// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Bottleneck
A bottleneck is a stage in a process that limits the overall output or flow because it cannot keep up with the preceding stages. It's like a narrow section in a pipe that restricts water flow.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
A bottleneck in a production system or supply chain is a specific process step, resource, or workstation that constrains the overall throughput, leading to accumulation of work-in-progress (WIP) and extended lead times.
BACKGROUND
A digital twin is a computational model of an intended or actual real-world physical product, system, or process that serves as a digital counterpart of it for purposes such as simulation, integration, testing, monitoring, and maintenance.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Constraint
- Choke point
- Limiting factor
- Throughput constraint
- Production bottleneck
USAGE NOTE
Identifying and alleviating bottlenecks is crucial for improving efficiency and increasing production capacity.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Bottleneck.
Siemens offers a comprehensive portfolio of digital twin technology, industrial IoT platforms (MindSphere), and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) to help manufacturers simulate, optimize, and control production processes, thereby identifying and eliminating bottlenecks in real-time.
Through its DELMIA brand, Dassault Systèmes provides virtual twin experiences that enable manufacturers to simulate, plan, and optimize production lines and processes, allowing for the proactive identification and resolution of bottlenecks before physical implementation.
PTC's ThingWorx Industrial IoT platform and augmented reality solutions provide real-time operational intelligence and visibility into manufacturing processes, empowering businesses to monitor equipment performance, analyze data for inefficiencies, and pinpoint bottlenecks for rapid resolution, aligning with Industry 5.0's human-centric approach.
Rockwell Automation delivers industrial automation and information solutions, including control systems, MES software, and analytics platforms, designed to optimize manufacturing operations, improve throughput, and proactively address production bottlenecks by providing data-driven insights.
SAP provides enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution systems (MES) that integrate production planning, scheduling, and execution, offering tools to monitor resource utilization, manage capacity, and identify bottlenecks across the entire value chain to improve operational efficiency.
Sight Machine offers a manufacturing data platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze vast amounts of industrial data, providing real-time insights into production performance, identifying root causes of downtime, and pinpointing bottlenecks to drive operational improvements.
Honeywell provides a range of industrial solutions, including process control systems, automation technologies, and software for operational intelligence and performance management, which help manufacturers gain visibility into their operations, predict potential issues, and optimize workflows to eliminate bottlenecks.
GE Digital develops industrial IoT (IIoT) software, asset performance management (APM) solutions, and manufacturing execution systems (MES) that enable factories to collect and analyze operational data, predict equipment failures, and optimize production processes to prevent and resolve bottlenecks effectively.