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How to Reduce Changeover Time in Manufacturing

The benefits of digital work instructions go far beyond simply standardizing work. The real benefit is in personalized guidance and support for today’s workers.

Providing quality products consistently and on time is at the forefront of customer satisfaction. In today’s competitive market, manufacturers must execute production runs quickly and efficiently to meet customer demand. But equipment and workers can’t operate 24/7. Machines must be properly maintained, workstations require cleaning and employees need rest. This is where optimizing changeover time comes in.

Changeover time is the period that it takes for workers to adjust machines or for assembly lines to start the next product run. A changeover usually includes swapping parts, sanitizing equipment, and preparing it for the next cycle. A good rule of thumb is to keep the changeover period down to less than 10 minutes. You can keep track of your organization’s changeover time by capturing how long it takes to produce each product.

Keeping an eye on your changeover time can help you maximize production and improve processes. Learn more about how you can reduce changeover time in manufacturing by exploring the following topics:

Three steps for reducing changeover time

Minimizing changeover time is a key component of lean manufacturing, a production method aimed at minimizing waste while increasing worker productivity. Implementation of this process can help manufacturers maximize uptime and cut down on waste caused by downtime.

Although there are various steps you can take to reduce it, here are some essential steps to help you get started:

Step 1: Assess your present changeover method.

It’s crucial to look at your existing changeover protocol before taking action to modify it. Try to identify which processes need optimization in order to cut down on the time between inventory runs.

Step 2: Implement single-minute exchange of dies (SMED).

Single-minute exchange of dies is a tool used in lean manufacturing to reduce changeover time to single digits. This means that a successful assembly run should be less than 10 minutes.

It’s helpful if workers have some idea of how long each task (such as switching parts, cleaning, etc.) takes during the production process. This awareness can be cultivated the more they familiarize themselves with procedures and day-to-day routines.

Step 3: Create standard changeover procedures.

Creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and standardizing work can help with the changeover process. If there aren’t centralized procedures, changeover times will vary based on the employee, how long it takes them to clean up, set up and begin a new production run.

It’s important for procedures to contain explicit directions on how to perform successful changeovers. This can include highlighting which equipment needs to be calibrated and other machinery-related tasks.

Pro Tip

Digitizing changeover procedures can offer several benefits that enhance the overall efficiency, safety, and effectiveness of the changeover process. Digital procedures can be accessed by frontline workers through a mobile device or wearable technology, and help improve accessibility, accountability, standardization, as well as provide visual aids to less-experienced workers performing the task.

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In a nutshell, having clear instructions makes it easier for workers to know what to expect when it’s time for a changeover.

Benefits of reducing changeover time

Reducing changeover time can yield a number of benefits, especially for companies producing a large number of products on a day-to-day basis.

Some of the advantages include:

  • Makes it easier to transition between production processes
  • Creates a more productive work environment
  • Helps to reduce equipment downtime
  • Gets products to customers faster

How digitization can help

Implementing connected worker solutions that digitize and optimize changeover processes can help reduce the time each changeover takes by providing explicit digital instructions customized to any given task, machine, or worker.

benefits of digital work instructions

Digital work instructions are electronic versions of work instructions, quality manuals, or SOPs that provide necessary visual aids and real-time contextual information to help guide workers through complex tasks. These digital work instructions intelligently deliver guidance and streamline changeover processes with images, videos, augmented reality experiences, and live support from colleagues or subject matter experts.

Augmentir is the world’s first AI-powered connected worker platform that helps industrial frontline workers reduce changeover time in manufacturing using smart technology. Learn how world class manufacturers are using Augmentir to drive improvements across their industrial operations – contact us for a demo today!

 

 

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How to reduce downtime and increase productivity in manufacturing

Connected frontline operations platforms are helping manufacturers reduce downtime and provide a foundation for a holistic preventive maintenance strategy.

