Recently, Augmentir completed a rigorous qualification audit as part of a Tier 1 Pharmaceutical Manufacturing company’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), and we are pleased to announce that our product successfully passed the audit.
A recent article published by The Washington Post shows some shocking numbers on the amount of Americans leaving their jobs over the past year. It’s no surprise that hotel and restaurant workers are resigning in high numbers due to the pandemic, but what is surprising is the fact that the manufacturing industry has been hit the hardest with “a nearly 60 percent jump” compared to pre-pandemic numbers. This “Great Resignation in Manufacturing” is the most of any industry, including hospitality, retail, and restaurants, which have seen about a 30% jump in resignations.
However, if you dig deeper, this trend isn’t new. This recent increase in job quitting in manufacturing has simply magnified a problem that had already been brewing for years, even prior to the start of the pandemic. In fact, in the four years prior to the pandemic (2015-2019), the average tenure rate in manufacture had decreased by 20% (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
This accelerating workforce crisis is placing increased pressure on manufacturers and creating significant operational problems. The sector that was already stressed with a tight labor market, rapidly retiring baby-boomer generation, and the growing skills gap is now facing an increasingly unpredictable and diverse workforce. The variability in the workforce is making it difficult, if not impossible to meet safety and quality standards, or productivity goals.
Manufacturing leaders’ new normal consists of shorter tenures, an unpredictable workforce, and the struggle to fill an unprecedented number of jobs. These leaders in the manufacturing sector are facing this reality and looking for ways to adjust to their new normal of building a flexible, safe and appealing workforce. As a result, managers are being forced to rethink traditional onboarding and training processes. In fact, the entire “Hire to Retire” process needs to be re-imagined. It’s not the same workforce that our grandfather’s experienced, and it’s time for a change.
The Augmented, Flexible Workforce of the Future
The reality is that this problem is not going away. The Great Resignation in manufacturing has created a permanent shift, and manufacturers must begin to think about adapting their hiring, onboarding, and training processes to support the future workforce in manufacturing – an Augmented, Flexible Workforce.
What does this mean?
It means adopting new software tools to support a more efficient “hire to retire” process to enable companies to operate in a more flexible and resilient manner.
It means starting to understand your workforce at an individual level and using data to intelligently closes skills gaps at the moment of need and enables autonomous work.
And it means taking advantage of data. More specifically, real-time workforce intelligence that can provide insights into training, guidance, and support needs.
Investing in AI-powered connected worker technology is one way to boost this operational resiliency. Many manufacturing companies are using digital Connected Worker technology and AI to transform how they hire, onboard, train, and deliver on-the-job guidance and support. AI-based connected worker software provides a data-driven approach that helps train, guide, and support today’s dynamic workforces by combining digital work instructions, remote collaboration, and advanced on-the-job training capabilities.
As workers become more connected, manufacturers have access to a new rich source of activity, execution, and tribal data, and with proper AI tools can gain insights into areas where the largest improvement opportunities exist. Artificial Intelligence lays a data-driven foundation for continuous improvement in the areas of performance support, training, and workforce development, setting the stage to address the needs of today’s constantly changing workforce. Today’s workers embrace change and expect technology, support and modern tools to help them do their jobs.
https://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/great-resignation-in-manufacturing.jpg6301200Chris Kuntzhttps://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Augmentir_Logo_Sm-300x169.pngChris Kuntz2022-02-17 02:31:322025-07-04 11:22:47The Great Resignation in Manufacturing
After more than a year of virtual conferences, we were finally able to participate in person at the AI Manufacturing conference in Dallas early this November and discuss how AI is shaping the future of the manufacturing workforce.
After more than a year of virtual conferences, we were finally able to participate in person at the AI Manufacturing conference in Dallas early this November. This year’s event was hybrid, face-to-face on November 3 and 4th, and virtually on November 5th. While it was refreshing to be able to network face to face with leaders in the Manufacturing industry, it was great to have the opportunity to also network virtually on November 5th. If you aren’t familiar with the AI Manufacturing conference, this conference is the leading Artificial Intelligence event for Manufacturing Industries. This year’s event focused on:
The use of AI to Improve Quality, Reduce Defects, and Increase Profits
Developing a Digital Twin to Optimize Plant Operations
Using Building Blocks to Modernize Manufacturing Activities and Facilitate Growth
Designing Products Enabled by Additive and Hybrid Manufacturing Techniques
Exploring the Use of AI in Industrial Attacks and Defense
Using AI to Unlock the True Potential of Today’s Modern, Connected Workforce
Dave Landreth, Augmentir’s Head of Customer Strategy had the opportunity to present on “Using AI to Unlock to the True Potential of Today’s Connected Workforce”. In this session, he discussed the variability of the workforce with generations, how they need to be trained differently, and how AI can assist in worker proficiency. Dave also discussed Bob Mosher’s 5 moments of need and how AI can be applied at the time of learning.
