One of our customers has designed a unique and productive system using Caps with Dry Erase Decals. This system has increased efficiency and improved the workflow in their manufacturing plant.
The system is used in Fab and in Shipping. Bright colored Caps with Dry Erase Decals can be seen easily throughout the production plant. Signs are put in place to explain/remind employees how to use this system.
In Fab
- When fab is done working on something that needs a move person, they put the specified cone color for what type of material (FG is neon green, Restock is Neon yellow) on top of cartons
- Operator writes time completed on the dry erase face of cap
- Any person in plant can now see 2 things; what type of material & what time it was left there for pickup by a lift
- Operator will place orange cone where incoming wip is consumed to trigger inbound action with time written on Cap
Benefits are:
- Drives quicker action
- Anyone walking thru plant can see status
- If too many long waits, we can adjust material handling labor to catch up
- Employee’s time can be used more efficiently.
In Shipping
- For receiving they will have a color cap that goes on a cone at both ends of bay. (Red- unloaded, Yellow- received, Green- Verified & ready for put away)
- For outbound they will have a color for pick status versus ready to load.
Benefits are:
- Loading dock worker can see status of dock from one location
- Easily identify the status of dock (still picking vs ready to ship)
- Dock supervisor can adjust labor due to status of overall dock (need more receivers rather than all pickers, need loaders vs pickers).
- Workflow is smoother.
