Top 5 Reasons You Should be Using Digital Work Instructions
Digital, visual work instructions deliver dynamic and up-to-date information to front-line workers for improved efficiencies and smart manufacturing.
Digital, visual work instructions deliver dynamic and up-to-date information to front-line workers for improved efficiencies and smart manufacturing.
Digital, visual work instructions deliver dynamic and up-to-date information to production workers for improved efficiencies and smart manufacturing.
I can’t lie. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been on a manufacturing floor. However, I would hedge my bets that many of them are still littered with paper-based work orders, job instructions, and quality checklists. And quite frankly, I think it’s a shame.
If you don’t want to read on, don’t. But I ask you to picture this— A production employee with a work order in his hand, revised to include the artwork the client just signed off on only hours ago. A video from maintenance walks him through the machine setup and highlights that issue that keeps popping up and what to do about it. With the touch of a finger, images show him whether the part coming off the line is acceptable or not and highlights exactly what to watch out for.
Oh, and those raw materials he’s using? They’re traced to the work order and maybe even backflushing inventory out of the system for accurate inventory control and full end-to-end traceability. And that is just the beginning.
In 2021, the project selection process is a tough one, the pressure is on, and efficiencies must be found. Here’s more on why digital work instructions should be at the top of the list.
Many moons ago, as the clock was about to strike twelve on the year 2000, I spent my days on the production floor training employees on a new shop floor system. These employees knew the ins and outs of the machines they were there to run—large plastic extruders, complicated web presses, and old rickety converting machines that took a special touch. But they wanted their pen and paper.
Old habits die hard, and when you have a schedule to meet and a million problems to deal with, implementing new systems better be, well, darn well worth the headaches, not to mention a good ROI. Again, if I were a betting woman, I would hedge my bets that digital work instructions are worthy of your attention.
If you’re ready to dive even further into Industry 4.0, smart tools can be connected via the IoT, where an abundance of possibilities and the power of AI await you.