The Misunderstood Fear of AI
Our founders saw that the humanistic approach was missing with traditional connected worker platforms and realized that AI was the key to saving the manufacturing world and unlocking worker potential. However, companies are reluctant to adopt AI in fear that automation will take over and eventually replace human workers in manufacturing. Others fear that AI would be used negatively to track workers, in a “big brother” type of way.
As we’ve seen with our customers, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. When AI is leveraged ethically with the workforce in mind, it can be used to help improve and ultimately grow the talent of your workers. Assessing workers on their performance has been done for years through subjective performance reviews. Using AI allows the assessments to be based on data and can provide a path forward for worker improvement and continued growth.
Understanding Today’s Struggles Within Manufacturing
The struggles that manufacturers face today aren’t the same struggles that were present 40 years ago. One of the number one issues in manufacturing is hiring. Today, most manufacturers believe that hiring is a risk, with a limited pool of candidates. They are struggling with employees who don’t have the needed skill set and are questioning how they can train them and evaluate their performance.
Manufacturing companies also struggle with retaining employees. We are all aware of the workforce retention issues right now. Employees are feeling like they aren’t heard and that they can’t contribute to the company, which causes them to look for a new career. There is also the struggle of thoughtful upskilling, meaning that formal training programs only recognize one type of worker. The average manufacturing plant sees 4 generations of workers, ranging from those fresh out of high school to the ones that have worked on a plant floor for 40+ years. Different generations learn differently and require different levels of support. There isn’t a one size fits all approach for teaching different generations.
Another challenge with the workforce that isn’t as obvious, is with mergers and acquisitions. An acquisition means that companies now consist of two workforces doing things differently and needing to understand what part of procedures from the newly acquired company is worth incorporating into the existing procedures.
Leveraging AI to Help Build and Grow a Top Performing Workforce
AI is uniquely suited to solve these challenges, and we recognized that early on at Augmentir. We started looking at how AI could help build and grow a top performing workforce. One way AI can help is the ability to hire for potential by increasing the hiring of candidates to those not as skilled. AI allows companies to understand a worker’s skillset and provides the ability for personalized workflows to guide them in the context of work while they are doing their job, whether it’s a new worker or one with dozens of years of experience. AI can also help with the “Right person – Right Job – Right Time” approach – always ensuring that the correct person is performing the task at the most efficient time.
The use of AI allows all workers to contribute by allowing inline feedback to optimize work procedures. In addition, AI can be used to ensure personalized career job competency allows workers to be hired even if they do not have the optimal set of skills and experience. Measuring a worker’s proficiency when they are completing the work allows the worker to focus on each specific step and guides them at the time of need, instead of during classroom training. AI provides workers with predictive and stable data to help them grow in their roles. Having a data-driven way to measure success and provide advancement opportunities helps establish career paths as well as opportunities to grow.
With an AI-based onboarding approach, organizations are able to hire a wider range of individuals with varying skill sets. If we can teach someone in the context of doing their work, onboarding time is reduced due to being able to train them in the field. We also see an increase in productivity and are constantly evolving their learnings. When workers feel included and confident about their careers, they are also more likely to want to stay and grow with the company. The ability to train workers in the field while doing their jobs with AI personalization allows you to clearly and quickly assess how a worker is doing, where you focus the help to them, and driving those 1:1 work procedures is a game-changer.
AI in Manufacturing will solve many of the challenges that we are seeing.
Learning & Development and the 5 Moments of Need
The Five Moments of Need methodology was created by Bob Mosher, a thought leader in learning and development with over 30 years of experience. He realized that after 20 years, classroom teaching was the wrong approach since it rarely teaches you things that you do in your job on the shop floor. Classroom learning allows an individual to gain a certain level of confidence, but quickly falls off when it’s time to apply it within context to a given workflow.
According to Bob’s methodology, the 5 moments when our workforce needs knowledge and information consists of:
When people are learning how to do something for the first time (New).
When people are expanding the breadth and depth of what they have learned (More).
When they need to act upon what they have learned, which includes planning what they will do, remembering what they may have forgotten, or adapting their performance to a unique situation (Apply).
When problems arise, or things break or don’t work the way they were intended (Solve).
When people need to learn a new way of doing something, which requires them to change skills that are deeply ingrained in their performance practices (Change).
