Welcome to the second installment CIMx Newsletter. As mentioned in our first issue, the newsletter will continue to focus on informing and educating our audience on trends and significant events in the paperless manufacturing environment. 

Our last article focused on asking the question, “If you could change one thing on your shop floor, what would it be?” Our current article helps you answer that question by analyzing the vision of a more efficient shop floor.

Creating a Vision to Improve Shop Floor Operations

        The shop floor is the financial engine for many companies.  Throughout a company’s lifecycle people, processes, and technology on the shop floor have a tendency to become less efficient.  In order for these companies to remain competitive on a global scale, one must work to achieve continuous improvements.

        The first step to improve shop floor operations involves having a clear understanding of your current shop floor operational processes.  The process strengths and the areas for improvement must be clearly documented.  Then a vision of future shop floor operations can be developed and socialized within the company.  In many companies large changes are resisted and an incremental approach to a future vision is the best path forward.  Many large projects that create major change for employees get out of control, overrun the budget and extend schedules.  An incremental approach can help maintain cost estimates, manage training needs and speed up implementation.  Incremental projects can also control and manage employee buy in for the process changes needed and produce a faster ROI (Return on Investment).

Envision your future shop floor operation with many of your current problems solved. Improvements include:

1. Accurate information always available when and where needed
2. Instant status of shop work orders available to support decisions
3. Non-conformances addressed immediately
4. Electronic approval process for fast response time
5. Production accelerated by identifying and fixing queues
6. Changes flow from engineering to the shop floor electronically
7. Complete and accurate production documentation always available

Your quality and productivity issues start to disappear and shop floor operations accelerate.  Corporate goals are achieved; contributing more to the company bottom line.  Overall, the vision becomes a reality with proven results that can include:  a 25 % increase in on-time deliveries, and a 20% decrease in manufacturing production time.*