There are plenty of factors that affect overall efficiency on the plant floor, but even with advancements in technology and automation, efficiency still greatly depends on the employees operating the machines and making their way around the factory floor. Read on to see how MES data and analytics can help optimize labor efficiency in these environments.
Just-in-sequence (JIS) manufacturing is considered an evolution of just-in-time. It delivers the right parts to the right assembly line in the right order. Just-in-sequence is perfect for automotive manufacturing environments because production tends to be high-variety and low-volume.
Where do you start when you need to ensure that your manufacturing process runs as smoothly as possible without any surprises? Keep reading to learn how to calculate your process’ RPN (Risk Priority Number) and download our Process Failure Modes Effect Analysis template to start error-proofing your processes today.
If you work at a manufacturing or supplier plant, you already know that tracking operations with paper-based methods has many issues. And for lean operations, a host of issues is not ideal for any plant.
What is Lean manufacturing? Lean manufacturing or lean production, is a systematic method for waste minimization within a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity. To be a lean manufacturer, you need an agile manufacturing execution system (MES) that adapts to the manufacturing processes and provides monitoring and control functions to efficiently produce quality product in a non-intrusive manner.
The heart of your plant’s manufacturing operations is the manufacturing execution system (MES). If the heart is not performing like it once did though, then it may be time to consider intervention. Below are 10 warning signs that it is time to either replace your current MES or give it some much-needed attention and updates.
If it is doing its job, a manufacturing execution system (MES), fulfills the role of system of record by collecting “all” data associated with the manufacturing process. The traditional way to tap into this data avalanche is with reports. A useful system has many reports covering all the parts of the database.
As online sales continually rise, so will the pressure on warehouses. Take a look at industry trends according to a recent Zebra survey.
Data is constantly the talk of the town. Manufacturers have the ability to collect data on almost anything. So the question becomes, what data should you collect? We identified eight key performance indicators (KPIs) that manufacturers should track and why.
When a car crashes into an object, there’s a timeframe of 60 milliseconds to save the driver’s life. Six one-hundredths of a second are all it takes for the driver to make contact with the airbag. And if not the airbag, then the dashboard or windshield.
In an industry where milliseconds mean life or death, perfection is the standard.
In the manufacturing world, things don’t always go as planned. It’s common for manufacturers to end up with broken part tabs, scratched car doors or stripped screws.
This causes production slowdowns, long delays and low-quality products which ultimately leads to unhappy customers, lost revenue and possibly a dreaded recall. These consequences make defect tracking and reporting especially important.
“Intelligent manufacturing” (IM) means using the combined intelligence of people, processes and machines, to impact the overall economics of manufacturing. Its purpose is to optimize manufacturing resources, improve business value and safety, and reduce waste – both on the floor and in back office operations, all while meeting customer demands for delivery and quality.