The approach that Bob and his team adopted in the last 10 years is to think more about performance support. The variability of the workforce, both skilled and young, proves that there’s not a one size fits all approach. This is where AI comes in: being able to deliver personalized work procedures for every worker, allowing for continuous learning and growth. Based on proficiency, there may be a more guided set of work instructions, a session with a remote expert, or a supervisor sign-off required in order to complete the job on quality and on schedule. AI can also be used to continuously measure and assess how the workers are doing. This is where organizations can start seeing growth within their workforce.
Looking Ahead
We had a blast at this year’s AI Manufacturing conference and are already looking forward to another successful event next year! If you’re interested in learning more about why AI is an essential tool in digital transformation, from reducing costs and downtime to improving over quality and productivity, we’d highly suggest considering attending next year. In the meantime, if you’re looking for information surrounding AI, digital transformation, and building a connected workforce, check out our eBook: “Building a Modern, Connected Workforce with AI”.
Discover how Connected Worker platforms like Augmentir are transforming safety compliance in manufacturing and industrial sectors. From digitized SOPs to AI-powered insights, learn 5 powerful ways to improve EH&S.
In industries like manufacturing, energy, pharmaceuticals, and construction, Environmental, Health & Safety (EH&S) is not just a regulatory requirement—it’s central to operational integrity, workforce well-being, and brand trust. Yet many organizations still rely on outdated paper processes, static training programs, and fragmented safety communication systems.
As digital transformation accelerates across frontline operations, a new class of solutions is emerging: Connected Worker platforms. These tools empower industrial workers with mobile access to the information, training, and communication they need—exactly when and where they need it. When integrated into EH&S programs, they don’t just make safety easier to manage—they make it smarter, more scalable, and more resilient.
Backed by AI and real-time data, platforms like Augmentir are helping companies move from reactive safety management to proactive risk prevention.
Here are the top 5 ways Connected Worker tools are improving safety compliance in 2025 and beyond:
1. Digitizing and Standardizing Safety Procedures
Outdated SOPs, missing forms, manual permit to work processes, and inconsistent training delivery can all lead to non-compliance and unsafe conditions. Connected Worker tools eliminate these gaps by fully digitizing safety workflows—creating a single source of truth for the entire workforce.
Whether it’s a job safety analysis, equipment inspection, permit to work, or Lockout Tagout (LOTO) checklist, mobile connected worker applications ensure every worker has access to real-time, validated instructions. No printing. No ambiguity. Just operational consistency.
2. Real-Time Communication of Hazards and Safety Updates
Many industrial incidents are the result of slow or ineffective communication. Connected Worker platforms enhance situational awareness by enabling real-time messaging, collaboration, alerts, and escalation workflows.
If an unexpected hazard arises—say, a chemical leak or equipment fault—managers can instantly notify affected personnel, reroute workflows, or push emergency protocols. Workers, in turn, can report near misses, unsafe conditions, or noncompliance through voice commands, forms, or photos directly from the floor.
Result: A faster, closed-loop system for identifying and addressing safety risks before they escalate.
3. Delivering Embedded, Adaptive Safety Training
Traditional EH&S training is periodic, generic, and disconnected from actual work. In contrast, Connected Worker tools bring adaptive, on-demand microlearning directly into the flow of work.
Using Augmentir’s AI-powered connected worker platform, safety refreshers, toolbox talks, and task-specific training modules are delivered at the point of need—tailored to the worker’s skill level, recent behavior, or even risk profile.
Why it matters: Personalized safety education builds long-term retention and reduces costly retraining cycles.
4. Automating Safety Documentation and Compliance Readiness
Compliance is only as strong as its documentation. But manual reporting systems often result in incomplete records, delayed submissions, or errors that surface during audits.
Connected Worker platforms solve this by automatically capturing who did what, when, and how—across inspections, sign-offs, observations, and more. Every action is time-stamped, traceable, and ready for regulatory review, whether you’re governed by OSHA, ISO 45001, or industry-specific protocols.
Compliance advantage: Be audit-ready in minutes, not months.
5. Unlocking Predictive Safety Insights Through AI
EH&S leaders need to do more than react—they need to predict. With Connected Worker platforms, operational data becomes a strategic asset. Augmentir uses AI and machine learning to analyze safety behaviors, flag leading indicators of risk, and recommend interventions—before incidents occur.
This includes identifying trends such as repeated safety violations on a particular shift, increasing near-misses on certain equipment, or declining task proficiency in a subgroup of workers.
Forward-looking benefit: Transition from lagging indicators (like incident rates) to leading indicators that drive a culture of safety excellence.
How Augmentir is Revolutionizing Safety Compliance
Augmentir’s platform is at the forefront of transforming how industrial companies manage EH&S. By embedding safety into daily operations, it helps organizations go beyond compliance to create a culture of safety ownership.
