It is quite typical for production-related records to be made in several systems, dedicated Excel files and squared notebooks. As a consequence, the information required for management is dispersed between different locations and strongly personalized, which prevents efficient knowledge-based production management.
In order to be usable to support production-related decision-making, the data must be readily available whenever required and analysis must be trouble-free. By knowledge-based production management, numerous benefits can be achieved, which will eventually translate into increased production efficiency and improved profitability.
Rough production control is directly sales-dependent, for which reason production requires information on the sales situation. Naturally, the area of activity and type of production influence the closeness of the actual relationship between sales and production, as well as how close the relationship should be.
Nevertheless, it can be stated that the faster and more accurate the data traffic is, the better is the production’s capability to respond to changes in sales and the customers’ needs. Production-related decisions and plans are based on up-to-date and accurate sales information, regardless of whether prediction of future demand or setting of a realistic production schedule for an order are involved.
Knowledge-based management allows universal utilization of data. Open information sharing enhances the personnel’s ability for self-management and assists in focusing resources to the exactly right targets at the right time.
For example, information displays located in production premises ensure that all production employees have an up-to-date understanding of the current production situation and of what requires attention next. At the same time, production planning can also see whether the plan is on schedule or whether there have been production delays.
Determination of root causes is the resolution of all internal and external plant processes or of quality-related problems. The root cause of a problem detected in production can also originate outside production.
For example, all of the information necessary for follow-up calculation of the profitability of a manufacturing project launched on order of a customer is available through a single system, from working hours to material costs. This way, problems such as non-profitability of a project can be identified quickly and easily.
There is still room for improvement in the reporting of industrial companies
The weekly production meeting is about to begin and the reports are not ready – does this sound familiar?
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