Ujigami | Top Manufacturing Intelligence Solutions Provider 2024
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Ujigami
Transforming Manufacturing Intelligence

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EDWARD DICKSON, Ujigami | Manufacturing Tech Insights | Top Manufacturing Intelligence Solutions ProvidersEDWARD DICKSON, PRESIDENT
When it comes to the world of manufacturing, gaining insight into what’s happening on the plant floor is crucial for efficiency and productivity. Ujigami, a trailblazing company in this domain, takes manufacturing intelligence to unprecedented levels. Its innovative approach provides real-time knowledge of plant floor activities and integrates built-in intelligence, enabling smarter and more responsive manufacturing processes.

“We are at the forefront of transforming manufacturing intelligence,” says Edward Dickson, the president of Ujigami. “By integrating seamless connectivity, contextual data analysis, and real-time control, Ujigami’s system empowers manufacturers to maintain optimal operations and swiftly address any issues that arise.”

Ujigami’s system stands out due to its ease of deployment and seamless connectivity with every device and machine on the plant floor. The system is designed to be easily configured, ensuring that it gathers crucial information and exerts control over the manufacturing processes. Unlike traditional systems, where intelligence flows in one direction—from machine to human—Ujigami facilitates a two-way flow of intelligence. This empowers human operators to leverage their expertise and create an intelligent manufacturing environment. The result is a manufacturing process embedded with active controls and intelligence to ensure optimal operations at all times.

Contextual Data Analysis

A significant challenge in modern manufacturing is the sheer volume of data generated on the plant floor. Traditional systems often function as mere data repositories, collecting vast amounts of information without contextual understanding. The lack of context means these systems struggle to prioritize issues or provide actionable insights effectively.

The Ujigami system addresses this challenge by incorporating context into its data collection and analysis processes. By understanding the manufacturing flows and processes in real-time, it knows what needs to happen and whether the current conditions align with these requirements. This contextual awareness allows the system to invoke corrective actions precisely when needed, ensuring that deviations are promptly addressed. The context-rich approach enhances data mining efforts, allowing for a deeper understanding of anomalies and their significance.

“Acting as a conductor, we ensure that all components of the manufacturing process work in perfect harmony, leading to reduced downtime, enhanced quality, improved customer satisfaction, and better overall financial performance,” says Dickson.

Real-Time Control

One of Ujigami’s most remarkable features is its ability to perform real-time control and corrective actions. The system continuously monitors the plant floor, comparing real-time activities against predetermined specifications and processes. When discrepancies are detected, Ujigami immediately implements containment and corrective measures, minimizing downtime and preventing potential issues from escalating. This proactive approach ensures that manufacturing remains on track and that any deviations are immediately corrected.

Ujigami’s system excels in distinguishing between critical anomalies and mere noise. By understanding the intended manufacturing outcomes and continuously analyzing deviations from the norm, it provides actionable insights that are both timely and relevant. This capability is crucial for maintaining high standards of quality and efficiency in manufacturing operations.

Data-Driven Improvements

Ujigami’s system doesn’t just react; it also collects and analyzes data to identify opportunities for improvement. By examining operational data, it helps detect patterns that might signal potential failures or areas where efficiency can be enhanced. This proactive approach allows technical teams to address issues before they escalate, minimizing downtime and maintaining smooth operations.

Manufacturing companies that implement Ujigami’s solution experience significant benefits. The real-time orchestration provided by Ujigami leads to a radical reduction in downtime and a remarkable improvement in product quality. As a result, customer satisfaction increases due to consistent, high-quality output and timely deliveries.


By integrating seamless connectivity, contextual data analysis and real-time control, Ujigami’s system empowers manufacturers to maintain optimal operations and swiftly address any issues that arise


Another notable advantage of Ujigami’s system is the reduction in time required to train new operators. By providing clear, real-time guidance, it simplifies the onboarding process, enabling new personnel to become productive more quickly. This ease of use contributes to higher employee satisfaction and morale, as workers can rely on the system to support their tasks and reduce the likelihood of errors. With Ujigami, mistakes are immediately identified and corrected.

