As planning and scheduling software experts, we know that every manufacturer faces challenges in these areas as they try to increase plant efficiency. However, due to the intricate nature of their work, it’s a whole new ballgame for assembly manufacturers.
Assembly manufacturers typically have more individual steps and procedures that need to be coordinated throughout production. If done with basic tools like Excel, the planning and scheduling process can quickly become overwhelming and nearly impossible to optimize. In this article, we’ll discuss just a few of the unique dilemmas assembly companies face, along with an ideal solution to these challenges.
Fixed Processes
Most assembly companies rely on a rigid set of processes to turn many detailed parts into their completed product. These processes are helpful for standardization and accuracy, but they also make it more difficult to scale production up or down as needed to account for changing demands. As you likely already know, demand is in constant fluctuation for most industries today, so the ability to respond to current market conditions can be a significant competitive advantage. Without a tool that tracks the scheduling changes needed across all of production, manufacturers may end up making modifications on the fly. Though well-intentioned, this strategy often results in errors that consume time and money, outweighing some the potential benefits.
Mismanaged Resources
At many assembly plants, certain processes are manned by in-person employees. In order to do their best work and produce quality results, these employees need proper support. This often includes plenty of co-workers to help carry the load, realistic time schedules, organized materials, and other important resources. Unfortunately, few manufacturers have access to all these critical elements today, thanks to staffing shortages, supply chain delays and additional disruptions. Without an optimal supply of resources, assembly stations can quickly get backed up, leading to decreased efficiency and troublesome bottlenecks.
Costly Changeovers
Changeovers are a common problem for nearly all manufacturers, but for assembly companies with a high volume of unique individual pieces and components involved, they are especially burdensome and time-consuming if not scheduled strategically. To minimize the number of total changeovers needed, some assembly companies choose to produce more than is needed at once and store the additional inventory. However, this strategy is not always as shrewd as it seems. Overstocking inventory can be costly and requires close monitoring to avoid wasting any product. If the overstocked parts expire or become damaged, it squanders both time and resources, which may already be scarce to begin with.
The Solution for Assembly Manufacturers
With so many moving parts and pieces, it’s incredibly difficult for assembly manufacturers to manually determine how to get the most out of their current resources. These companies need a tool that will keep production moving with the most efficient solution when market demands change, the plant is understaffed, or changeovers prove to be costly. Consider an advanced planning and scheduling tool like VirtECS®, which is designed to model process scheduling issues and produce real, workable answers. Using VirtECS®, assembly manufacturers can also quickly determine the optimal flow of production, which leads to shorter changeovers, maximized resources, and less wasted time. To learn more about how VirtECS® benefits assembly companies, fill out our form and one of our experts will be in touch with you soon.
