Visibility drives improvement
Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 20 keys, are these days well-known concepts in the manufacturing world. The aim is similar: increasing efficiencies by removing non-value added steps and by adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
An increase in efficiency will ultimately lead to an increase in productivity. The key is to identify the non-value added steps. When embarking on this journey, the initial identification of non-value added steps may be easy. But soon this low-hanging fruit is all consumed and companies find themselves at a loss on how to continue the drive to increase efficiencies.
Traditionally, manufacturing organisations look at manually collected data to understand efficiency and productivity. This has several big limitations:
- All too often, the measurement is too broad and does not provide the required granularity. As an example: a shift is expected to produce 100 parts. The actual shift production is 80 parts, resulting in a simple 80% efficiency. Unclear though is what caused the shift to only run at 80%;
- Manually collected data will be inaccurate, e.g. who will measure short stops?
- The data is often only available the following day for discussion;
- The data is not visible to all stakeholders and often presented in excel.
In order to continuously drive improvements, no manufacturing organisation can do without a real-time performance management system. Immediate availability of accurate production data is the key benefit of such as a system. KPIs and metrices are automatically derived from the machines and should be displayed to all stakeholders involved.
The display of production data is key: it must be easily understood by all (from operator to production director or even CEO) and allow for the identification of loss areas at a glance.
Shoplogix has proven to be a leader in providing real time production information to the shop floor as well as the boardroom. Clear graphical display of information provides immediate insight into production losses, allowing everyone involved to immediately respond with corrective actions.
Level 1, level 2 and level 3 meetings are typically structured around the Shoplogix displays, without any printed hardcopy around. This visibility at all levels will facilitate the assignment of accountability and tracking of action lists; key elements in increasing efficiencies.
Visibility continuously drives improvement!