Downtime in manufacturing refers to a period of time when a production line or machine is not in operation due to maintenance, repairs, or other issues. This can result in a loss of productivity, increased costs, and missed production targets, and it is estimated that in the US alone it costs manufacturers around $1 trillion dollars per year. Not surprisingly, the biggest factors that contribute to unplanned downtime are human error and improper maintenance.

To minimize downtime, manufacturers are turning to digital technology to transform their frontline operations and provide a foundation for a holistic preventive maintenance strategy.

reduce downtime in manufacturing

Reducing downtime with a Connected Frontline Operations Platform

Manufacturers often implement Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) as part of a more comprehensive preventive maintenance approach. TPM is a strategy commonly used in manufacturing and production operations to improve the effectiveness and reliability of equipment, which in turn can increase productivity and reduce downtime.

Total productive maintenance strives to reduce workplace losses by placing the responsibility of basic maintenance upkeep on the primary equipment user: the machine operator. This preventive practice consists of “8 pillars” to help improve equipment reliability and elevate worker productivity:

Autonomous Maintenance as pillar of TPM

At the front of this framework is Autonomous Maintenance. Autonomous maintenance is a technique used in TPM that involves giving operators and other frontline employees the responsibility and authority to take care of their own equipment and work areas (e.g cleaning, safety checks, etc.). This can improve employee engagement by giving them a sense of ownership over their work and equipment, as well as a greater understanding of how their actions can impact productivity and quality. Additionally, involving employees in the maintenance process can lead to improved communication and teamwork, which can further enhance engagement.

This is where frontline operations platforms come into play.

Connected frontline operations platforms are digital software tools that can help standardize and improve the way operators perform maintenance tasks. They are used to improve communication, training, collaboration, guidance, and support for the operators.

Reduce machine downtime with Augmentir’s Connected Worker Solution

See how Augmentir can help you implement an effective autonomous maintenance program and optimize your frontline operations.

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downtime dashboard

Your connected workforce – a key to reducing downtime

Factory workers can have a significant impact on downtime in manufacturing. Whether it’s due to mistakes made by operators, non-optimal scheduling, or lack of communication, your workforce is at the center of your frontline operations. Factory workers can impact downtime in a variety of ways:

  1. Improper operation or maintenance: If factory workers are not properly trained on how to operate and maintain equipment, they may inadvertently cause downtime by making mistakes or not following proper procedures. Modern connected worker tools, like Augmentir’s connected worker solution, are increasingly being used to streamline training and digitize skills tracking to help ensure that the right people with the right skills are on the job.
  2. Safety incidents: Workers who do not follow proper safety procedures can cause accidents that lead to downtime while equipment is repaired or replaced. By digitizing safety procedures, manufacturers can ensure that workers perform the proper steps, and follow the proper protocols before performing a maintenance routine.
  3. Human error: Workers may make mistakes that lead to downtime, such as not properly setting up equipment or not noticing when a machine needs maintenance. Properly training employees on how to maintain and operate equipment can help to minimize downtime due to human error
  4. Quality issues: Workers may produce products that do not meet quality standards, which can lead to downtime while the products are reworked or scrapped.
  5. Lack of proper communication: Having clear and effective communication channels can help to quickly identify and address any issues that arise. Frontline communication tools like Augmentir can help improve communication and digitally record issues to better understand root causes. By identifying the underlying causes of downtime, manufacturers can take steps to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
  6. High turnover rate: High turnover rate can lead to a lack of experienced workers and can cause downtime while new employees are trained. While it’s difficult to completely prevent a high turnover rate, you can take measures to both expedite training for new hires, as well as create a more engaged, more empowered workforce. For example, Augmentir’s connected worker solution helps to accelerate new hire training and onboarding, and provides a skills management framework that helps to ensure that workers are excelling at their jobs.

It is important to note that factory workers are a crucial part of the manufacturing process and their role is vital for the success of the business. However, by providing workers with proper training, safety procedures, and communication channels, downtime in manufacturing due to human error can be reduced. Additionally, involving workers in the decision-making process and continuous improvement initiatives, can help to increase their ownership and responsibility towards the equipment, processes, and the whole factory’s performance.

Interested in learning more?

