Hung Hing – a Hong Kong-based printing specialist – recently deployed an ambitious ‘Smart Planning' program aimed at improving printing facilities efficiencies and performance.The project – delivered by Yee Y. Yu as Chief Information Officer – comprises of multiple modules including automated production scheduling, visual scheduling board, machine data capturing, manufacturing order sequencing, shop-floor visual KPI tracker, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), shop floor monitoring, and alerts.At the very core is an in-house developed, proprietary scheduling engine that was built based on an optimisation model proposed by researcher Dr. Xin-She Yang from the National Physical Laboratory in the UK.The scheduling engine automatically computes the most optimal production schedule based on order specifications, delivery date and priority. Work orders are assigned and dispatched the most suitable set of machines and timeframe to produce.Industrial Internet of Things devices collect real-time production data directly from machines to monitor progress and performance through mobile applications.The program is positioned as an extension to integrate with enterprise resource planning (ER) software, enabling the business to utilise the core competencies of each system and interface to ensure “smooth operations”.According to Yee Y. Yu, Smart Planning brings a “new and smarter way to plan, execute and monitor production”.Through a “more visible, streamlined and data-driven” manufacturing process, key innovations also include using advanced computer algorithm to automate onerous and time-consuming task of production scheduling, as well as rolling out industrial IoT sensors to unify and automate data capturing from heterogeneous brands, models and types of production machines.This is alongside deploying a mobile application to accelerate flow of real-time information on machine status and work order progress.Spearheaded by both the CIO and COO, key business benefits include improved planning efficiency and schedule quality by 60 per cent; improved machine utilisation and productivity by eight per cent and increased order intake and revenue generation by four per cent.