Work Instructions in Electronics and Box-Build Manufacturing
Consistent Manufacturing Processes for Growth
“It’s the right thing to do”
Sequence serves electronics customers that need to document processes for molding connectors on cables, building wiring harnesses, installing through-hole components, and integrating components into a box.
Customers in this vertical typically have automated processes (if they are making their own PCB’s in-house) and manual processes. In these environments customers typically have a specific MES installed to control the automated process of placing components on PCBs, but human processes are documented in Sequence.
Primary Work Instruction Challenge in Electronics
Many customers in electronics are contract manufacturers. What characterizes this group is the short time to order parts per customer design, develop an assembly process, document work instructions and deliver first-build parts in just a few weeks of winning a contract. Sequence is key in this area of rapid ramp up of new products.
Benefits of Electronic Work Instructions in Electronics and Box-Build Assembly
Turnover in Manufacturing
In the electronics and box-build industry, change and turnover are unavoidable. A core difficulty for most in the industry is the ebb and flow in production and/or engineering employees or the high adjustment in product lines due to competition and need to stay ahead. Whether it’s a change in personnel or a change in the product lines, these shifts pose special challenges to a manufacturer. These conditions can create roadblocks to productivity and quality through nonconformance and lack of quality control.
Communicating Process Change in Manufacturing
Communication between production and engineers is key. Digital work instructions help facilitate that communication in a variety of ways. Production users can easily make electronic submissions of suggestions for changes or report problems in a process. This could include process improvement, or it could be a Kaizen event driving several pictures or comments related to a process. Engineering is then easily able to incorporate those changes, and version control notes can be communicated through electronic deployment that requires signature verification by production users.
Consistent Work Instruction Format
When it comes to providing consistent, standardized formatting within your work instructions, simplicity is crucial. In Sequence, authors create and manage content using an intuitive, visual process tree, but the author does not format the instructions. When content is presented to a user, the Sequence interface does all the formatting automatically creating a consistent look and feel across all authors. This provides standardized format, while also reducing authoring time dramatically.
Electronic Work Instructions in Production
Whether you’re looking to go fully paperless from the get-go or you’re wanting a transitional period, Sequence has you covered. Progressing to digital work instructions can be daunting, it can require more than changing technology in your manufacturing, and it could include a mindset shift for your employees. But that’s okay, because Sequence has experience in walking companies through this digital change.
A few benefits of going paperless with your work instructions include cutting cost associated with print and paper, better version control leading to easier audits, reducing the number of lost travelers without signatures, and increased confidence that work instructions are up to date for the user.
Version Tracking and Control
Traceability in your work instructions provides more confidence on the shop floor, in the authoring process, and during audits. Sequence maintains all version history for you. Our tracking system is so seamless, you won’t see it happening until you make changes to images or steps in the process. You’ll know who changed what and when, as well as who approved the processes, down to the individual steps. Best part: thanks to paperless deployment, the production floor will always have access to the most recent version of a work instruction once it’s been approved and published.
Resources
Continuous Improvement in Manufacturing
Learn more about how good work instructions is one of the most effective tools in countinuous improvement in manufacturing.
What a MES and Electronic Work Instructions Can Do Together
An explanation of what manufacturing execution systems do and how they differ from electronic work instructions as well as how both contribute to the digital thread and continuous improvement.
The Digital Thread and Work Instructions
Learn more about the digital thread, how work instructions contribute to it, and the benefits of these tools to manufacturing processes.
Sechan Streamlines with Paperless Instructions
Spoiler Alert! Saving money & increasing efficiency are key success points to this story.
Single-User Desktop Application
Developed for the manufacturing company needing to rapidly author visual work instructions without the hassle.
Authoring Application to Create & Approve Content
Our core product. Authors can quickly assemble rich, visual work instructions in a streamlined interface, then export to PDF.
Digital Deployment of Up-to-Date Visual Work Instructions
A dynamic electronic work instruction interface between engineering and the paperless manufacturing floor.
Digital Work Instructions Designed for Highly Repetitive Processes
An on-demand, scrollable, read-only shop floor access portal for paperless work instruction deployment.
Author within Sequence, Present within Your MES
A solution for organizations utilizing Manufacturing Execution Software (MES) that allows integration with the work flow.
Use BoMs, Ops, & Routings to Create Your Work Instructions Framework
A solution to ensure your electronic work instructions stay synchronized with your front-office software.