Key innovations Augmentir brings to safety compliance:
AI-driven Safety Intelligence: Augmentir’s AI identifies risk trends across tasks, teams, and sites, helping safety leaders implement targeted improvements.
Smart Workflows: Every safety-critical task is embedded into digital workflows that adapt to individual performance and conditions in real time.
Continuous Worker Feedback: Built-in feedback loops ensure workers can raise issues, suggest improvements, and stay engaged with safety practices.
Performance-Linked Safety Coaching: Augmentir correlates safety metrics with individual skill profiles, prompting personalized coaching to address gaps before they become incidents.
Augmentir doesn’t just digitize safety—it makes it dynamic, intelligent, and fully integrated with operational execution. As a result, companies can achieve higher compliance rates, fewer incidents, and a more empowered frontline workforce.
Final Thoughts: EH&S in the Connected Era
LNS Research, a thought leader in the industrial space, recently identified EH&S as one of the most strategic areas impacted by Connected Worker technologies. As expectations rise—for safety, sustainability, and operational agility—the need to modernize your EH&S approach becomes non-negotiable.
Augmentir’s Connected Worker platform enables industrial companies to embed safety into every task, every worker, and every workflow. It’s time to stop managing safety in silos and start integrating it into the core of your operations.
Let’s talk: Request a demo to see how Augmentir can elevate your EH&S strategy.
Discover how to optimize shift startup performance during the golden hour in manufacturing – boost efficiency and drive productivity with connected worker technology.
The Golden Hour in Manufacturing refers to the first hour of production after a shift begins, a line is restarted, or a process is changed over. It is a critical window of time where performance, quality, and productivity are closely monitored to ensure a strong, stable start to the shift.
AI-powered connected worker solutions give you the digital tools to create a reliable, transparent, and data-driven shift handover — making your Golden Hour truly golden. No more missed info, no more guesswork, just smooth startups and better shift-to-shift alignment.
Read our article below to learn more about the Golden Hour in Manufacturing:
The Golden Hour in manufacturing is the crucial first hour at the start of a production shift, changeover, or restart. This period is treated as a high-priority window to verify that machines, materials, personnel, and processes are all operating correctly and efficiently. During this time, supervisors and frontline workers focus on identifying and resolving any early-stage issues—such as quality defects, equipment malfunctions, or supply shortages—before they can affect the rest of the shift. The goal is to ensure a smooth, consistent startup that sets the stage for high productivity and minimal waste.
This concept aligns closely with lean manufacturing principles, emphasizing proactive problem-solving, first-time quality, and continuous improvement. By closely monitoring performance metrics like first pass yield, cycle time, changeover time (a key performance indicator for quick changeover), and downtime during the Golden Hour, teams can make real-time adjustments and prevent small issues from becoming larger operational setbacks. Many manufacturers also use digital tools and connected worker platforms to standardize Golden Hour checklists, track startup performance, and support operator communication—turning this critical hour into a strategic advantage.
Pro Tip
Using digital tools and connected worker technology can help to standardize and optimize Golden Hour checklists, track startup performance, and support operator communication—turning this critical hour into a strategic advantage.
Golden Hour: a Bottleneck and an Opportunity
The Golden Hour is a deceptively small window with an outsized impact. It’s when frontline workers receive their marching orders, assess equipment, respond to unresolved issues from the previous shift, and set the tone for productivity, safety, and quality. But for many manufacturers, this hour can be plagued by inefficiencies.
Bottleneck: Where the Golden Hour Goes Wrong
Here’s how the Golden Hour can become a liability:
1. Incomplete Shift Handover
Most shift changes rely on manual notes, whiteboard updates, or verbal exchanges. These are often:
This creates information gaps that lead to confusion, delays, or rework.
2. Delayed Startup and Lost Time
Operators may spend 30–60 minutes just getting oriented:
Locating tools or materials
Checking machine status
Figuring out which tasks are highest priority
This lost time is rarely tracked, but it compounds over shifts, weeks, and quarters—significantly reducing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
3. Unresolved Issues Carry Over
When maintenance issues, quality concerns, or safety risks go undocumented or unaddressed, they often resurface during the next shift—now harder to track and fix.
4. Disengaged or Underprepared Workers
According to Gallup, employee engagement in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in over a decade in 2024, with only 31% of employees reporting being actively engaged at work. In manufacturing environments, this disengagement is especially visible during shift transitions—particularly among new or cross-trained workers. These employees often enter their shifts unsure of what’s expected of them, especially during the critical first hour. Without clear direction, proper onboarding, or real-time support, their uncertainty can quickly lead to avoidable errors, increased dependency on supervisors, and a noticeable drop in confidence and morale. This not only affects individual performance but can disrupt the flow of the entire operation.
