(photo credit: Microsoft Stock Images)
Manufacturers are constantly under pressure to increase their efficiency and to meet every deadline. However, even the most organized manufacturer can still find itself with little time to plan and execute. So, where did all the time go? Typically, this loss can be explained by incorrect spreadsheets, communication delays, and workflow bottlenecks.
Planning Without Real-Time Data
The production plans made are likely to be preceded by assumptions that are already obsolete by the time they are carried to production. Changes in inventory, maintenance activities, and suppliers’ delays are other factors that are likely to interfere with perfectly constructed production plans. Many production planners use static reports that are in no way reflective of the current reality.
The flow of information affects planning accuracy. When departments are siloed, it might take time to get updates about personnel capacity, supply availability, and changes in orders. This causes one ripple effect after another, with groups spending more time communicating instead of producing.
Lack of Flexibility in Scheduling
The efficacy of manufacturing output plans can be no stronger than their resilience to change. The unpredictability of downtime emergencies, rush production projects, and personnel unavailability is sure to upset the best-laid manufacturing planning. Inflexible manufacturing schedules force plant managers to use quick fixes that fail over time.
Computerized scheduling solutions might mitigate uncertainties by taking real-time constraints into account. However, most companies are still doing manual updates or unconnected processes. The time lost in reassigning employees and printing out new schedules can quickly add up.
Execution Gaps on the Shop Floor
This is where planning translates to reality. At this stage, the importance of coordination becomes evident. The operators may continue with the task without guidance or a set of priorities if there is poor communication between departments. Timing is paramount in quality inspections, equipment configuration, and the movement of items within the production line. If one process is slowed down, it affects the entire production process as other devices are made idle.
Human error contributes to lost hours as well. Misinterpreted work assignments or ambiguous instructions might lead to rework or scrap production. Mistakes can interfere with production requirements within the day. Tools and mechanisms to ensure accurate communication are decisive in avoiding these types of mistakes while ensuring that everyone works on the same piece of information.
Closing the Gaps
The time lost from planning to scheduling to implementation seldom manifests as one problem. Rather, it tends to be presented as several smaller problems. In this way, many use manufacturing software solutions to integrate data and facilitate the closed-loop process from planners to the implementing team. They ensure that bottlenecks are tracked in real-time and that decisions are made with current data rather than outdated assumptions.
To reclaim these lost hours, there must be visibility, collaboration, and flexibility in process design. The manufacturers that close these gaps between planning and execution gain more than process efficiencies. They get more consistency, more responsiveness, more stability in the face of intense competition. For more information, check out the infographic below.
