You may have spent some time in one of the 500+ Big Green Warehouses over the Christmas period. I often think about how they manage their inventory, what items move more than others, while which items don’t. I also think about if you where a staff member, how would you remember where everything is?
That can relate to most manufacturing businesses also !
With a manufacturing business, perhaps inefficiency is hidden and less obvious to the naked eye with the singular tasks that we need to complete. It becomes more obvious when a staff member is walking around lost, looking for a missing part or when bottlenecks begin to appear that bring the production line to a standstill.
Technology is helping improve the way we measure, record and control in everyday businesses.
Through the use of digital technologies, staff members working in those green warehouses now use a Zebra Touch Screen Computer to help them be more efficient, streamlining day to day tasks.
This device links with a central database that has all the products entered. For the employee, it is possible to scan a barcode to check pricing and learn which aisle items are located. They can also check inventory levels and other product related information. For the Manager, they can access information to learn about buying patterns, stock levels and much more. The technology has made both the employee and customers life so much easier but also provides visibility to the line managers and key stack holders in the business.
As the items are leaving the warehouse, the team member has the ability to scan a barcode on a receipt and it will bring up a list of items purchased, effectively the QA Stage before the product leaves the warehouse.
Barcode technology & digital scanners are helping staff be more efficient, reducing double handling and lost productivity, time lost in searching for an item that may not currently be in stock. These digital systems provide on demand information on a product. It also allows all team members to effectively work to the same system, making on-boarding new staff a breeze.
Digital systems that include Barcode technology & digital scanners continue to streamline business and are becoming a must have item. These systems allow us to increase our efficiency and productivity, have the ability to assist improving quality of both product and experience. These systems have the ability to be customized and tailored to suit business applications, making collaboration and data-driven decision making possible.
Production Assistant provides manufacturing businesses that same system that integrates with current business systems including CAD-CAM & ERP as a plug and play solution. Production Assistant allows you to use the same barcode scanning technology to access information on demand through the scanning of a barcode through the various stages of production including:
Office
CNC
Edging
Sorting
Assembly
Dispatch / Shipping
Job-site Tracking
As digital technology is all around us, Those who embrace digital change early will be well-positioned to succeed in the future, just like the early adopters in the previous generation.
Consider how a system like this help your business increase efficiency and reduce cycle times by providing clear instructions to all areas of the manufacturing process?
A system like this makes it possible to onboard new staff, faster!
View this as the Smart Factory of today.
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