Case Study: Reducing Equipment Downtime for a Machinery Firm

Client Overview

Our client, a prominent North American machinery firm specializing in automated manufacturing equipment—including industrial robots, conveyor systems, and injection molding machines—faced significant operational challenges tied to equipment downtime. Serving major industries such as automotive, consumer goods, and electronics, downtime was not only costly but damaging to customer relationships and operational reputation.

The Core Problem: Persistent and Costly Equipment Downtime

Before engaging Deployd, the client experienced chronic issues related to unplanned equipment downtime. Downtime occurrences often translated into:

• Lost production capacity and revenue, with an average hourly downtime cost estimated at $12,000 per production line.

• Expensive emergency maintenance and overtime labor, inflating operational costs.

• Customer dissatisfaction stemming from delayed deliveries and unreliable production schedules.

• Internal operational stress, causing inefficiencies, reduced employee morale, and poor resource utilization.

Annually, the firm documented nearly 250 hours of unexpected downtime, costing the company approximately $3 million per year in lost productivity alone, excluding indirect costs and reputational damage.

Deployd’s Approach: Leveraging Mendix Low-Code Solutions

Understanding the gravity of downtime in manufacturing operations, Deployd proposed a streamlined, agile approach using the Mendix low-code platform to rapidly develop and deploy a predictive maintenance solution.

Deployd provided specialized Mendix-certified developers, quickly embedded within the client’s operations team, capable of bridging the gap between operational needs and software development. This eliminated long software development cycles and heavy resource investments typical with traditional coding approaches.

Implementation Highlights:

1. Rapid Discovery & Assessment:

   • Deployd’s developers immediately conducted a targeted assessment of the client’s existing machinery and maintenance operations.

   • Identified key bottlenecks in real-time data collection and analysis needed for proactive maintenance.

2. Data Integration and IoT Enablement:

   • Leveraged Mendix’s native integrations to quickly connect and gather data from existing IoT sensors placed on industrial robots, conveyor systems, and injection molding machines.

   • Ensured real-time, seamless communication across machines and operators.

3. Predictive Maintenance Dashboard:

   • Developers built a highly intuitive predictive analytics dashboard providing real-time visual alerts and predictive insights.

   • Enabled proactive, data-driven maintenance planning, significantly reducing reactive maintenance.

4. Automated Alert & Workflow System:

   • Implemented intelligent workflows automating maintenance schedules and interventions based on predictive insights.

   • Maintenance teams received timely, actionable alerts, dramatically reducing response times.

5. Scalable, Flexible Platform:

   • Mendix’s flexible architecture allowed future enhancements without significant resource reinvestment, ensuring the solution’s sustainability and adaptability.

Immediate and Long-Term Benefits

Deployd’s Mendix solution significantly transformed the client's approach to downtime management:

• Immediate Downtime Reduction: Within the first three months, unplanned downtime decreased by 35%, equating to an annual productivity recovery worth approximately $1 million.

• Annualized Savings: The long-term analysis showed sustained downtime reduction averaging 50% year-over-year, yielding annual direct cost savings exceeding $1.5 million.

• Improved Operational Efficiency: Predictive maintenance drastically reduced emergency maintenance activities, allowing the maintenance team to focus on proactive interventions and optimization.

• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Reliable equipment uptime improved order fulfillment rates and customer trust, positively impacting client retention and revenue.

Strategic Impact and Client Feedback

The COO of the machinery firm highlighted:

“Deployd’s rapid deployment of the Mendix solution changed our entire operational outlook. Not only did we cut our downtime in half, but we also dramatically improved our customer relationships. Deployd’s expertise allowed us to solve critical operational issues quickly and sustainably. Low-code was the game-changer we didn't know we needed.”

The client further emphasized the flexibility and ease with which Mendix allowed internal teams to adapt and expand the solution independently, positioning the company for continuous operational improvement.

Future Outlook

Based on the success of the initial implementation, Deployd continues partnering with the client to extend low-code solutions across additional facilities and production lines. Future plans involve deeper integration of AI and machine learning components within Mendix, further increasing predictive accuracy and operational excellence.

Conclusion

Deployd’s Mendix-powered predictive maintenance solution proved transformative for this North American machinery firm. By significantly reducing costly downtime, the solution demonstrated clear operational and financial value, validating the strategic shift toward low-code as a highly effective tool in modern manufacturing.

This project underlines the potency of low-code platforms like Mendix in driving tangible operational outcomes swiftly, affordably, and sustainably.