"Optimizing manufacturing data around power consumption is not just about cost saving. It’s about empowering manufacturing to operate sustainably and competitively in today’s market."
Dr. Wook-Dong Cho,
SVP LS ELECTRIC
LS ELECTRIC, in collaboration with Sight Machine and Microsoft, is revolutionizing manufacturing sustainability and productivity through data optimization. By standardizing unstructured plant data on Sight Machine’s industrial data platform and combining it with machine-level electricity consumption information, LS ELECTRIC is able to optimize both energy use and production, leading to a 20% reduction in power use on some manufacturing lines.
Manufacturing is inherently a data-intensive enterprise, and the more disconnected that data, the harder it becomes to optimize processes and prioritize investments. LS ELECTRIC, a Korean-based energy company, has partnered with Sight Machine and Microsoft to leverage the capabilities of Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing. Through this collaboration, LS ELECTRIC aims to enhance sustainability and increase productivity both within their own facilities and across the broader manufacturing sector.
By taking unstructured plant data and turning it into standardized data, manufacturers can make that data more useful for stakeholders. This is obviously important when it comes to supply chains and process automation, but it matters almost anywhere optimization is required. Overall power consumption for a manufacturing plant often involves significant cost, resulting in lower margins and a larger environmental impact. As Dr. Wook-Dong Cho, SVP at LS ELECTRIC, explains, “Optimizing manufacturing data around power consumption is not just about cost saving. It’s about empowering manufacturing to operate sustainably and competitively in today’s market.”
Hence the partnership: Sight Machine’s Manufacturing Data Platform, with Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing, can ingest LS ELECTRIC’s hyperlocal, precise understanding of how manufacturers use energy and develop insights as to how those manufacturers could use less. It gives those manufacturers more granular data about which processes are energy intensive and which are more efficient. In turn, that data then allows the development of algorithms that identify energy leaks and optimize overall operation.
Jon Sobel, Sight Machine CEO and Co-founder, notes that with this integration, “We’re combining previously separate capabilities.” Sobel is particularly impressed with the coming together of Sight Machine’s automated data engineering and the tools that Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing and Microsoft Copilot bring to the table. Customizable Copilot templates have made it easier for those who need the information to gain access to it, and to use that data to inform decision-making. They also have made it easier to integrate disparate systems through a common, intuitive interface.LS ELECTRIC has already implemented the new solution in one of their factories and plans to roll it out to multiple facilities. The early results have been impressive: streamlined issue resolution, improved resource optimization, and greater agility in implementing and adapting to new inputs. By monitoring energy usage per production line, Dr. Wook-Dong Cho reports, “LS ELECTRIC has reduced power consumption by about 20% to certain manufacturing lines.
”Continuous monitoring of power consumption allows LS ELECTRIC to identify energy leaks and optimize operations. Leveraging Microsoft Copilot, LS ELECTRIC’s factory workers receive control change suggestions to enhance power efficiency based on Sight Machine’s factory power consumption model. Regular reports generated by this system empower workers to take data-driven actions. The power optimization achieved at LS ELECTRIC’s factory not only benefits the environment but also enhances product gains and operational performance. Dr. Cho envisions a future where power optimization “becomes a standard for sustainable manufacturing worldwide.”
This innovative partnership represents a more intelligent and environmentally sustainable approach to manufacturing, driven by integrated and actionable data. Dr. Cho says, “We are excited to continue this journey, expanding the solution to multiple factories and facilitating global collaboration.”
