The Andon system is an alert (visual and/or audible) that allows an operator to signal that he encounters an anomaly on his workstation. Quite common in manufacturing industries where manual operations are preponderant, the Andon system provides a first level of agility in the workshops thanks to a visualization of incidents and performances on the assembly lines in real time.
The Andon system is part of the visual production management tools. In the era of massive digitalization in the industry, is it better to start a classic Andon system alone? Or should we consider an approach that also integrates the follow-up of production orders (PO) ?
New tools for visual management
Visual management is a key element of workshop animation and industrial performance improvement. New technologies bring solutions to increase the reactivity of these systems and simplify considerably their update. This opens the way to new uses for even better performance. With the decrease in the cost of large screens, it is now realistic to place them in the workshop, both at the entrance of production cells to visualize a refreshed schedule in real time and at the top of production cells to communicate on indicators.
Classic or new generation Andon system ?
The classic Andon system allows an operator to trigger an alert via a button box and to light up a flash of light to alert the workshop management in case of a problem.
With digital technologies and software such as Qubes, the operator can make the call directly from a touch screen on a fixed PC, tablet or mobile terminal. This gives him more possibilities to qualify his call: team leader, quality, maintenance or logistics. The alerts are displayed on large screens in the workshop to give a good visibility to all stakeholders. They also trigger the sending of internal e-mails or “to do lists” to the people concerned. The system also tracks the number of alerts and their processing time.
It is also possible to combine a classic Andon system with a digital visual management solution: certainly the most interesting compromise ?
Identify operators’ weak signals to intervene more quickly
The management of alerts in real time allows to anticipate any anomaly that could affect the production and prevent from reaching the set objectives. Intervening immediately on any incident and ideally anticipating it thanks to this alert system allows the company to improve its productivity and satisfy its customers’ needs.
Leaving it up to the operator to alert production stimulates his reactivity and encourages him to use his sense of judgment properly. In addition, it stimulates reactivity between teams and creates a dynamic within the plant. In this way, the operators feel involved in the decision making process.
Key benefits of a real-time alert management system :
- Facilitate visibility on the progress of workshops for a better reactivity
- Reduce the cost of non-quality
- Improve anomaly detection and undertake a continuous improvement phase
- Set up rituals with the operational teams (Short interval animations,…)
Is it complicated to set up ?
In a first phase of digitization, Creative IT offers manufacturers a first package of modules (OF tracking, production and quality alerts management, digital work instructions for operators) through the Qubes Factory Pilot solution, lighter, faster and with a progressive deployment. An approach that has already seduced about twenty manufacturers.
It is with reliable data that you can measure your performance, and improve it !
With a growing digital maturity in companies, it is crucial to be able to rely on a workshop IT base allowing to integrate little by little the new digital technologies.
By implementing this 1st digital step through Qubes Factory Pilot, you achieve an essential step to :
- Develop the use of digital technology in your workshops
- Move your organization to a collaborative model
- Prepare the implementation of a complete computerization of your production follow-up
- Set up the IT architecture to group and exploit all your factory data
Let’s take a closer look at your industrial objectives
After a first digital step, you will have the possibility to add all the other functionalities of the MES Qubes software: operators’ time follow-up, quality controls, TRS
A propos de Qubes Factory Pilot :
In order to initiate the digital transformation of your workshops Qubes Factory PILOT is the ideal solution to allow you to set up a real-time monitoring of the progress of operations around simple indicators and management of alerts at the station. By getting rid of non-value added tasks, systematizing processes, eliminating manual data entry and increasing your reactivity to production hazards, the return on investment of a Qubes Factory Pilot project is well below one year.
The implementation of this type of application improves the industrial company’s ability to respond to markets and win back customers.
Pour aller plus loin :
- [ARTICLE] Making your industrial digital transformation a success: thanks to feedback and active listening to the various players in the industry, we propose a methodology that is closer to the expectations of manufacturers facing the challenges of industrial digital transformation.
- [WEBINARS] Relive all the subjects we have dealt with on our MES Qubes solution but also the talks with our partners on our Webikeo channel