Information management, when implemented on the shop floor, will unlock production potential that’s hindered in a paper-based environment

By David Oeters, Corporate Communications with CIMx Software

Ever notice how much your shop floor relies on information?  Consider this:

• You get in an order from a customer (information) so you create a work order (information) which contains work instructions (information) and send it on to the shop floor (information).

• The shop floor follows the instructions (information), then collects data (information) on the work to ensure it meets specifications (information).

• When complete, the product is packaged and sent as instructed (information) and records of production are stored (information) and the process analyzed (information) for improvement.

Granted this is a very succinct and abbreviated recap of the manufacturing process, but it’s hard to miss how vitally important information is.  And yet, many companies rely on outdated and inefficient information management techniques (including paper) to assemble, deliver, monitor and record manufacturing data.

… and they wonder why they aren’t getting the results they should.

Defining Information Management

So, what is information management?

Information management encompasses the assembly, delivery, and eventual storage of all the data and information used in the production process.  A system that efficiently and effectively manages the transmission of information, which drives production, will have a tremendous positive impact on production.

An effective system gets the correct information precisely when and where it needs to be, with minimal effort from the users.   Now consider your current information management system.  Do users:

… search for information through stacks and stacks of paper, bound or paper-clipped, flipping pages to find a key fact and holding up production while they frantically scramble for the data….

… struggle with managing change when a customer requests different specifications, wondering how they will find every piece of data that must be revised as they run to the shop floor with the updated plans…

… labor to correct the inevitable mistakes that occur when old work instruction or incorrect information is sent to the shop floor…

… toil to collect data by scribbling on the margins of the work instructions or traveler, and then hoping mistakes aren’t made when it comes time to input it…

… drown under piles and piles (and piles) of paper records, knowing that retrieving data from those boxes will be a nightmare?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you have an information management problem, and your shop floor is not (and will never) operate at maximum effectiveness.  You are wasting money and productivity.

An information management solution

MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) and paperless manufacturing systems directly address the information management challenges on the manufacturing shop by providing a vehicle for assembling, collecting, delivering, recording and archiving data and information.  The system ensures the right people get the correct information when and where they need it.  It provides a foundation and framework for your information, with each piece of data organized so it can quickly and easily be retrieved when and where you need it.
  
So, what does this mean for your shop floor?  Consider this, an effective system will:

• Automate information processes.  Companies without a system utilize laborious and error-prone processes to collect and distribute information.  For example, printing work plans, assembling travelers, and carrying them to the shop floor.  A good MES will do all that work for you, ensuring your team can focus on production and other tasks that add value.

• Increase your information velocity.  Ever consider how much time is wasted looking up information and just figuring out what you need to do?  How much improvement would your team realize if there was a single place to get correct information, and it was delivered right to them when they needed it.

• Eliminate errors.  Wouldn’t it be nice to be sure your shop floor was working from the latest, most correct work instructions?  What if you could know each employee was actually looking at the work instructions, doing the work in the correct order and catching quality escapes before they became a problem?

Put simply, an MES or paperless manufacturing system manages production information, providing more benefit than almost any other purchase.  It improves every aspect of the manufacturing operation.

Want to learn more, or see how your shop floor will benefit with information management through paperless manufacturing?  It’s much more than simply putting your work instructions on a computer screen – it’s eliminating errors, streamlining processes, and organizing your production operation.  It gives you control and visibility of your shop floor.

Contact CIMx today to see how paperless manufacturing will benefit you.