The greatest challenge in manufacturing is delivering a high-quality product while driving down expenses. A company’s competitive edge is determined mainly by the productivity of its processes relative to capital investment.
To this end, production efficiency is imperative in boosting operations and removing bottlenecks.
Measuring Productivity
Given the significant role productivity plays, we must measure it first. When gathering data, enough data is far better than a completely accurate dataset. Often the factors that determine production efficiency are not apparent.
Measurements can even be subjective when dependent on labour productivity. So, it is essential to consider commonly missed factors and to work with the data sufficiently available.
Improving Production Efficiency
- Evaluate the Workflow
Before doing anything else, you may want to analyze your data to see where processes break down and require improvement. Testing with varying parameters and observing the consequences can help evaluate the workflow. Before experimenting, though, you need to think of a reasonable hypothesis. Later, compare the initial conditions with the results of changing them. In this manner, you can determine what changes are necessary to enhance your workflow.
- Invest in Employee Development
With fast-paced technological changes, the need for appropriate recruitment and skills is more than ever. Instead of passive classroom learning, you can engage your employees with active, hands-on activities. You can use technology to your advantage and make training more productive. Innovative training methods such as digitalizing paper manuals and interactive training through augmented reality are fruitful for investing in human capital.
- Streamline Business Processes
More than 80% of manufacturing errors can largely be attributed to human errors. Therefore, standardizing a task is the most efficient way to perform it. To improve variables, you can provide your management team with a view of bottlenecks hindering the workflow. Then ask them for their input to resolve them. Collaborative teamwork would result in a myriad of ideas, all leading up to optimal solutions.
- Organized Maintenance Schedule
Preventative maintenance is imperative as workers cannot perform their job if production is on hold. Running a preventive maintenance schedule might require a bit of effort. However, equipment breakdowns and machine downtime can result in significant revenue losses.
- Introduce Smart Machines
There is only so much your team can manage productively. Investing in smart machining equipment is a constructive way to predict unforeseen circumstances such as breakdowns and upgrade production uptime.
The revenue saved on controlling damages outweighs the initial investment. You can use the income to purchase more advanced equipment instead. SimpleFM’s manufacturing work order software can help avoid such stressful situations.
It offers cloud-based solutions for issues such as air conditioner repair or window cleaning. As managers submit their requests on a mobile app system, the expert facilities maintenance team is immediately alerted.
Your employees can invest their time and energy in keeping the production line moving forward. Meanwhile, the team works on easing the process for you by solving unnecessary issues.