The financial performance of manufacturing firms using Ujigami also sees a substantial boost. With fewer disruptions and higher quality products, companies can operate more efficiently and respond better to customer needs. The datadriven nature of Ujigami ensures that decisions are based on factual insights, leading to more effective and lasting corrective actions.

Ujigami’s Impact on Reshoring with Briggs & Stratton

The company has proven instrumental for manufacturers looking to enhance efficiency and maintain competitiveness despite shifting from low-cost to high-cost labor environments. A compelling example of Ujigami’s impact can be observed in the experience of Briggs & Stratton, a prominent engine manufacturer.

Briggs & Stratton, known for its premium commercial engines, faced significant challenges with offshore production. The primary motivation for offshoring was cost reduction, and the geographical distance led to critical supply issues. Long lead times, inflexibility in responding to customer needs, and substantial inventory management problems were hampering their operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. The company decided to reshore the production of its premium engines to better align with market demands and improve responsiveness.

However, reshoring came with its own set of hurdles, primarily the need to remain price-competitive despite higher labor costs. This is where Ujigami’s system came into play. The implementation of its advanced manufacturing environment was pivotal in transforming their operations.

One of the most remarkable outcomes of integrating Ujigami was the significant reduction in launch time. Originally planned to take much longer, the launch was completed in less than half the anticipated time. Ujigami software’s virtual hands-on assistance facilitated a shorter learning curve for operators, ensuring that the right parts were in the right place at the right time and that machines were correctly set up and functioning properly.

Data-Driven Insights and Open Architecture

Ujigami’s strength lies in its data-driven approach. The system operates on a big data architecture, making data readily accessible to any engine or device that needs it. This open architecture supports a range of AI and business intelligence tools that can analyze and present data in actionable formats for engineers, technical personnel, and managers. Ujigami’s built-in reports and analytical features provide immediate insights into productivity, downtime, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), firsttime yield, and overall quality levels.

By constantly evaluating variations and changes, Ujigami identifies critical factors that can impact manufacturing efficiency. The continuous improvement cycle is essential for maintaining high standards in a reshored production environment.

  • Acting as a conductor, we ensure that all components of the manufacturing process work in perfect harmony, leading to reduced downtime, enhanced quality, improved customer satisfaction, and better overall financial performance


Ujigami simplifies AI-enabled device integration by providing a seamless connection between AI devices and the manufacturing environment. Its built-in logic layer communicates natively with each AI-enabled device, eliminating the need for complex programming. It acts as a mentor for these AI systems, offering real-time feedback to ensure appropriate learning and adaptation. This parentchild dynamic ensures that AI devices perform optimally and learn effectively, enhancing the overall manufacturing process.

The Connectivity Bridge in the Era of Industry 4.0

As industries embrace this new era of advanced manufacturing, the need for seamless integration and communication between devices has become paramount. Ujigami addresses this challenge by providing unparalleled connectivity solutions that eliminate the dependency on evolving standards, thereby accelerating technological adoption and enhancing operational efficiency.

A core tenet of Ujigami’s mission is to serve as the connectivity bridge to all devices within the manufacturing ecosystem. With a wealth of new devices entering the marketplace, including advanced data sources and intelligent equipment, the potential for enhanced capabilities on the plant floor is immense. However, the true value of these technologies can only be realized through effective connectivity. Ujigami excels in this domain by enabling direct communication with every single device, sidestepping the need to wait for new standards to be established.

This approach is reminiscent of the challenges faced with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in the 1980s, where the industry sought a unified standard for data exchange. Today, Ujigami circumvents similar hurdles by offering native communication capabilities with all devices, ensuring that manufacturers can deploy existing and new systems without delay. The direct connectivity facilitates the integration of all data sources and provides a robust foundation for manufacturing intelligence and control.

