Digital Operator Support to Grow into a Digital Factory

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A Digital Factory

Companies are increasingly faced with a gigantic flow of information. The traditional way of working is no longer suitable for tackling the mountain of knowledge, information and data efficiently. In the factory of the future, the design of products and processes will be completely digital. The biggest target of a Digital Factory is to get the right information, in the right place at the right time with digital tools.

Advantages of a Digital Factory, according to academic research and case studies:

  • time-to-Market decreases (by at least 15%)
  • fewer change requests (-65%)
  • higher quality (+15%)
  • cost reduction (-13%)
  • shorter throughput times in production (-30%)
  • lower utilization of plant, machines, equipment and manpower (-40%)
  • improved communication and cooperation (+35%)

The message is: invest enough in the manufacturing industry. Industry remains an important basis for stimulating the economic growth and prosperity of our country. It’s not because traditional industry composes with new digital technologies that the manufacturing industry becomes irrelevant.

It’s important for a manufacturing company to make the right investment at the right time. Digitization and automation are inevitable. Manufacturing companies must check step by step which solutions exist for digitizing and automating in their factory.

Digital Operator Support

Digital operator support is one of the most important aspects in the transformation into a Digital Factory, something that soon will become an indispensable part of the manufacturing industry.

Have you already thought about supporting  operators with digital tools?

Digital tools will support workers on making physical products in the workplace. Think of assembling various parts into a complete product. The operator needs step-by-step information about what he or she will assemble. But also when and how this should be done. Good preparation and planning are a must here.

No more unstructured and incomplete work instructions on paper. People, but also workers, need a fully digital system on the work floor. Smart assembly cells with the same information, but in a digital way. Digital assistive technology makes it possible to provide the operator with just enough information at the right time to complete his or her assignment. But also efficient operator feedback, clear communication with the manager, deviations in the planning and clear problem follow-up are advantages.

Digital tool on the factory floor

A digital tool will also make it possible for the operator to perform more and more varied tasks. He or she will have to develop certain competencies more quickly. Something that becomes a piece of cake because of the integrated software. These tailor-made instructions also improve the quality of the products that are made.

instruction bundle

A digital tool has two goals:

First, suggesting optimal (machine) settings or parameters so that a process step can be performed as efficiently as possible.

Secondly, giving access to tailor-made procedures and work instructions, taking the operator into account (eg level of experience, language,…).

The software consists of a front-end and a back-end part or in the admin’s view, all necessary data and info can be inserted. In the operator view, the worker sees the right information at the right time and this information disappears or completely adjusts when the operator no longer needs it.

Dashboards

The dashboards that operators can consult or the information they see on their screen is something that must be carefully considered. It should be as simple as possible.

dashboards Azumuta

 

issues in azumuta

Instructions on a screen

The range of digital (mobile) devices that can be used to support the operator when performing their tasks is continuously increasing. The companies often opt for a tablet or remote screen depending on the nature of the activities (indoor / outdoor, mobile or fixed workplace, …). We also recommend taking into account how quickly the information varies and how compatible the digital tool is with the activities the operator performs.

A tablet is useful for assembly work on large, complex machines, while remote screens are very suitable for assembling smaller parts. Remote screens are less suitable for large structures where, for example, they have to assemble something at the bottom of a car.

work instructions on tablet

Azumuta

Azumuta is highly specialized in Custom work instructions auto generated based on order specifications. Workers can go through steps with clear visuals and checks (ok / nok, scanning serial number, taking a photo, etc.) on a tablet or remote screen. You can check the status of a product, have automatic reporting & full traceability, problem tracking, in depth time analysis for each product, realtime status for each product and much more.

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