National Oilwell Varco Improves Manufacturing Efficiency with Microsoft Azure

Originally published by Microsoft Customer Stories

National Oilwell Varco (NOV) is a leading provider of equipment and technology for the oil and gas industry. The company's manufacturing operations are spread across multiple continents, and it was looking for a way to improve the efficiency and visibility of its manufacturing processes.

NOV chose Microsoft Azure as its cloud platform of choice. Azure's scalability, security, and global reach were all key factors in the decision. NOV implemented a number of Azure-based solutions, including:

  • A manufacturing execution system (MES) that provides real-time visibility into manufacturing operations.
  • A predictive maintenance solution that helps NOV to identify and prevent equipment failures.
  • A machine learning solution that helps NOV to optimize its production processes.

The implementation of these solutions has resulted in significant benefits for NOV. The company has improved its manufacturing efficiency by 10%, reduced its equipment downtime by up to 50%, and increased its production output by 20%.

NOV is also using Azure to develop new manufacturing applications. For example, the company is using Azure to develop a virtual reality (VR) application that will allow engineers to simulate manufacturing processes before they are implemented in the real world.

Azure has helped NOV to become a more efficient and innovative manufacturer. The company is now better equipped to meet the challenges of the future.

Here are some of the specific benefits that NOV has realized from using Azure:

  • Improved manufacturing efficiency: NOV has improved its manufacturing efficiency by 10% by using Azure. This is due to the fact that Azure provides real-time visibility into manufacturing operations, which allows NOV to identify and address inefficiencies more quickly.
  • Reduced equipment downtime: NOV has reduced its equipment downtime by up to 50% by using Azure. This is due to the fact that Azure's predictive maintenance solution helps NOV to identify and prevent equipment failures before they occur.
  • Increased production output: NOV has increased its production output by 20% by using Azure. This is due to the fact that Azure's machine learning solution helps NOV to optimize its production processes.

In addition to these specific benefits, NOV has also realized a number of general benefits from using Azure, such as:

  • Increased agility: Azure's scalability and flexibility allow NOV to quickly scale its manufacturing operations to meet changing demand.
  • Improved security: Azure's security features help NOV to protect its manufacturing data from unauthorized access.
  • Reduced costs: Azure's pay-as-you-go pricing model allows NOV to save money on its cloud computing costs.

Overall, NOV has been very pleased with the results of its Azure deployment. The company has realized significant benefits in terms of improved manufacturing efficiency, reduced equipment downtime, and increased production output. NOV is also using Azure to develop new manufacturing applications that will help it to remain competitive in the future.