By enabling direct communication with a diverse array of devices and data sources, Ujigami removes barriers to technological adoption and enhances manufacturing intelligence and control. As the industry continues to evolve at an accelerated pace, the company is well-positioned to drive innovation and help manufacturers achieve new levels of efficiency and productivity. Through its commitment to connectivity and control, Ujigami is not just keeping up with the growth of the industry; it is leading the charge into a smarter, more connected future.

Deep Dive

Restoring Control in Manufacturing Execution Systems

Manufacturing execution systems have drifted from their original purpose. What began as a layer responsible for coordinating production, controlling processes and reporting outcomes has, in many environments, narrowed into a passive data collector. Reporting has migrated toward specialized business intelligence platforms, leaving many execution systems detached from the real-time decisions that determine throughput, quality and consistency on the plant floor. For executives evaluating modern manufacturing execution software, the central question is no longer how well a system captures data, but whether it can actively govern production as it unfolds. Effective systems distinguish themselves by their ability to coordinate machines, operators and process logic within a single, continuously responsive framework. Production environments operate at a level of variability that static scheduling or post-process reporting cannot address. Each unit may require different parameters, instructions or routing decisions depending on configuration, demand or upstream conditions. Systems that translate process plans into executable, unit-level instructions, then dynamically adjust equipment settings or routing decisions in real time, create a level of control that aligns output with specification without slowing throughput. Traceability remains a non-negotiable requirement, though its value depends on how it is generated. Static logs or batch-level records fall short when manufacturers need a complete, unit-level understanding of how a product was built. A more advanced approach captures every interaction between machine, operator and process condition, linking it to a single production instance. This produces a continuous record that reflects not only what was done, but whether each step met defined specifications before the product progressed. Such traceability strengthens compliance, reduces rework and supports faster root-cause analysis without introducing friction into the workflow. Operator coordination has emerged as another defining factor. Labor constraints and multilingual workforces introduce complexity that traditional systems rarely address. Systems that deliver step-specific, context-aware instructions tailored to each unit, combined with automatic language adaptation based on operator profiles, reduce ambiguity and training dependency. This ensures that execution quality does not vary with experience levels or language proficiency, preserving consistency across shifts and locations. The role of integration has also shifted. Rather than acting as a reporting hub, modern execution systems must function as a control layer that interfaces directly with equipment, enterprise systems and external analytics platforms. Data collection supports this role, though its primary purpose is to enable immediate validation and adjustment rather than retrospective analysis. Organizations increasingly prefer to pair such systems with independent analytics platforms, allowing reporting flexibility without compromising execution discipline. Ujigami reflects this transition by repositioning the execution system as an active controller of manufacturing processes. It connects directly to equipment, sensors and operator workflows, enabling it to manage both machine behavior and human actions in real time. It constructs and continuously manages a detailed, step-by-step production path for each unit, determining routing, parameters and sequencing while production is in motion. Its digital instruction framework ensures that operators receive precise, unit-specific guidance in their preferred language, improving clarity and consistency across the workforce. Its approach to traceability extends beyond standard logging by generating a complete production record for every unit, capturing process data, validation outcomes and supporting evidence such as images. This allows manufacturers to verify compliance at each stage before progression or release. Its integration model supports enterprise systems and external analytics platforms while maintaining control at the execution level. For organizations prioritizing real-time coordination, consistent output and full traceability without sacrificing speed, it presents a strong alternative to traditional manufacturing execution systems. ...Read more
Top 10 Manufacturing Intelligence Solutions Providers - 2024

Company
Ujigami

Management
EDWARD DICKSON, PRESIDENT

Description
Ujigami, a trailblazing company in this domain, takes manufacturing intelligence to unprecedented levels. Its innovative approach provides real-time knowledge of plant floor activities and integrates built-in intelligence, enabling smarter and more responsive manufacturing processes. Ujigami’s system stands out due to its ease of deployment and seamless connectivity with every device and machine on the plant floor.