How does the workday evolve for your operators?

The continuous striving to attain consistent quality at the least cost of goods and processing leads to more and more control of the workplace. A schedule is prepared daily so that an operator is aware of the products to be made that will pass through the operator's station. That operator has specifications for the procedure that occurs at this station. A specification is needed at that point of the operation to insure that the operator is aware of the limits of the operation under his control. As the product is manufactured, check results for proper performance at the operator's station must be made and recorded. Graphing and charting accompany the collection of data to provide visual aids for compliance. A throughput count for schedule attainment must be made. A workflow must be measured and maintained.

These and other data management attributes are carried out daily by line operators all throughout the food industry. Let's look at the support staff for this operator to collect and manage all the data required.

1. A processing specification is required with the limits for each operational point in the process. This specification has to be maintained up-to-date.
   
   
2. The specification may be permanently secured or may need to be copied daily. It still must be present at the control point.
   
   
3. The data sheets for recording data generally need to be provided by copying an original sheet. This sheet took time to prepare. The sheet must reflect the changes to the specification.
   
   
4. Someone has to make sure that copies are available or the operator has to make copies.
   
   
5. Limits must be transcribed for generic data sheets. Time consuming and error-prone.
   
   
6. Data is scheduled to be taken at set intervals. Other things happen that delay or replace the data collection.
   
   
7. This often results in inadequate or inappropriate data being entered.
   
   
8. The data must be reviewed to be sure that it is all within limits and specifications. That all the T's are crossed and all the I's are dotted.
   
   
9. That days stack of paper are then wrapped with a rubber band and put into the file cabinet.
   
   
10. When the file cabinet is full, the sheets go into a white cardboard file box and go to data storage.
    
    
11. Everyone dreads the day that a customer complaint requires that a storage box be pulled, that the papers be examined looking for that one line of information that turns out to be missing. Maybe that is why you are looking for it

Eliminate the Paper

First eliminate the papers. All of the papers that make their way to the process floor. The schedule, the specification, the data sheets, the production sheets. Eliminate every single one of them.

Automate the data collection entirely. Have a machine spit out the data you currently write on that clipboard full of papers. There are no manual movements to collect data. It is performed automatically by tapping into the machine output of data or a sensor is installed to provide the data needed.

The operation requires an action such as a weight or a meter reading such as pH or moisture analysis or maybe it just needs to be acknowledged with a time stamp. This is the scenario for semi-automated data. The utilization of a Data Acquisition Unit (DAQ) to record data from an instrument or a sensor is used in this operation. Print is pushed on a digital scale. A push button sensor is activated, a switch is toggled. All require an action that sends data to the DAQ.

Sometimes an entry has to be made into a handheld, or a touch screen, or a laptop or on a keyboard. This is as manual as it gets. There is still no paper. "Manual" input with FoodHorizon systems is so much simpler and more organized than paper entry.

Changing the Dynamics

Look how much smaller the second section is than the first. Telling?

1. Specifications are a fingertip away and all changes are current. You do not have an old copy.
   
   
2. Transcription errors do not occur. This prevents waste. Errors cause waste. To have an error requires a purposeful effort with our systems.
   
   
3. Data is timely and accurate, or a Corrective Action sheet is generated to inform why it is not timely. Alarms and alerts occur so that operations occur when scheduled. Management is aware of the operation.
   
   
4. Events occur within limits. Weights, temperatures, other readings are correct or an alert is noted. Graphing and charting occur automatically.
   
   
5. Incidents are events that are outside the specified limits. These are noted and designated personnel are alerted. If there is no Incident for an operation, all the data is correct and within limits. Silence is golden.
   
   
6. Review is automatic. When all the data for all the points being measured has been received and it is all within pre-set limits, the job or work order automatically closes.
   
   
7. There are no stack of papers. There are no file cabinets. There are no white cardboard storage boxes.
   
   
8. Data retrieval is at your fingertips.
   
   
9. The data is available for statistical analyses to determine trends, to compare process lines, and to share with auditors and customers.

COA's and Audits

A "Pedigree" is created for each scheduled work order or job. It contains all the data for each of the operations measured. The "Pedigree" provides real-time data for the manufacturer, but can also be a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the customer. The shared data is agreed upon and the manufacturer releases it after completion of the product run.

Third-Party Audits. This is the exercise where the QA Manager grabs an armload of notebooks filled with data and piles them on the conference table for the auditor to start the review. The auditor looks for errors that lead to a trail of malfeasance so that the auditor can rain on your parade and lower the score that you worked so hard to attain. Unfortunately, one has to sit through hours until that final page is turned in the last notebook,

No more. The auditor only has to look at the Incidents. If there is no Incident, the data is correct and is there. For each Incident, there is a Corrective Action. The auditor can look at the Corrective Action to insure that the requirements have been met. The trail is there for them to see.

Bottom Line

Not only has the dynamics of the workplace changed, but it also has provided more input to the bottom line.

Errors create waste. Waste costs dollars. Errors are eliminated. Waste is reduced.

Man-hours are needed to record data. Man-hours are required to review and correct data. Man-hours are needed for the administrative tasks of keeping records.

Paper costs. Copy machines cost. Man-hours to copy costs. File cabinets cost. White cardboard file storage boxes cost. Storage of files cost.

Remove the costs.

Increase the Bottom Line.