Unlike the Andon “operator” , the Andon “machine” does not require human intervention to trigger alerts. This manifests itself in different ways: directly from the machines in the event of a blocking fault or fault, during a malfunction in the data flow or when the identified KPIs reach certain thresholds. To do this, the system is configured to notify the services concerned to allow rapid intervention.
Andon in CMMS: Towards predictive maintenance
Often, where a machine is out of service or operating incorrectly and thus blocking production, managers or maintenance services are alerted by the operator who detects the problem. But the reaction time might be several minutes or increase considerably to several hours if the alert is handled by multiple intermediaries. Machines notify support staff directly with Andon incident alerts. Support staff receive the information that they need: machine status, problems encountered. Reactivity time is therefore improved and production stoppage minimised.
Maintenance services get vital information about the frequency of machine failures, the origin of problems, and resolution time… Enabling better allocation of preventative maintenance resources. The objective is to have more reliable production lines. Linked to one or more screens based in the workshop and in maintenance services, this facility even allows operators to track the progress of problem resolution.
Andon and data: For better management of data flows
Andon incident alerts can also be triggered by the information system if it detects a throughput problem. For example, our customer Leroy Merlin decided to implement an Andon System to manage its warehouses and web orders. Data flows are aggregated to provide graphical overviews of operational activity. Indicators can also be calculated based on average values previously entered into (or calculated by) the system. If the values are within tolerance they will be displayed in green, otherwise in red. If the indicators are negative, managers can verify the status of web orders and inventory to see if the situation is normal or if a problem has occurred. The Information Systems department can be contacted directly to intervene in real time in the event of an incident.
The benefits observed are very encouraging: Problems can be detected, reactivity increased and delivery delays avoided. Company brand image and customer satisfaction are therefore improved. Previously it might have taken several days to realise the existence of a problem. Today a problem can be solved within two hours.
Managers or the IT department are informed directly on-screen but also receive notifications directly on tablets or phone applications, which also improves reactivity and allows them to allocate resources to solve the problem. The system also contributes to the improvement of indicators and can be applied to solve other problems within the company.
Andon and KPIs: For more reactive management
Some companies choose to deploy and Andon System to highlight key performance indicators (KPI) as closely aligned to field operations as possible. For example, a percentage quality indicator is defined to monitor production. Thus, when this indicator drops below a preset parameter, an automatic notification is sent to the team leader to make the necessary decisions and avoid losing
too many items.
This can also be used in back-office functions: For customer satisfaction rate (sales and marketing departments), the rate of resolution of IT tickets, the rate of absenteeism (HR)… Managers can therefore find solutions at the appropriate time and stop the situation from deteriorating. They can also analyse the causes and anticipate future problems. Visual management and Andon form an excellent partnership to alert managers and encourage them to anticipate problems.
And even if Andon alerts can be triggered automatically by machines or previously set parameters, human intervention is essential to qualify calls and intervene. Andon operator and Andon machine form a great partnership!
