Are you ready to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and effectively deal with labor shortages? Digitalization provides new tools and methods to address “old” challenges in manufacturing and we're ready to show you exactly how it can benefit you in our recently published website page. Our intention is to provide you with a helpful resource regardless of the stage you are at in your digitalization journey.
In the spotlight, meet our Business Development Manager for the Indianapolis office, Jeff Johnston!
For manufacturers, digitalization means using digital tools such as IoT devices, AI, and edge/cloud computing to gain better visibility into their processes and outcomes. But digitalization doesn’t just mean more technology on the manufacturing floor – it extends all the way from product development, factory optimization and back-office operations to supply chain functions and data analytics.
Why embark on the digital journey?
The benefits of embarking on a digital journey can be seen throughout the manufacturing floor – and beyond – through increased efficiency and quality, reduced costs throughout the product lifecycle, faster decision-making with fewer unknowns, and even an improved customer experience. And in most cases, manufacturers see a combination – or even all – of these benefits.
Could you benefit from a digital transformation?
We understand that not every company will reap significant benefits from digitalization. But many will – especially if you have a problem that can’t be solved with traditional methods. Let’s face it, developing a hypothesis and testing it out by trial and error can be costly and time-consuming. Here are some of the signs that digitalization can help you:
Operational efficiency is lower than expected (or desired)
Equipment isn’t running at full or expected capacity
Downtime – whether planned or unplanned – is extensive
Scrap and rework costs are too high
Product development time is too long
Product implementations and changeovers are plagued with last-minute changes
You have a wealth of data but don’t know what to do with it all
Revenue and growth are stagnant or falling below benchmarks
We also know that digitalization is a journey – it starts with a first step and continues with a well-defined outcome and plan to reach that outcome. Patti Engineering is a trusted advisor throughout your digital journey, helping you define the path and take those steps. Contact a Digitalization Expert here!
What benefits have digital transformation brought to your company?
As a system integrator, when we commission a project and start up the system, you have to be there. So that requires a lot of travel. With digital transformation, we can reduce the amount of onsite time by virtually commissioning, and monitoring customer systems remotely by performing data analytics offsite. Patti Engineering has had a remote employee policy for many, many years, but digital transformation has helped us utilize our remote employees even more.
How do you manage your customer’s expectations when they come to you saying they want to do digital transformation?
My first question is why do you want to do the digital transformation? I want to hear why. Most of the time it’s my boss is telling me that we need to implement it. Then my next question is, what is your biggest problem? What keeps you up at night? And then listen to what they have to say. From there, we can get into what we can do, the different strategies available, and the different digital technologies to work to solve that problem that hasn’t been fixed when going the traditional way. All digital transformation projects have to start with solving a problem.
How has digital transformation been embraced in manufacturing?
Most systems that are out in manufacturing, and even most of the systems that are being built today, are not being built with Industry 4.0 in mind. Companies are building these large automation lines using tools like SOLIDWORKS and NX to simulate the mechanics, but once they go and mechanically start building the lines, they throw all of that work out. They Build the lines over here and then have the programmers program over there. Instead, let’s take those files, those tools, and use them to program against. That is the basis of the digital twin. As with all things, it takes time to perfect the digital twin as simulations can be off. But once the digital twin is set up, you now have something that you can test and commission the system with before it is even built.
Jeff Johnson is excited to be one of the newest members of the team. “My career with Patti Engineering is still very young, but it’s been a great change for me. I am inspired by the amount of trust that has been put in me by Sam and the company as a whole. Beyond that, I’m most excited about the opportunity to help build the Patti brand and expand the Indianapolis office. The company has a great name and over 30 years of experience, and there’s still room to expand our customer list with our expertise in emerging technologies.”
Jeff is the Business Development Manager for Patti Engineering’s Indianapolis office, and has worked with the company for four months. His main responsibilities include managing and retaining relationships with existing clients, as well as meeting potential clients. In addition to creating proposals for new projects and assisting with managing current projects, Jeff has been working with Director of Indiana Operations & Sr. Electrical Engineer John Shipley to develop local growth strategies.
During his short tenure, Jeff has already been involved with some interesting projects. Recently, he has assisted with an RFID pilot plant installation, working with the customer’s IT team to implement an RFID inventory tracking system. Jeff is also a part of the team which supports the DigiTek test stands at Stellantis’ Indiana plants. Jeff states that his new career with Patti Engineering “has been a great change both professionally and personally,” and he looks forward to helping the company become more established in the Indianapolis area.
“Jeff is a great addition to the Patti Engineering team,” said CEO of Patti Engineering, Sam Hoff. “He is very well suited for this position, and is already helping us support and expand our customer base in Indiana.”
Jeff grew up in Fort Wayne, IN and graduated from Purdue University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a minor in management. Jeff is a big sports fan, and avid supporter of the Boilermakers, closely following the football and basketball teams, as well as attending several Purdue games every year. His love of sports is not limited to one arena. He also roots for the Indianapolis Colts, the Cincinnati Reds, and enjoys a good hockey game as well. After graduating from Purdue, Jeff has lived in Minneapolis and Boston, before returning to Indiana to live with his family in the Indianapolis area.
Jeff and his wife Amy have been married for almost nine years. The couple share two young children, Austin (6), and Addison (4), and “good ole boy,” Bruce, a 9-year-old Weimaraner. Jeff loves getting outdoors with his family, and often plans memorable family trips and hikes. He enjoys participating in sporting clay shooting, and spending time fishing. He hopes to take a fly-fishing trip with his father and brother in Montana in the future.
Aside from his outdoor hobbies, Jeff is also a car enthusiast and hopes to one day spend time rehabbing a C2 or C3 Chevy Corvette or an International Harvester Scout. He is also a lover of cinema, calling himself “a movie guy,” and claims that he “probably quotes movies more often than an adult should!”
When asked what his favorite part of working at Patti Engineering is, Jeff reflects, “Patti Engineering has welcomed me with open arms and helped me feel at home from the very beginning. I’m really excited to continue this journey and to be a part of a great team!”
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