It used to be the case in job shop manufacturing that when something needed to be done, the information relating to the task was passed along the line with paper forms. Dispatch lists, routers, schedules, requisitions, and job orders were written down on hardcopies.

However, hardcopy forms often proved to be inflexible pains to change if there were hiccups in the system. Furthermore, there was always a disconnection between areas like scheduling, shop floor work centers, inventory, and shipping.

In the old days of paper forms, there was the constant problem of miscommunication—everyone in the plant was not always on the same page. The results were unpredictable and inefficient production procedures that had negative effects on the bottom line profit.

Today, manufacturers have a more flexible data collection tool that puts all areas of plant production on the same page. The Graphical User Interface, or GUI for short, uses graphic images and forms to take in, analyze, and show production information to any number of shop personnel simultaneously. In other words, the GUI provides single source real-time information about all manufacturing processes. Of particular importance is the fact that the GUI does this all from a terminal display that is both easy to use and read. For the input or manipulation of data, the GUI can be set up to use a touch-screen, bar code scanning, a mouse, a keypad, or any combination of these.

GUI displays use a variety of graphics to display a wide range of important production information. These graphics, often called widgets, include items such as icons, buttons, windows, check boxes, and menus. On the various screens and graphics of the GUI, users can also “drill down” to deeper levels for more specific information needs. For example, in an Inventory screen a user can quickly see the number of parts in stock that may be needed for a scheduled job, and then “drill down” to see considerations such as vendors, part availability history, and prices.

The ability to act as a central hub for shop information control is the primary importance of the GUI in manufacturing. With the GUI, job shops and make-to-order manufacturers can more easily implement efficiency into their operations, especially those that are looking toward total Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP. By being able to collect, store, and manipulate all shop data into one easy to access and use terminal, manufacturers have a better idea of what is going on at any single moment. This real-time information flow builds greater potential for efficiency in the production process, and ultimately enhances bottom line profits.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 16th, 2007 at 10:11 am and is filed under Shop Floor, Accounting, Quality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.