It's no secret that plant floors are complex and fluid environments – complete with the constant and overarching need to improve upon processes that is never quite quenched.
In order for production managers to make changes within their organization, they must effectively deal with the ever-present need to collect and analyze data and, ultimately, use it to raise manufacturing productivity.
As the Economist Intelligence Unit's report "Manufacturing and the Data Conundrum: Too Much? Too Little? Or Just Right?" explained, manufacturers have significantly increased their data collection efforts in recent years – and those efforts may be paying off. According to the study, 86 percent of manufacturing companies surveyed reported "major increases" in both the amount of production and in quality-control data to be used for analysis.
In addition to these increases, here are three additional benefits real-time data collection can provide:
Improved efficiency Utilizing a software application that provides real-time data will put your company in a position to see more efficient operations, as well as increased production numbers.
Streamlining inventory, for example, can be one of the more difficult aspects of production. Not only do barcode modules manage this task, but they do so in a manner that provides more accuracy than other systems, thereby increasing manufacturing productivity at your company.
Reduced errors The processes involved in manual data collection introduce the risk of errors being ingested into the data set. Whether the errors are caused by multitasking workers, inexperience or even sloppy handwriting, automated data collection removes this variable.
Lower costs Not only does real-time data collection have an effect on production, but it can also make a difference for your company's bottom line. Automated processes make your operation more green, cutting down on the paper trail and reducing unnecessary material costs.
In addition, these real-time efforts can provide a more accurate picture of the inner workings at your company. Time clock modules, for example, can provide useful insight on employee work hours.
Though some would argue systems that provide these automated processes come with larger costs upfront, it's very likely companies who invest in such systems recoup those costs over time.
In the end, real-time accumulation of data can tap into streams of growth that existing systems have failed to reach and improve performance at many levels throughout the company.
Companies who want to learn more about manufacturing productivity can download our Data Sheet: DMS Physical Inventory Count Module today.
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