Augmentir is a connected worker solution that allows industrial companies to digitize and optimize all frontline processes that are part of their TPM strategy. The complete suite of tools are built on top of Augmentir’s patented Smart AI foundation, which helps identify patterns and areas for continuous improvement.

manufacturing kpi first time right

 

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Benefits of Manufacturing SOPs and How to Write Them

Learn about the best practices for optimal asset maintenance performance and how to track your assets to ensure that everything is in working condition.

Standard operating procedures, or SOPs, will change the way you run your manufacturing operations.

SOPs are imperative to a properly organized management structure. They are step-by-step guidelines workers must follow when carrying out tasks to standardize work and are designed to meet industry regulations.

Essentially, they provide general info about assignments, including the tools, methods, or machinery needed to complete projects. SOPs indicate what the task is, who will perform it, how it should be completed, and when it should be completed.

manufacturing sop

For example, manufacturers may write SOPs for employee training to reduce risk and injury. Leadership may also use procedures to assign goals and measure employee performance.

Read on to find out more about the benefits of manufacturing SOPs and how to write them by exploring the following topics:

Advantages of Implementing Standard Operating Procedures

According to Forbes, a comprehensive SOP keeps workers on the same page and improves efficiency and accuracy. Without documented procedures, there is no way to set proper standardized processes and workers might try to complete jobs in non-standard methods, which leads to disruptions in the production processes and causes all sorts of quality issues in a manufacturing environment. Thankfully, SOPs work to prevent that from happening.

Some of the advantages of using SOPs include:

  • Meets regulatory compliance: Product inspectors constantly ask to review SOPs when conducting audits. These serve as the point of reference for whether specific measures followed meet industry guidelines.
  • Standardizes tasks: The point of written procedures is to establish a standard way of completing tasks. They enable tasks to be performed in the same way across the company.
  • Improves accountability and tracking: SOPs define who is responsible for a work order, maintenance check or inspection. This reporting can improve accountability across departments. If a task wasn’t completed accordingly or a procedure was missed, management can take necessary steps to prevent it from happening again.
Pro Tip

Digitized SOPs can further improve tracking and traceability features, helping manufacturers comply with regulations and quality standards. With digital SOPs it becomes easier to maintain records of every step in the production process, including who performed each task and when.

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How to write a manufacturing SOP

Writing a comprehensive set of SOPs can help workers perform tasks in the safest and most efficient way possible. Although there isn’t an official way to write procedures, you can follow certain steps to make them more effective:

Step 1: Establish a goal.

It’s important to think about what you want your SOP to accomplish. Regardless if you’re starting a new process or improving an existing one, figuring out the end goal will make it easier to complete the document.

Step 2: Pick a format.

There are different formats you can use to write your document: step-by-step, hierarchical, narrative, etc. We recommend the sequential step-by-step format for its straightforwardness.

Step 3: Write the procedures.

Make sure your procedures are clear, concise, current, consistent, and complete.

Step 4: Review and update.

It’s important to review your SOP for any discrepancies and update them if necessary. Consider asking fellow leaders knowledgeable in procedure creation to read them over.

Why SOPs are Important in Manufacturing

Compliance with manufacturing SOPs is crucial for a number of reasons, including:

  • Prevents accidents and ensures worker safety
  • Promotes worker consistency
  • Improves product quality
  • Protects your business’s reputation

SOPs are a critical component of manufacturing operations because they provide a structured framework for achieving consistent quality, safety, and efficiency in the production process. They help manufacturers meet regulatory requirements, reduce errors, and ensure that employees are trained to perform tasks consistently and safely.

Digitizing Manufacturing SOPs with Connected Worker Solutions

Using connected worker technologies to create digital SOPs can significantly improve their impact on manufacturing by enhancing accessibility, effectiveness, and overall utility.

Through digitization and smart, connected worker technology manufacturers can improve SOPs with features like real-time access, remote collaboration and guidance, data-driven insights, workflow automation, enhanced training, traceability and compliance, and more. Essentially, with these advanced technologies, manufacturing organizations can augment and support their workers with optimized processes and SOPs creating an environment of continuous improvement.