Opportunity: A Strategic Window for Gains
When managed well, the Golden Hour becomes a strategic advantage that sets the foundation for a high-performance day.
1. Accelerated Ramp-Up Time
With the right systems in place, workers can:
Receive task assignments instantly
Access personalized, digital instructions
Know the status of machines and ongoing work within minutes
This cuts wasted time and increases output from the get-go.
Supervisors and plant managers gain instant visibility into:
What happened last shift
What’s planned this shift
Where attention is needed now
These insights help allocate resources more effectively during the most time-sensitive part of the day.
4. Proactive Quality and Safety Checks
The first hour is a prime window to:
Identify anomalies before full-scale production starts
Catch quality issues early
Perform standardized safety walkthroughs
This proactive approach leads to fewer defects, reduced scrap, and improved compliance.
5. Frontline Worker Empowerment
When workers are equipped with the tools, context, and clarity they need right away, they feel:
More confident
More engaged
More likely to solve problems independently
The Impact Golden Hour has on Daily Productivity
The Golden Hour in manufacturing plays a crucial role in shaping daily productivity by establishing a strong operational foundation right at the start of the shift. When this first hour is managed effectively—through proper machine checks, material readiness, and operator alignment—it minimizes early disruptions and ensures that production ramps up efficiently. This proactive approach helps prevent issues from escalating, allowing teams to maintain a steady workflow and hit performance targets more consistently throughout the day.
Conversely, if problems arise during the Golden Hour—such as equipment malfunctions, quality defects, or unclear communication—they often cause delays and require rework, which can drag down productivity for the entire shift. By treating the Golden Hour as a focused period for startup optimization and problem-solving, manufacturers can reduce downtime, improve first-pass yield, and drive a more productive and predictable day on the shop floor.
How Smart Connected Worker Technology Improves the Golden Hour
Replace static whiteboards and paper notes with real-time digital logs that:
Capture key insights from the previous shift
Automatically assign tasks
Flag unresolved issues or maintenance alerts
2. Context-Aware Work Instructions
Workers receive personalized, on-demand instructions that adapt to:
Role
Skill level
Machine status
Environmental factors
This eliminates confusion and empowers workers from minute one.
3. Data-Driven Shift Reports
Supervisors gain visibility into:
Performance trends
Downtime root causes
Operator feedback
Real-time metrics
This helps prioritize resources and make smarter decisions during the first critical hour.
4. Enhanced Collaboration & Communication
Connected platforms integrate chat, alerts, and escalation paths so teams across departments (maintenance, quality, operations) can collaborate instantly.
Optimizing the Golden Hour with Augmentir
In the fast-paced world of manufacturing, the first hour of every shift—the Golden Hour—can determine the trajectory of the entire day. It’s a window where clear communication, confident execution, and fast decision-making matter most. Augmentir, the world’s only AI-powered connected worker platform, is purpose-built to optimize this critical time by digitizing processes, guiding workers, and providing real-time operational intelligence.
Instead of relying on manual notes, whiteboards, or verbal updates, Augmentir transforms shift handovers into streamlined, digital experiences. Interactive, time-stamped logs capture production status, unresolved issues, and visual task assignments, ensuring incoming teams are aligned from the moment they clock in. Workers no longer waste time figuring out what needs to be done. Augmentir’s intelligent platform delivers personalized work instructions, targeted task recommendations, and live feedback, helping every worker start their shift with confidence and clarity—whether they’re seasoned or new to the role.
For supervisors and plant leaders, Augmentir unlocks a deeper level of visibility into early shift performance.The analytics dashboard highlights inefficiencies, recurring downtime, and skill gaps that impact productivity—providing actionable insights right at the point of need.
Augmentir helps close the skills gap during this high-stakes hour. Integrated microlearning delivers training directly within the workflow, reducing ramp-up time and minimizing mistakes during the most impactful part of the day.
By turning the Golden Hour into a moment of alignment and acceleration, Augmentir helps manufacturers unlock new levels of efficiency, agility, and workforce performance—right from the very first minute of the shift.
https://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/golden-hour-in-manufacturing.webp12602400Chris Kuntzhttps://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Augmentir_Logo_Sm-300x169.pngChris Kuntz2025-05-03 01:53:412025-06-19 17:10:32Mastering the Golden Hour in Manufacturing: Boost Shift Startup Performance
Learn how to reduce changeover time in manufacturing and the benefits of doing so to maximize production processes.
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:
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 of quick changeover 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.
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.
