Mobility in Manufacturing – Moving Towards Streamlined Productivity
Manufacturers are rapidly discovering new ways to utilize mobile technology for maximized efficiency. Using smartphones, tablets, and laptops all linked to one network, manufacturing processes are being tracked real-time and displaying incredibly accurate data.
Over next couple of years, we expect a 33% growth in deployment of mobility solutions in manufacturing. By 2016 a predicted 23% of the $5 billion mobile enterprise services industry will be made up by manufacturing. Deployment of mobility solutions in manufacturing process impacts various KPIs of business and studies show that it not only helps in improving operational efficiency and manufacturing productivity but also helps in lowering operating costs.
Mobility solutions are being deployed in multiple areas of manufacturing, including:
Warehouse Work
- Active management of inventory and the assembly process
- Reduced inventory costs
Plant Communications
- Protection against unplanned downtime
- Wireless call button integration
- Increased productivity with instant communication
Material Tracking
- Real-time tracking of the manufacturing process
- Compliance with government regulations
- Cost-effective compliance with barcode scans
Asset Tracking/Maintenance
- Immediate access to inventory counts and asset locations
- Reduction of theft
- Asset lifecycle extension
Quality Control
- Accessing of up-to-date, quality data
- Increased customer retention
- Minimization of wasted labor time and materials
- Improved accuracy and customer satisfaction
Labor Tracking
- Time and attendance (T&A) system access on plant floor
- Effective evaluation of product costs based on labor time
- Ability to offer competitive pricing
Field Sales
- Efficient inventory and pricing checks, order submission, and payment processing
- Increased revenue through speed
- Improved customer experience
Field Service
- Elimination of paper tracking
- Reduced communication gap between field workers and repair technicians
- Reduced order-to-cash cycle times
- Improved cash flow
Fleet Management
- Integration of GPS monitors to track real-time locations of drivers and vehicles
- Reduction of unplanned vehicle downtime
- Efficient routing and minimized fuel costs
Management Decisions
- Immediate access to accurate information for smart decisions
- Management of the process and productivity from any location
- Ability to make operation changes quickly, saving money on ineffective processes
