Tetra Reduces Downtime with AI-Powered Document Retrieval

Introduction:

A leading corrugated box manufacturer with seven facilities, faced a substantial challenge: frequent maintenance incidents leading to prolonged machine downtime. With approximately 3,000 incidents per site annually, the company sought a solution to streamline document retrieval and accelerate issue resolution. Implementing an AI-powered document search system delivered remarkable results, significantly reducing downtime and boosting operational efficiency.

The Challenge:

  • Massive Incident Volume: Each of their seven sites experienced roughly 3,000 maintenance incidents annually, totaling 21,000 incidents company-wide.
  • Significant Time Loss: Technicians spent an average of 20 minutes per incident searching for critical documentation, resulting in substantial cumulative downtime.
  • Inefficient Workflow: The need to leave the factory floor and navigate complex file systems hindered technicians' ability to respond quickly to issues.

The Solution:

Tetra deployed an AI-powered document search system across all seven sites, providing technicians with tablets on the factory floor. Key features included:
  • Instant access to documentation at the point of need.
  • Natural language query capabilities for efficient information retrieval.
  • A reduction in retrieval time from 20 minutes to 5 minutes per incident.

The Results:

1. Time Savings:

  • Incidents per site: 3,000
  • Total incidents: 3,000 incidents/site * 7 sites = 21,000 incidents
  • Time saved per incident: 20 minutes - 5 minutes = 15 minutes
  • Total time saved: 21,000 incidents * 15 minutes/incident = 315,000 minutes
  • Total hours saved: 315,000 minutes / 60 minutes/hour = 5,250 hours

2. Increased Machine Uptime:

  • The 5,250 hours saved directly translate to increased machine uptime. This represents a significant boost in production capacity. The firm avoided purchasing 2 machines resulting in saved factory space and millions of dollars in equipment costs.

3. Cost Savings:

  • Annual FTE Cost: $150,000
  • Hourly FTE Cost: $150,000 / (52 weeks * 40 hours) = $72.12 per hour approximately.
  • Labor cost savings: 5,250 hours * $72.12/hour = $378,630

Additional Benefits:

  • Enhanced Technician Productivity: Technicians can focus on problem-solving rather than document retrieval.
  • Optimized Production Output: Reduced downtime leads to increased production efficiency.

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