When is the last time you took a hard look at your production lines?

• How are we moving product through our facility?
• Do we have work instructions / drawings available where needed?
• Do we have frequently used inventory available at the line?
• Where are the bottlenecks?
• Are processes automated, where possible?

Taking a hard look at your processes and procedures may reveal some interesting results. Don’t assume that everyone is doing things the same way. Some may be superstars, and others may need some mentoring. Some processes may be outdated and costing you time and money, while others are extremely efficient. One area of the business may benefit from how others operate. Take the time to review and analyze your findings. Your company may benefit greatly as a result.

Optimize Your Manufacturing Today!

1. Collect the requirements. Learn from everyone with the intent of developing a phased approach to implementing on your shop floor with OEE being Phase 1. 
2. Create your list. Capture all of required functions, taking into account what the “output” of the system will be. What does the plant manager need to see in real-time? What KPI’s does each line need displayed in real-time? What reports are required?
3. Insist Upon Real-time. In the moment data for the right OEE is the right approach. If it’s possible, collect the data automatically. Remember that real-time feedback to line operators results in an automatic increase in OEE.
4. Evaluate your lines. Focus where production counts can be monitored automatically. If the data is in your PLC’s, can you get it out? OPC communication is the right way to go here. If not, the approach is to install a new dedicated PLC with sensors installed on each line.

Here are 5 ways you can motivate your employees to give their best every day:

1. Train Your Employees

2. Give Your Employees the Right Tools

3. Automate Processes

4. Give Your Employees Real-Time Feedback

5. Provide Incentives to Do More

Optimize Your Manufacturing Today!

Are your employees not as productive as you’d like them to be? Are jobs not getting completed on schedule? 

Without actual data, making decisions about how efficient your operation is will be difficult. Start tracking actual time to complete each operation. Compare different production lines running the same job. Is one line running more efficiently? If so, start looking at why. Track downtime, setup, etc. Once you start really analyzing each piece of the puzzle, you can begin to uncover areas that are ripe for improvement.

Optimize Your Manufacturing Today!

If you’ve been successful doing something in the past, you want to keep doing it that way. Are your procedures documented? Do you have workflows defined? Would creating video tutorials be helpful, especially for new employees? Giving employees the tools to be successful helps to ensure the success of the business as a whole.

Optimize Your Manufacturing Today!

1. Eliminate paper shop packet and distribution of the paperwork to the shop floor.    
2. Eliminate manual (paper-based) recording activities and the need to key in the transactions.
3. Easy electronic scheduling by sequence and changing job priorities.
4. Evaluate differences using actual times compared to standards.
5. Improve data accuracy and eliminate the need to chase and fix errors.
6. Practice Real-Time data reporting to monitor efficiencies and identify problems as they occur.

Optimize Your Manufacturing Today!

In Baan IV Purchase Control, the purchase inquiry procedure enables user to:

• Request a specific supplier to submit a quotation on the purchase inquiry for the delivery of an item.
• Compare the prices and discounts of the quotations that are submitted by different suppliers.
• Copy the inquiry data to a purchase order.

In LN, you can:

• Request multiple business partners to submit a quotation on a specific request-for-quotation for the delivery of an item.
• Compare the received quotations based on the following criteria:

1. 1. Price
   2. Quantity
   3. Vendor rating
   4. Delivery dates
   5. RFQ subjective criteria

• Copy the quotation data to a purchase order, a purchase contract, or a price book.

Optimize Your Manufacturing Today!

I'm reposting this checklist for things to consider in order to finish out the year, and plan for next year…

• Are your accounting records up to date so that you can make a projection of how the current year will turn out?
• Are all account reconciliations currently up to date to facilitate the closing of the books after year end?
• Are there accounts receivable that should be reserved for or written off prior to the end of the year?
• If your business carries inventory, do you need to plan a physical count as of the end of the year?
• Has depreciation on your fixed assets been recorded during the year? Have you considered depreciation on current year additions?
• Have all new asset purchases and bank loans been recorded on your books?
• Are there any liabilities, for example, pending legal actions or warranty issues, which will need to be recorded prior to year end? 
• Do you have a plan in place to properly “cut-off” revenue at year end to properly match revenue and expense?
• Will there be bonuses, profit sharing contributions or discretionary retirement plan contributions paid prior to the end of the year? How will these payments affect cash flow?
• Will you be in compliance with your bank covenants at year end?
• Do you need to make arrangements to receive statements as of the end of the year for cash value of life insurance, loan balances, etc.?

Optimize Your Manufacturing Today!