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!
https://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/reduce-changeover-time-manufacturing.webp6301200Chris Kuntzhttps://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Augmentir_Logo_Sm-300x169.pngChris Kuntz2023-09-03 03:11:502025-06-19 12:35:32How to Reduce Changeover Time in Manufacturing
Discover how AI Factory Agents from Augmentir are transforming manufacturing with real-time insights, automation, and workforce augmentation.
In the evolving landscape of Industry 4.0, popularized by Klaus Schwab, and now Industry 5.0, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to become more agile, resilient, and efficient. Amid labor shortages, shifting customer expectations, and digital disruption, one of the most transformative tools emerging is Factory Agents: smart, context-aware AI agents capable of autonomously performing tasks, surfacing insights, and augmenting human decision-making.
What are Factory Agents?
Factory agents are not physical robots, nor are they just software scripts. They’re intelligent, digital entities — powered by AI — that act on behalf of manufacturing teams to interpret data, automate actions, and optimize workflows. They serve as proactive copilots on the shop floor, embedded into the frontline work environment, continuously learning from human activity and contextual factory data to provide real-time support and operational insights.
These agents can assist with:
Recommending optimized workflows
Identifying skill gaps or training needs for frontline workers
Monitoring process performance and flagging anomalies
Automatically capturing tribal knowledge
Personalizing work instructions based on the worker’s experience and certification level
In short, factory agents bridge the gap between human intelligence and machine efficiency on the shop floor — and Augmentir is leading the charge.
Augmentir’s AI Agent Studio: Manufacturing Intelligence Made Easy
While agentic AI the concept of AI agents has existed in other sectors, Augmentir is the first to bring a no-code Industrial AI Agent Studio purpose-built for manufacturing. This unique platform allows operations leaders, supervisors, and even non-technical users to create and deploy custom AI agents tailored to specific needs across:
Workforce onboarding and training
Maintenance and repair operations (MRO)
Quality assurance
Safety procedures
Performance monitoring
These agents are powered by proprietary algorithms and generative AI that continuously learn from your workforce and operations data. That means over time, the agents get smarter — making increasingly precise recommendations, automating more tasks, and reducing variability across the shop floor.
The result? An adaptive, intelligent frontline that can respond dynamically to production demands, labor variability, and skill shortages.
Meet Augie: The Face of Next-Gen Industrial AI
At the core of Augmentir’s AI capabilities is Augie — an Industrial Generative AI assistant built specifically for frontline manufacturing environments. Augie acts like a real-time guide and operational partner for shop floor workers, supervisors, and even plant managers.
Here’s what makes Augie different:
Context-aware assistance: Augie understands the unique context of your operation — such as a specific piece of equipment, a shift schedule, or a worker’s skill level — to tailor guidance appropriately.
Conversational interface: Workers can interact with Augie naturally through chat, enabling real-time Q&A, issue resolution, or step-by-step guidance.
Continuous learning: As workers interact with Augie, it learns and improves, capturing undocumented knowledge and institutionalizing best practices across the organization.
Rather than replacing workers, Augie amplifies their capabilities, making everyone on the shop floor more confident, capable, and productive.
Real-World Impact: Augmentir in Action
Companies using Augmentir have reported measurable improvements across multiple KPIs:
20–40% reduction in training time by personalizing learning to individual skill levels
30% improvement in first-time quality through smarter digital work instructions
25% gain in workforce productivity due to real-time guidance and fewer delays
Stronger worker retention through empowered learning and growth pathways
In a time when manufacturers are grappling with a skills gap, labor shortages, and increased demand for agility, these outcomes are game-changers.
Why Factory Agents Are Defining the Future of Industrial Work
The traditional shop floor has been defined by rigid systems and static processes. But today’s manufacturers need more flexibility — they need systems that adapt to shifting demand, dynamic labor pools, and constant process change.
AI factory agents offer this adaptability and with Augmentir’s Industrial AI platform, manufacturers can unlock this potential without a massive overhaul or technical burden.
Factory agents represent a new class of industrial tools — intelligent, autonomous, and human-centric. As the first platform to bring this vision to life, Augmentir is not just building tools, but reshaping how manufacturing work gets done.
With Augie and the AI Agent Studio, Augmentir is helping manufacturers step into a new era of operational excellence — where the frontline is not just automated, but truly augmented.
Learn more about how Augmentir’s AI shop floor agents can modernize your operations – contact us today for a live demo.
https://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/factory-agents-ai-in-manufacturing.webp6301200Chris Kuntzhttps://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Augmentir_Logo_Sm-300x169.pngChris Kuntz2025-05-31 11:40:432025-06-10 16:00:11Factory Agents: The Next Evolution in Manufacturing, Powered by Augmentir
Augmentir and UKG are working together to create a digitally connected frontline workforce that is shaping the future of work in manufacturing.
