energy/consumables where it affects margin

5) Improve delivery performance

First move: track schedule adherence and reasons for variance.

• Align planning to real capacity and constraints
• Track adherence and causes of drift
• Improve inventory accuracy and picking reliability

6) Strengthen resilience

First move: reduce dependency on individuals by digitising and making knowledge searchable.

• Digitise key processes and make them easy to find
• Improve supplier and compliance reporting speed
• Standardise how information is captured across shifts

Where to start: a practical roadmap

Most digitalisation efforts stall because they start too wide. Keep it focused and repeatable.

Step 1: pick one line (or one process)

Choose something that is:

• High pain or high value
• Representative of wider operations
• Supported by a willing supervisor and team

Step 2: establish baseline measures (before you change anything)

Minimum baseline:

• Downtime minutes (with reasons)
• Scrap/rework rate
• Output per shift
• Changeover time
• Delivery performance impact (where relevant)

Step 3: digitise data capture first, then automate

A typical sequence:

• Replace paper/spreadsheets with digital forms and workflows
• Standardise reason codes and definitions
• Create simple live views for the shop floor
• Add sensors and integrations only where they clearly reduce effort or improve accuracy

Step 4: integrate the essentials (not everything)

Start with integrations that remove double entry:

• ERP ↔ production reporting
• Maintenance requests ↔ CMMS
• Quality records ↔ batch/traceability data
• Microsoft 365 ↔ alerts, approvals, and audit trail

Step 5: scale what works

Repeat line-by-line using:

• A standard template (process, data model, dashboards, governance)
• Measured benefits and lessons learned
• Prioritised use cases that deliver quick wins

Quick wins that usually deliver speed to value

Digital downtime tracking + Pareto

• Consistent reason codes, shift handover notes, and a simple “top 5 causes” view

Digital quality checks

• Tablets/phones for inspections, automatic escalation, evidence capture

Maintenance request workflow

• Easy logging, triage, tracking, and asset history

Stock and WIP visibility

• Better material flow decisions and fewer surprise shortages

Standard work + training content

• Version-controlled work instructions that reduce variation and onboarding time

Technology choices: keep it boring and reliable

You don’t need a shiny stack. You need:

• Fit-for-purpose tools
• Clean data
• Strong adoption
• Secure operations

In many environments, a pragmatic mix works well:

• Microsoft 365 for forms, workflows, approvals, collaboration, and audit trail
• Power BI for reporting that drives decisions
• Integration to ERP/MES/CMMS where it removes manual steps
• Targeted sensors/IoT only where they add clear value

Cyber security: don’t ignore OT risk

Digitalising production increases connectivity — which increases exposure. Minimum hygiene should include:

• Asset inventory (IT + OT)
• Patch and firmware discipline (where feasible)
• Segmentation between office and production networks
• Access controls and MFA for remote access
• Backups and recovery tested for critical systems
• Monitoring and alerting appropriate to your size

Where relevant, align to baseline UK practice such as Cyber Essentials.

What good looks like in 30 days

If you start with one line/process, a realistic first month looks like:

• One scoped use case (downtime, QC, maintenance, or WIP)
• Baseline metrics captured consistently
• Digital data capture live for that use case
• A simple live view the shop floor actually uses
• Agreed owners, definitions, and governance for the data

How Valorem First helps Scottish manufacturers

Valorem First is a Glasgow-based digital transformation consultancy. We help manufacturers move from plans to operational outcomes by focusing on:

• A roadmap tied to measurable KPIs
• Practical delivery with supervisors and operators
• Integration that reduces manual work (not adds complexity)
• Security and governance that won’t bite later
• Scalable templates so improvements repeat across lines and sites

If you want to sanity-check your plan, start with a short discovery and baseline assessment.

FAQs

How long does it take to see results?

Often within weeks if you start with a single line/process and target downtime, quality, or maintenance workflows.

Do we need to buy a full MES?

Not always. Many firms benefit from fixing data capture and integration first, then deciding if MES is needed.

What’s the biggest reason projects fail?

Starting too wide, making it too complex, and not getting adoption on the shop floor. Start small, standardise, and scale.

What KPIs should we track first?

Downtime (with reasons), scrap/rework, output per shift, changeover time, and schedule adherence.