Automated Data Collection
October 2009
Bar coding has been the de facto standard for plant and warehouse data collection for more than 20 years but has recently seen some credible competition from other technologies such as RFID, touch screens, pick-to-light and voice systems. Whatever the medium, automated data collection makes sense in many industrial environments to not only save time and costs, but also to improve the quality and timeliness of the information collected.
One of the main objections to MRP/ERP at the worker level is the need to report activity – inventory movement, time worked and pieces produced. The workers claim it slows them down (it does) and it is a task that is not very compatible with the rest of their jobs – they have to put everything down and pick up a pencil, write something down, etc. In hostile environments – wet, dirty/dusty, outside – paper and pencil reporting may not even be practical.
Today’s Lean thinking may lead you to believe that reporting is a bad thing – something to be avoided. Unnecessary reporting should certainly be avoided, and reporting when you are not getting real benefits from the results is also wasteful. But you can’t get real-time scheduling and tracking or accurate detailed costing or quality information without good reporting. Streamlining the reporting process through automation while at the same time improving the accuracy and timeliness of the data is actually a very “Lean” idea.
When considering your data collection alternatives, be sure to include productivity in your calculations. The different collection tools and approaches will provide varying compatibility and ease-of-use with your processes and environment. Selecting the right system will not only improve the quality of the data but can also be less distracting and less of a burden for production workers, increasing the amount of time and the level of attention they can dedicate to the job of producing, moving, packaging or otherwise handling parts and products.
Email us to discuss how we can help you get more out of your system and assess whether data collection can improve productivity in your plant or warehouse. Production Solutions is an independent consulting resource. We do not represent or benefit from the sale of any hardware or software products.