Boosting Productivity On The Manufacturing Floor
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If there is one thing that all businesses want to achieve, it is greater levels of efficiency. It does not matter what type of company you run, or how big or small it is, it is always important to try and achieve more. It is all about working smarter so your business can turn a greater profit. In this blog post, we are going to take a look at the different changes you can make in order to improve the efficiency and productivity of your manufacturing efforts. So, let’s get started…
Make the most of automation – There is only one place to begin, and this is with automation. Many companies in many different industries are making the most of automation as a way to enhance the efficiency of their operations. In regards to manufacturing, you can use automated material handling systems to improve bulk handling. Of course, you need to take the time to choose a system with care and you need to make sure that it is integrated in the correct manner so that it does not cause too much business disruption. Nevertheless, there is no denying that automation is one of the best ways to bring your company forward today.
Maintain optimal inventory – If you have too little inventory, you run the risk of bringing your business to a halt and missing out on a lot of money while you wait for more inventory. If you have too much inventory, you need to make sure that you have a place for storage and you need to hope that you are going to be able to utilize it at some point. This is why it is so critical that you optimize inventory. There are a number of different ways you can do this. Firstly, you need to make sure that you have the best software in place so that tracking inventory becomes a breeze. The system you have should alert you whenever there is a shortage of something. Aside from this, you need to make predictions regarding the impact of a certain shortage and ensure that processes are put in place so that production delays are mitigated. You also need to create favorable relationships with your vendors so that there is accountability with regards to the timeliness of deliveries and the quality of the parts being provided.
Organise the manufacturing plant and get rid of clutter – If there is one thing that all manufacturing floors can do today it is reduce movement and save time by getting rid of clutter. Clutter is something that plagues us all today. However, once it starts to get out of hand, it can cause a real problem because it means that everything takes longer and you really start to lose efficiency levels. You need to make sure that efficiency is maximized in terms of the layout of the manufacturing floor. You should also generate organized storage for your business so that you can find equipment, documents, and materials with ease and you lower the time taken for a number of tasks. You also need to remove unused or unneeded tools from the workspace, as well as creating the optimal layout for materials and tools for the processes and jobs in question. Plus, make sure you reduce movement for optimum task efficiency.
Commit to a scheduled maintenance routine – Ignoring regular maintenance is one of the easiest ways to slow everything down on your manufacturing floor. Downtime for maintenance is going to cost nowhere near as much when compared with downtime due to equipment that has become worn and broken. This is why you should never delay maintenance. You also need to use information and data available to you in terms of your manufacturing work processes so you can decipher the best time for maintenance. Plus, schedule preventive maintenance at frequent intervals and train all operators in troubleshooting procedures and regular maintenance procedures.
Educate and train employees – It is also important to make sure that all of your employees receive the required training and education. This should be viewed as an on-going process, not a one-off thing. In some types of industries, there are going to be specific types of training that are deemed mandatory. Make sure that training sessions are scheduled whenever new equipment is installed. You also need to make sure there are accurate records of refreshers and training courses, as well as providing educational opportunities for employees that want to progress their skills.
Update technology and processes – Last but not least, aside from automation, you need to make sure you update your processes and technology on other levels too. In terms of monitoring workflow, inventory, scheduling, new software solutions can be of assistance. Moreover, equipment improvements can lead to enhancements in terms of both quality and speed.
As you can see, there are many different approaches that you can use in order to improve the productivity and efficiency levels on your manufacturing floor. If you follow the advice that has been presented in this blog post, you should be able to notice a considerable improvement. Some changes will have an instant impact, whereas others may take a while to integrate. Either way, they will all lead to enhanced efficiency and productivity in the end.
