Author: Jared Carter

Frontline manufacturing workflows are going digital. For many organizations, creating a connected frontline is the on-ramp to digital transformation. Modernizing organizations rarely starts with IoT sensors feeding artificial intelligence (AI)-driven robots or fully automated dark warehouses. It starts more modestly, on the frontline, by replacing paper-based processes with apps on mobile devices.

Frontline enablement empowers workers to perform their jobs more productively, accurately, and safely. It is also the key to real-time visibility, as connected frontline workers capture and enter data as they work, giving the management team a reliable picture of operations for more effective management and decision-making.

What Are the Essential Tools for Modern Frontline Workflows?

Enterprises have several options for optimizing manufacturing workflows, allowing them to choose the right devices for employees responsible for specific tasks. Frontline workflow-enhancing tools include:

• Mobile Computers: Tablets, handheld computers, and vehicle-mounted computers (VMCs) replace paper work orders and delayed data entry with an efficient, accurate digital alternative. Employees have access to applications and manufacturing systems wherever they’re working.

• Scanners: Barcode and RFID scanners allow workers to capture data at receiving, when materials or parts move from the warehouse. Scanners also track materials throughout work in process (WIP) and when employees store or ship finished products.

• Wearables: Wearable devices direct employees through tasks. Headsets can guide employees by voice or an AI assistant, so their hands aren’t tied up using technology. Smart glasses with augmented reality (AR) produce a virtual map or overlay when workers search for parts or inspect equipment.

Why Frontline Enablement is Critical Now

Modernizing manufacturing workflows can lead to a fast return on investment (ROI) at any time in terms of efficiency and productivity gains. However, several factors are driving the need for competitive manufacturers to create a connected frontline now.

The Workforce Is Aging

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 14% of the manufacturing workforce was over age 55 in 2000. That percentage rose to over 40% in 2022, and those employees will retire over the next decade. That employee turnover could be quite costly, not only due to the time and resources necessary for recruiting and hiring. Employees also need training, which often interferes with routine schedules and leads to productivity declines.

Frontline enablement with easy-to-use technology can mitigate issues when bringing on new hires. Using intuitive solutions minimizes training time and allows workers to work independently sooner and start providing value to the organization. Enhancing manufacturing workflows with mobile devices, scanners, or wearables also decreases the need to rely on institutional knowledge. So, the transition from retiring to new team members is smoother, organizations don’t lose vital information, and new employees work more accurately.

Margin Is Shrinking

In an era of rising costs for materials, labor, and overhead, controlling expenses is top of mind for every organization. While business leaders can do little about essential costs, operating lean, with minimal waste and maximum efficiency, can improve the bottom line.

Automating repetitive tasks within manufacturing workflows saves time and decreases wasted time and materials created by human error. Additionally, the data that frontline enablement solutions collect can fuel additional efficiencies. Routinely analyzing data from business processes can help spot anomalies that teams can address before they lead to downtime. Addressing bottlenecks, gaps, and inefficiencies gives managers actionable visibility that leads to more productive manufacturing workflows and growing revenues.

Safety and Compliance Are Non-Negotiable

Manufacturers are subject to numerous laws and standards, such as U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, including lock-out/tag-out, hazard communication, and enforcing personal protective equipment (PPE). They may be subject to environmental regulations, like the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Digitizing and monitoring processes can help enforce policies and improve compliance and safety.

Success Stories from the Connected Frontline

Manufacturers can see quick wins by automating tasks and connecting frontline workflows to centralized management systems. Examples of manufacturing processes that organizations can modernize and begin their journey to digital transformation include the following:

Label Automation

Manufacturers can automatically, accurately, and consistently label products with enterprise labeling solutions and label applicators. Replacing manual processes increases production speed and scalability, even if manufacturers require different label sizes. Automating labeling lowers labor costs, errors, and waste.

Optimized Packing

Software can determine shipment dimensions, optimize space, and save on transport costs, while helping frontline workers do their jobs more quickly. Additionally, intelligent systems to ensure packages are on the right pallets, eliminating costly shipping errors.

QC Effectiveness

Digitized QC processes enable more than spot checks by the quality control team. Using automated processes and advanced technologies like machine vision, workers can quickly inspect a greater volume of products. These solutions can also detect defects in real time, so managers can adjust production to correct issues and reduce waste.

Asset Tracking

RFID empowers manufacturers to automate asset tracking. Teams can immediately locate equipment or assets, saving time and preventing costly losses. By automating asset tracking, organizations can reduce asset total cost of ownership (TCO) by up to 40%, according to Trellis.

Streamlined Production

Analyzing data from connected manufacturing workflows helps forecast demand, inform purchasing to order accurately, plan production, and schedule the right people at the right time.

Take the First Step Toward a Connected, Productive Frontline

Modernizing manufacturing workflows starts by evaluating your current processes and identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and collect data for actionable visibility. Start with wins that will build trust and acceptance among your workforce as they move from legacy systems. Then, build to create a fully connected frontline, choosing frontline enablement solutions that will provide the most value to your organization.

The goal is to create manufacturing workflows automated with IT tools and data that enable the frontline to work more productively, cost-effectively, and accurately. Contact us to learn how to make it happen.

About the Author:
Jared Carter, Senior Director of Enterprise Sales at Levata, works closely with organizations to design and deliver manufacturing technology strategies that improve operational performance across the entire supply chain. With deep experience helping manufacturers modernize frontline operations, he partners with customers to implement mobility, automation, and data-capture solutions that enhance workforce productivity, increase inventory and asset visibility, and streamline workflows from receiving to production to distribution. At Levata, Jared focuses on helping manufacturers leverage connected devices, real-time data, and lifecycle support services to drive greater efficiency, accuracy, and operational agility across their facilities.