As someone at the helm of a factory with large and extensive production lines, you’re likely no stranger to these challenges:
While these situations often occur during production, you have the power to mitigate them by making full use of available tools and streamlining execution. Here are five critical management issues you should consider, and how leveraging certain tools can help you respond more effectively.
1. Material Confirmation – Ensuring You Always Have Sufficient Raw Materials on Hand
Regardless of whether your production process involves simple parts or the assembly of intricate products, the first step always revolves around securing the necessary raw materials. While some factories maintain a safety stock to prevent material shortages during urgent orders, smaller facilities might lack the storage space for excess raw materials.
As you accept orders, it’s crucial to consider the lead time required for material preparation and to confirm delivery dates accordingly. By incorporating a system that gathers and analyzes material data, you can efficiently determine if incoming quantities are sufficient, determine the ideal time to commence production, and promptly notify purchasers to coordinate with suppliers should any shortages arise. This proactive approach helps ensure a smooth and well-organized production process.
2. Production Progress – Taking Control of Time Management
As a factory manager, you rely on production schedules that detail essential information such as required quantities, daily capacity estimates, time consumption at each station, and projected values. While these figures are adjusted to reflect actual production situations, various unforeseen circumstances can arise on the production line, making it challenging for you to address all issues simultaneously.
By implementing connected equipment and integrating the collected data into a mobile app, you gain the advantage of remote monitoring and real-time data access through a network connection. This powerful tool empowers you to quickly identify and address any abnormalities on the production line, streamlining your time management and ensuring optimal efficiency.
3. Personnel Experience – Leveraging the Wisdom of Your Veteran Workers
As labor shortages become the norm, inheriting and retaining the rich experience of veteran workers will be crucial. By implementing sensors for monitoring, you can convert aspects that initially required experience-based judgment into tangible, visible data. This data can empower you to make informed decisions and adjust production status more nimbly.
4. Equipment Status – Keeping a Close Eye on Your Production Equipment’s Stability
Ensuring the stability of your production machines is critical to your operations. You might consider using connected equipment, even on older machines. This approach allows you to collect data from sensors directly into your mobile device for remote monitoring, keeping you apprised of your equipment’s health at all times.
5. Maintenance Checks – Never Miss a Maintenance Schedule Again
In large companies like yours, machines often have codes to distinguish between different types of operation machines, and each machine requires unique maintenance points. By using connected equipment, you can easily monitor machine conditions remotely, set tasks based on specific inspection items, and view inspection steps and records right on your mobile phone. This streamlined approach ensures your equipment stays stable and well-maintained, making your job as a manager both simpler and more efficient.
Conclusion
In anticipation of the future state of factories, you have the flexibility to scale the use of connected equipment as per your needs. As the world moves towards increased digitalization, even your oldest machines can be upgraded with connected equipment. Harnessing data in this way can prove invaluable for shaping your future production styles, helping you to adapt, innovate, and thrive in a continually evolving industrial landscape.