In manufacturing, success isn’t just about machines—it’s about people. But here’s the problem: workforce skills tracking and daily work execution have been handled separately for too long. The result? Misassigned tasks, skills gaps, slower production, and higher error rates.
The solution? Modernizing workforce management by digitally connecting frontline workers with AI-powered skills management and connected worker technology.
Together, Augmentir and UKG are delivering this solution to manufacturing companies around the world. Read on to discover how Augmentir and UKG are working together to create more productive, more engaged workforces in manufacturing.
Workforce Management for Modern Manufacturing Operations
Think of it like peanut butter and jelly: great on their own, but unstoppable together. When manufacturers sync traditional workforce management with AI-powered connected worker technology, they unlock huge benefits:
UKG’s leading workforce management solution, combined with Augmentir’s AI-powered connected worker platform empowers manufacturing companies to optimize labor efficiency, streamline scheduling, reduce mistakes, and ensure compliance, all while boosting productivity on the production floor.
Manufacturing organizations that utilize both Augmentir and UKG Pro Workforce Management™ can benefit from connecting time and attendance, scheduling, and workforce data with Augmentir’s connected worker platform. Through this new integration, manufacturers can gain visibility into real-time, accurate employee information and skills tracking combined with AI-driven insights into work performance. By doing so, manufacturers can improve workforce efficiency and productivity and deliver more impactful training and support for frontline workers.
Right worker, right job – Workers are assigned tasks based on real-time skill assessments.
Training in the flow of work – No need to step away from production; learning happens in real time
Faster onboarding – New hires get up to speed quicker with AI-driven, step-by-step guidance.
Fewer mistakes, higher efficiency – Workers get exactly the information they need, when they need it.
Continuous upskilling – As employees complete tasks, their skills profiles automatically update.
Smarter capacity planning – Give production teams improved capacity planning and a better decision support tool for daily workforce scheduling and management. Proactively look ahead and see coverage gaps based on employee scheduling.
Augmentir’s UKG connector streamlines the flow of employee data into Augmentir, providing operations leaders and plant managers with valuable insights into worker availability, productivity, training effectiveness, and more. This gives production teams improved capacity planning and a better decision support tool for daily workforce scheduling and management.
Gone are the days of outdated skills databases and generic training programs. Today, learning happens on the job, in the moment, and at the worker’s fingertips. Manufacturers can provide personalized on-the-job support to employees through Augmentir’s digital guidance, bringing training in the flow of work and alleviating potential skills gaps.
The Future of Training: Learning in the Flow of Work
Traditional workforce training methods are outdated. Long classroom sessions, dense manuals, and generic training modules don’t cut it anymore—especially in fast-paced manufacturing environments. Workers need real-time, task-specific guidance to build skills and stay productive.
That’s where embedded training comes in. Instead of separating learning from work, Augmentir enables:
Just-in-time training – Employees learn exactly what they need, right when they need it.
Mobile, interactive work instructions – Step-by-step guidance delivered on the shop floor.
Skills-based task assignments – Workers are matched to jobs they’re qualified for, with training baked in.
Continuous learning & upskilling – As workers complete tasks, their skills profiles evolve, keeping pace with job demands.
This approach not only accelerates onboarding but also reduces downtime, improves accuracy, and keeps workers engaged—all while production continues at full speed.
How Augmentir and UKG are Shaping the Future of Work in Manufacturing
Augmentir’s AI-powered connected worker platform makes skills integration effortless. By delivering smart, adaptive digital work instructions, Augmentir ensures that:
Workers receive personalized guidance based on their experience level.
Skills data stays fresh, automatically updating as tasks are completed.
Training gaps are filled in real time, keeping production smooth and efficient.
Supervisors have full visibility into workforce capabilities and gaps.
For manufacturers like Armstrong World Industries (AWI), this has been a game-changer. Facing workforce shortages and declining tenure rates, AWI needed a way to ensure workers had access to the right information at the right time. By adopting Augmentir, AWI empowered its frontline workers to operate equipment, troubleshoot issues, and execute tasks with confidence—all through a single, mobile interface.
The Power of the UKG + Augmentir Partnership
The digital transformation of today’s manufacturing workforce doesn’t stop with Augmentir alone. The partnership between UKG and Augmentir takes workforce optimization to the next level.
By combining UKG’s workforce data (scheduling, time tracking, and HR insights) with Augmentir’s AI-driven skills tracking and adaptive work instructions, companies can:
Schedule workers smarter – Assign shifts based on real-time skill levels.
