Manufacturing leaders and plant managers often rely on metrics like OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and APQ (Availability, Performance, Quality) to gauge operational efficiency and identify areas for improvement. While these metrics are powerful, their effectiveness depends heavily on how they are applied. Incorrect calculation or over-reliance on OEE as a standalone KPI can lead to misleading insights. That’s where Flow Software comes in—offering a better way to leverage OEE and APQ by providing contextualized, accurate, and actionable data.

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Why OEE and APQ Matter and Potential Pitfalls

OEE serves as a composite metric to assess how well equipment is utilized during planned production time. By multiplying its three components—Availability, Performance, and Quality—OEE offers a high-level view of equipment effectiveness. However, relying on this single score often leads to incomplete insights. APQ, on the other hand, breaks down these components, enabling manufacturers to focus on specific areas such as downtime, suboptimal speed, or quality defects. When applied together, OEE and APQ can help manufacturers identify inefficiencies, pinpoint improvement opportunities, and track performance over time.

Despite its usefulness, OEE can be problematic when used as a universal, real-time indicator. Aggregating OEE scores without considering variable rates or different part numbers risks yielding misleading results. Flow Software addresses this by calculating OEE separately for each part number, work order, or production run. This ensures that the metric reflects the true effectiveness of each scenario rather than masking important nuances.

Flow Software’s Approach to OEE and APQ

Flow’s approach begins with a foundational theory: building centralized models and calculations on top of various time series and transactional data solutions at the plant level. This allows operations to have a single place to govern and execute calculations, regardless of the underlying vendors and technologies. By doing so, Flow ensures consistency and accuracy across all operations, eliminating data silos and providing a unified view of performance. Flow’s product provides a framework that ensures OEE and APQ are applied correctly and can be easily scaled from line to line, area to area, and plant to plant without writing code or script. Let’s explore how Flow enables better use of these metrics by examining some of the features and benefits.

Flexible Calculation Configuration

Flow Software provides ultimate flexibility in how calculations are formed. Users can define and templatize custom rules, such as whether to include downtime less than 15 seconds or how much scrap is allowable during the first 5 minutes of startup. This configurability ensures that the metrics are tailored to the specific needs and realities of each manufacturing process.

Part-Specific OEE Calculation

Flow Software allows users to calculate OEE separately for different part numbers, work orders, or production runs. By defining ideal run rates for each part number and tracking performance against these baselines, Flow ensures that OEE reflects the true effectiveness of each production scenario.

Contextualized Data Collection

Flow’s platform collects data from various sources and applies contextual information, such as:

• Machine configurations

• Changeover events

• Production schedules

This context ensures that OEE and APQ are calculated accurately, taking into account the specific conditions under which production occurs.

High-Resolution KPI Calculations

Flow Software calculates OEE, APQ, and other KPIs with one-minute resolution, ensuring timely and precise metrics. These calculations are then rolled up into larger time periods (minutes to hours, hours to shifts, shifts to days, days to weeks, etc.), enabling both granular and high-level performance analysis.

Immediate Availability and Data Sharing

All calculation results are stored for immediate availability, making them accessible on dashboards or exportable to third-party applications. This ensures that critical insights are always on hand when needed.

Advanced Aggregates and Trend Analysis

Flow Software supports secondary calculations and aggregates for period-over-period comparisons. This functionality allows users to track performance trends, conduct detailed analysis, and even forecast future performance based on historical data.

Slicing and Grouping by Additional Variables

Flow offers the ability to slice and group calculations by various parameters, such as SKU, lot, operator, or any other relevant variable. This flexibility ensures that users can analyze performance from multiple perspectives and gain deeper insights into specific factors affecting production.

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Conclusion

OEE and APQ are essential metrics for manufacturing performance, but only when applied correctly. Flow Software provides the tools to leverage these metrics the right way—through part-specific calculations, high-resolution data, contextual insights, and customizable rules. By using Flow Software, manufacturers can move beyond misleading averages and lagging indicators, gaining real insights that drive meaningful improvement.

Ready to transform how you measure and improve performance? Start leveraging OEE and APQ the right way with a Free Flow Trial and consult:

www.flow-software.com/contact

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