The Downtime podcast: ei3 on remote management and OEM service models

In episode 43 of The Downtime, a manufacturing podcast from WTWH Media, co-hosts Sarah Wynn and Sheri Kasprzak chat with Spencer Cramer, founder and CEO of ei3.

Following Packaging OEM’s report on remote management, the hosts talk with Cramer about his career origins and how he got involved in industrial IoT, the role of machine data in reducing downtime, and the importance of remote connectivity for long-term equipment support.

From controls integration to industrial IoT

Before founding ei3, Cramer worked as a control systems integrator, combining drives, controls, human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and SCADA systems for industrial machines. As the internet took off in the 1990s, he shifted his focus to using connected systems to collect and process data from factories.

“In the late 1990s, I had the big idea that the internet could be a value creation tool,” he said. “If you could take the data out of the factory, put it in a central location, and process it, you could get a lot more value than just processing the data locally.”

That evolution led to the creation of ei3, which focuses on connecting machines and centralizing data for analysis.

Using machine data to track downtime

Cramer pointed to overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) as a single measurement of how equipment is running. “OEE, simply put, is productivity times availability times quality,” he said.

Each part of OEE requires different types of data, and operators play a key role in supplying that information. To support this, ei3 developed a Downtime application that allows operators to record and classify stops at the machine as they happen.

“Those frontline workers can enter the downtimes that they’re experiencing, catalog it, categorize it, and then have it available for later analysis,” he said.

Cramer said this is important because quality data is still often recorded manually and later transferred into spreadsheets. With the app, ei3 focuses on capturing this information directly at the machine level and linking it to production data.

Once captured, the data can be used to identify the largest sources of unplanned downtime and prioritize improvements. By centralizing the data, it can be used to compare machines and jobs across a plant or multiple sites.

“We provide data so you can measure to manage,” he said. “OEE is a great way to manage the productivity of a factory.”

Spencer Cramer, founder and CEO of ei3, joins The Downtime podcast to discuss remote connectivity and OEE in manufacturing. Source: ei3, Spencer Cramer

How remote connectivity transforms OEM support

Remote connectivity is becoming central for many packaging OEMs, according to Cramer. It’s not just used for troubleshooting, but also for long-term support of equipment in the field.

“The most progressive packaging OEMs have figured out that secure remote connectivity is not just a support tool,” he said. “Secure connectivity is the foundation for transforming customer relationships.”

RESEARCH | The New Remote Management Mindset in Packaging: Smart, Scalable, Secure Service

He added that OEMs are using connectivity to support machine performance over time through service models that include maintenance, optimization, and ongoing support.

As manufacturers evaluate connectivity, he said, they are asking more detailed questions about how access is provided and controlled.

In response, ei3 introduced its Connectivity Trio last year, offering different ways to connect and secure new, existing, and legacy systems. Learn more in Packaging OEM’s Remote Management report.

Using AI to turn data insights

Looking to the future, Cramer said secure connectivity and structured data are essential for the growing role of artificial intelligence in manufacturing.

“One of the things I wanted to share with you and with the audience is the importance that AI is going to have on the manufacturing process,” he said. “It is nothing short of a revolution.”

As more machines become connected, the focus shifts from collecting data to using it.

“Organizations aren’t just looking for connecting machines. They’re looking, how can they take that data and put AI to work on their physical processes?” he said.

Listen to the full episode of The Downtime to hear more about ei3’s approach to remote connectivity, OEE, and machine data.

The Downtime podcast is moving to Plant Engineering

Following this episode, The Downtime podcast will move exclusively to Plant Engineering and will no longer be published weekly on Packaging OEM. This episode also marks Sarah Wynn’s final appearance as co-host. Click here to follow The Downtime on LinkedIn.