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Want to ensure more agile production? Then you need to uncover — and fix — the most common mistakes in the production process.
The production line is made up of several distinct stages responsible for turning raw materials into finished products. Each one plays a very important and necessary role in production success, so managers need to make sure every operation is free of errors and failures.
We know, however, that guaranteeing a 100% flawless industrial operation is practically impossible. After all, we are dealing with human, technical, and structural variables. So the very least we need to do is identify all the errors in the production process — or at least the most common ones — and then build a strategic plan to fix them.
Could any of these mistakes be happening in your company? Let's find out!
But first, why is fixing these mistakes so important?
Imagine the production process as a continuous conveyor belt, where each stage depends on the previous one to operate correctly. If one part of that belt fails, the gears simply stop "turning" and the entire production line has to be halted until the failure is fixed or eliminated.
Of course, some errors may go unnoticed or be neglected in the day-to-day, and operations carry on within "normality." But the impact will — whether you like it or not — splash back at some point, bringing significant losses to your cash flow or even your reputation.
What are the most common mistakes in the production process?
There are many errors that can impact a manufacturer, but some are what we consider the most critical, with the potential to put all manufacturing and product delivery at risk. They are:
Poor communication
The absence of communication between departments, shifts, and hierarchy levels directly compromises industrial performance, because poorly relayed or incomplete information creates noise and inconsistencies, resulting in tasks being executed incorrectly, rework, or even delays.
Calculation errors
A seemingly small error in purchase planning can create excess raw material in stock or, worse, a shortage of components critical to the production process. This compromises schedules, of course, in addition to generating waste and making the entire operating line more expensive.
It's also worth noting that calculation errors affect data reliability and the use of that information in strategies — after all, the numbers become unrealistic.
Lack of integration
The absence of integration between systems, teams, and technologies creates a completely fragmented, disconnected operation. This, in turn, increases the margin of error, reduces decision-making capacity, and makes it harder to trace problems and identify bottlenecks.
Lack of inventory control
Bloated inventories take up a lot of physical space, increase storage costs, and raise the risk of obsolescence. On the other hand, undersized or poorly planned inventories can trigger stoppages due to a lack of the materials and raw materials needed to finish manufacturing.
Inadequate maintenance
When a machine fails, the impact is not limited to downtime: the entire production schedule needs to be revised, and there are often losses of materials and inputs.
Another point: the lack of a maintenance plan — or the poor execution of one — can also shorten asset life and increase the likelihood of critical failures in critical equipment.
How to fix the most common mistakes in the production process?
If you identified one or more of the errors above, get ready! You will need to build a strategic plan with specific actions to solve them.
What actions can be included in this plan?
Establish cross-department communication protocols
Creating formal communication channels between areas and hierarchy levels will ensure business information circulates with greater clarity. Investments in training, standardized technical language, regular meetings, and collaborative platforms will also help you avoid noise and increase the predictability of industrial communications and operations.
Reinforce double-checking and calculation automation
Automating calculation processes with software will drastically reduce the risk of manual and human errors. Here, you can turn to planning systems, such as ERP and MRP, to cross-reference data and adjust projections based on real variables.
Implement integrated management systems
Integrated management systems, such as an ERP, centralize data and connect all production departments in a single ecosystem. That alone will help you eliminate redundant information in circulation and make it easier to align planning, production, and logistics.
Keep a dynamic, automated inventory
Using automated inventory control systems, integrated with production planning, will also help maintain the accuracy of product data. In addition, adopting a rotating inventory with cyclical counts will allow you to spot discrepancies in time.
Structure a preventive maintenance plan
Maintenance needs to stop being merely corrective and take on a more preventive character.
A plan that follows this approach — with schedules, checklists, and performance indicators, for example — will ensure your machines and equipment operate within the expected standard and, of course, prevent unexpected failures from occurring and compromising the results of your production and deliveries.
Although many manufacturers suffer from these mistakes, it is possible to achieve more optimized industrial production by correcting these failures. Is that your goal? Then start by acquiring cutting-edge technology, such as the Useall software. Request a demo!
Originally published in Portuguese at useall.com.br.