Close skills gaps faster – Proactively upskill employees before gaps cause production delays.
Improve retention & engagement – Give workers clear paths for career growth and skill development.
Boost operational efficiency – Match the right person to the right job, every time.
This isn’t just about automation—it’s about empowering people. When employees have the skills, training, and resources they need in the flow of work, they stay longer, perform better, and drive business success.
Bottom Line? Augmentir + UKG = The Future of Work in Manufacturing
The manufacturers that integrate digital skills tracking with connected worker technology that supports daily operations will be the ones that thrive in an era of workforce disruption. Augmentir and UKG are making it happen – helping companies close skill gaps, improve efficiency, and build a workforce that’s future-ready.
https://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/future-of-work-in-manufacturing-with-ukg-augmentir.webp6301200Chris Kuntzhttps://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Augmentir_Logo_Sm-300x169.pngChris Kuntz2025-02-18 12:10:032025-06-10 13:02:19The Future of Work in Manufacturing with UKG and Augmentir
Augmentir welcomes Mike Carroll to our Board of Advisors! Mike is widely recognized as an industry trailblazer and visionary, with a proven track record of driving innovation, industrial transformation, and AI strategy.
We’re excited to welcome Mike Carroll to Augmentir’s Board of Advisors!
A recognized leader in industrial operations, digital innovation, and workforce strategy, Mike brings decades of experience driving transformation across manufacturing and industrial enterprises.
Widely regarded as an industry visionary, Mike most recently served as Vice President of Innovation at Georgia-Pacific, where he led transformative initiatives across the company and its parent, Koch Industries. His leadership in AI strategy, operational excellence, and workforce enablement makes him a powerful addition to Augmentir as we continue to grow our AI-powered connected worker platform — helping manufacturers tackle their most critical workforce challenges.
A Career at the Intersection of Manufacturing, Innovation, and Industrial Transformation
Mike’s career spans key leadership roles where he has helped organizations modernize operations by aligning people, process, and technology. At Georgia-Pacific, he led enterprise-wide efforts in operations, engineering, and manufacturing excellence, creating more adaptive, future-ready workforces.
His expertise extends beyond technology adoption — encompassing workplace modernization and the human side of digital transformation. These experiences make him a valuable voice in the evolving conversation about the future of work.
Why This Matters Now
Manufacturing is undergoing a seismic shift. With aging workforces, widening skills gaps, labor shortages, and increasing production complexity, manufacturers are being forced to rethink how they engage, support, and train their frontline teams.
At the same time, emerging technologies like AI, connected worker platforms, and intelligent automation are opening new opportunities — but only when implemented with real-world operational understanding.
That’s where Mike’s experience is invaluable. Having led transformation initiatives from within the industry, he brings both a strategic lens and practical wisdom to ensure that workforce transformation remains central to industrial innovation.
Mike has a unique ability to connect operational goals with frontline execution. His strategic vision and practical insight will be a tremendous asset as we continue helping manufacturers digitize their frontline operations and unlock workforce potential through AI.
We see the future of industrial work now being realized by emerging AI approaches, utilizing generative AI knowledge management, and AI factory agents collaborating alongside humans on the shop floor. Augmentir’s focus on delivering an intelligent frontline operations platform goes beyond visualizing data to actually driving action. It digitally connects people, processes, and systems, enabling proactive management through intelligent workflows, digital task management, and continuous improvement tools. With Augmentir, data isn’t just displayed—it’s used to empower smarter, faster, and more effective operations.
“Augmentir isn’t just another layer of dashboards, it’s goal is to be a unified ‘single pane of glass’ that closes the loop between training and work execution, empowering frontline teams with AI-driven insights and augmented guidance to drive continuous improvement in safety, quality, and productivity. I’m excited to join a company that doesn’t merely digitize processes but learns from every action on the shop floor and delivers in-line support, whether through generative AI assistants or remote expert collaboration, so manufacturers can onboard workers faster, optimize skills, and unlock their full potential.”
– Mike Carroll
Driving the Future of Connected Work
At Augmentir, we’re committed to helping manufacturers digitize and optimize their frontline operations with AI-powered tools for skills management, digital workflows, industrial collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Welcoming Mike Carroll to our Board of Advisors is another step forward in that journey — strengthening our ability to serve manufacturers with both cutting-edge technology and real-world operational insight.
https://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/augmentir-welcomes-mike-carroll-board-of-advisors.webp12602400Chris Kuntzhttps://www.augmentir.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Augmentir_Logo_Sm-300x169.pngChris Kuntz2025-06-05 13:54:542025-06-10 12:49:19Augmentir Welcomes Mike Carroll to Board of Advisors