Augmentir offers customized AI-powered connected worker solutions that transform how you write and create manufacturing standard operating procedures. Request a live demo today to learn more about why leading manufacturers are choosing our solutions to improve their manufacturing processes.

 

 

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Asset Maintenance Best Practices

Learn about the best practices for optimal asset maintenance performance and how to track your assets to ensure that everything is in working condition.

Asset maintenance refers to everything that goes into keeping your manufacturing assets in tip-top shape. With machinery, for example, asset maintenance means conducting frequent inspections and repairs. With office space, this term involves maintaining a clean, safe, and productive workplace. With products, it includes checking finished goods for any deficiencies or errors.

In a nutshell, asset maintenance helps prolong the performance and lifespan of equipment, machinery, goods, and more. Performing this strategy ensures that your essential business resources continue functioning smoothly and properly.

Learn the best practices for increasing asset maintenance performance:

Best practices for optimal asset maintenance performance

Implementing key best practices can improve asset maintenance in manufacturing. We’ve put together five crucial strategies to ensure your manufacturing firm is performing at its best while minimizing costs:

1. Gather as much info as possible

Gathering data on assets can help management make better informed production decisions. Asset tracking is a great technique to accomplish this.

2. Create a preventive maintenance schedule

The data that’s been collected will make it easier to create a preventive maintenance schedule. To create one, start by organizing asset data and analyzing the info you’ve amassed (e.g., how often each item must be checked and maintained). Lastly, prioritize your most important assets and allocate funds to maintain them.

schedule and audit asset maintenance work

3. Train workers

Investing in your employees pays off. Procedural documentation and training will help ensure that all maintenance work is thoroughly performed and recorded. Skills management software can help with ongoing management and tracking of employee skills and training requirements.

4. Apply an inventory tracking system

There is nothing worse than beginning a project only to find out that you don’t have all the moving parts to complete it. An inventory system helps reduce the chances of missing crucial product information and enables you to better track company assets.

5. Track asset maintenance key performance indicators (KPIs)

KPIs such as mean time between failures (MTBF), overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and work order resolution time can give a performance review on how well your assets are doing. They’re also great at pinpointing which areas could benefit from predictive maintenance, the process of checking for deficiencies to avoid future machine breakdowns.

Pro Tip

Asset management software like Augmentir’s Connected Worker Solution helps you simplify the operations and maintenance of your facility. Manage work and maintenance procedures, skill requirements, training, KPIs, and preventive maintenance schedules all through a visual interface. Connected worker solutions help integrate your CMMS with your shop floor operations.

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Advantages of asset maintenance

The maintenance of assets in manufacturing consists of regularly inspecting, repairing, and replacing equipment and other assets to confirm that everything is in workable condition.

Advantages of asset maintenance:

  • Enhanced workplace safety
  • Greater equipment reliability
  • Longer machine lifespan
  • Lower maintenance costs
  • Improved productivity
  • Better regulatory compliance

Asset maintenance tools and how Augmentir can help

Manufacturers are encouraged to manage and track assets to limit product flaws, prevent machine failure, and improve overall productivity. However, in today’s digital age, especially with more mobile devices, complex cloud-based technologies, and software updates, handling assets has become much more complicated.

This is where Augmentir’s AI-powered connected worker solution, or asset management software, comes in. Our solution allows manufacturing facilities to better monitor their assets and manage them effectively with easy-to-use customizable dashboards and real-time insights.

Asset maintenance with Augmentir

Ours is the world’s only connected worker suite that provides an overarching view of an asset’s life cycle. Accurate digital asset records can help manufacturers with resource planning. In addition, our tool helps with asset record keeping so that you don’t have to worry about not meeting regulatory compliance requirements.

Though a manufacturing firm could use a spreadsheet to track its assets, our digital solution gives workers the ability to evaluate asset-specific data and make better decisions about how to manage each one.

Transform how your company runs its maintenance operations. Request a live demo today!

 

 

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