Paperless Manufacturing: How to Go Paperless in Manufacturing with MES Software
Manufacturing is a complex and dynamic industry that requires constant monitoring, tracking, and optimization of various processes. From production planning and scheduling to quality control and inventory/WIP management, there are many aspects of manufacturing that rely on accurate and timely information. However, many manufacturers still use paper-based systems to record and communicate data, which can lead to inefficiencies, errors, and waste.
What Is Paperless Manufacturing?
Paperless manufacturing is a modern approach to manufacturing that uses digital technology to replace paper documents and streamline workflows. By using software, sensors, devices, and cloud computing, paperless manufacturing can capture, store, analyze, and share data in real-time, without the need for printing or filing. Paperless manufacturing can offer many benefits for manufacturers who want to improve their performance and competitiveness.
Paperless Manufacturing Software
One of the key technologies that enables paperless manufacturing is a manufacturing execution system (MES). MES is a software solution that connects the shop floor with the top floor, providing visibility and control over the entire production process. MES can integrate with other enterprise systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, product lifecycle management (PLM) software, quality control software, etc., to ensure data consistency and accuracy across the organization.
MES can also provide various functionalities that support paperless manufacturing, including the following.
Electronic Work Instructions
MES can display work instructions and technical datasheets in a digital format on devices such as tablets or touchscreens, eliminating the need for paper manuals or drawings that can become outdated or inaccurate soon after they are created. MES can also update work instructions automatically based on changes in product configuration or customer requirements.
Production Reporting
When production data is recorded on paper forms or logs, it can be time-consuming as well as prone to human error, and the paper records or reports can be lost or damaged. MES collects and reports production data, such as quantities, times, costs, and quality indicators, in real-time, which eliminates the need for physical data records. MES can also provide dashboards and analytics that help managers monitor and optimize production performance.
Quality Management
MES supports quality management by providing quality plans and testing procedures that can be followed by operators or machines. MES also tracks and identifies trends in quality data, such as measurements, defects, and non-conformances, as well as enables the traceability and auditability of quality data by providing digital records of every step of the production process.
Inventory Management
Inventory management typically requires paper labels or tickets, which can easily be misplaced or misread. MES automates material transactions, such as backflushing or labeling, by using barcode scanners or RFID tags. It can also track material genealogy, batch/lot numbers, FIFO rules, and more to ensure material quality and compliance. Additionally, MES provides real-time visibility and control overall material flow and consumption, supporting comprehensive inventory management.
Kanban Management
MES enhances Kanban management by providing Kanban boards and color-coded status indicators that show the demand and supply of materials or parts. MES can also manage co-mingled replenishment types on a dispatch list, such as pull signals or forecasts, eliminating the need for paper cards or signals that can be lost or delayed.
Attendance Management
Paper timesheets or badges can be forged or stolen. MES resolves these potential problems by providing time and attendance tracking, restricting access to certain data or functions based on user credentials, and eliminating these physical records. Overall, MES supports both attendance management and security and roles management for manufacturing operations.
Benefits of Paperless Manufacturing
By using MES to support paperless manufacturing, manufacturers can enjoy a wide range of benefits.
Lower Operating Costs
Paperless manufacturing can reduce operating costs by eliminating the expenses associated with paper production, storage, and disposal. It can also free up space and resources that can be used for more productive activities.
Increased Efficiency & Productivity
By speeding up and simplifying the production process, paperless manufacturing can increase efficiency and productivity. At the same time, it can eliminate unnecessary steps or errors caused by paper handling or transmission as well as enable faster access and update of data from any device or location.
Improved Quality Control
Paperless manufacturing can improve quality control by ensuring data accuracy and consistency across the organization. It can also enable standardized procedures and checklists that prevent errors or defects as well as enhance traceability and auditability of quality data by providing digital records of every step of the production process.
Reduced Environmental Footprint
Since paperless manufacturing minimizes the use of paper and other materials that consume natural resources and generate waste, it can reduce the environmental footprint of a manufacturing operation. An additional benefit is that paperless manufacturing can also reduce carbon emissions by lowering energy consumption and transportation needs.
Better Traceability
Paperless manufacturing provides real-time visibility and control over the origin, history, and location of products or components throughout their lifecycle, which can improve traceability. It can also help manufacturing operations comply with regulations, standards, or customer requirements by providing digital records of every transaction or event that occurs in the supply chain.
Optimized Production Scheduling
With access to real-time data on demand, inventory, capacity, and performance on hand, manufacturers can optimize production scheduling as well as enable flexible and agile scheduling. Paperless manufacturing makes it easier than ever to adjust production scheduling based on changing market conditions or customer needs.
Shorter Lead Times
Paperless manufacturing can shorten lead times by reducing delays or errors in the production process and also enable faster delivery of products to customers by providing real-time tracking and monitoring of orders.
Increased Security
By protecting data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, paperless manufacturing can increase security. Additionally, thanks to its encryption properties and data backup workflows, paperless manufacturing helps prevent unauthorized data access or modification.
Improved Collaboration
Data sharing and communication is easy with paperless manufacturing, improving collaboration across workers, teams, or departments. Paperless manufacturing can also enable interaction and feedback through chat, video, or voice features.
Using MES Software to Support Paperless Manufacturing
Paperless manufacturing is the way of the future for manufacturers that want to boost their business and stay ahead of the competition. By using MES to support paperless manufacturing, manufacturers can leverage digital technology to replace paper documents and streamline workflows. It can also offer many other benefits, such as lower operating costs, increased efficiency and productivity, improved quality control, reduced environmental footprint, better traceability, optimized production scheduling, shorter lead times, increased security, and improved collaboration.
In a fast-changing and demanding market, paperless manufacturing can help manufacturers achieve operational excellence and increased customer satisfaction.
Go Paperless with ShopVue MES Software
ShopVue MES is a proven, best-in-class MES that forward-thinking manufacturers have trusted for nearly 30 years to optimize their shop floor operations. ShopVue MES’ capabilities empower our clients to improve systems and processes for a more effective, more efficient, and more profitable manufacturing business—with measurable results in quality, cost, overall equipment effectiveness, labor efficiency gains and improved delivery time.
If you are looking to go paperless in manufacturing, we can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
