VKS for Automotive

KEEP UP WITH UNPREDICTABLE DEMAND PATTERNS

The automotive industry has come a long way since the creation of the first moving assembly line in 1913 and the subsequent mass production of cars. Nowadays, options are plentiful and any single change in demand can have a considerable impact on the various stages of assembly. As a software solution born out of the soaring fourth industrial revolution, VKS understands automotive industry challenges and the need for making adjustments when orders are already in production. With the VKS software, you can easily perform mass updates and view a record of all previous changes. Gone are the days of having to re-write lengthy training materials; now you can adjust a detail at the source and view the applied change instantaneously without having to flip through dozens of printed pages. This is also useful for staying up-to-date with increasing regulations. With live data collection, you can then take a backseat by quickly pulling up custom reports on any device. Along with being instantly available and updatable, data stored digitally has the added benefit of being encrypted with maximum security, either through cloud storage or on your own server.

REDUCE HUMAN ERROR IN MANUFACTURING

Counting every nut and bolt, the average car has about 30,000 parts. With cars becoming more complex, a single production line error can lead to costly consequences. Using the VKS software, inspectors can identify the source of any defect by searching for a specific serial number, date code, VIN number, or operator name. On top of maximizing traceability and accountability, VKS work instructions for automotive can also be used as a deterrent to avoid future mistakes. Inspectors can create easy-to-follow training material with the use of explicative images, videos, annotations, or documents. Apart from increasing productivity, these have the added advantage of allowing inspectors to track performance with Efficiency Markers, automate actions with Rule Engines, and guide operators with the Auto-Advance feature. At any stage of the process, operators can provide feedback and contribute their own ideas for improvements. Keeping track of worker conformity is also automated with ToolConnect IoT to measure torque and Forms that have the ability to prompt operators to input specific measurements or confirm serial numbers.

STANDARDIZE TRAINING AND CAPTURE TRIBAL KNOWLEDGE

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, approximately 4 out of every 10 employees leave each year, sometimes without any prior notice. As interest in manufacturing careers steadily continues to decline, the cost and effort of training and retraining new employees is now climbing at an alarming rate. This trend highlights the importance of capturing the knowledge of skilled operators on the verge of retirement.

In a comparative study, a new hire with no prior manufacturing knowledge who used VKS digital work instructions outperformed a skilled operator with over 25 years of experience relying on paper instructions. Whereas the skilled operator’s end product displayed a number of critical errors, the one produced by the new hire proved to be faultless.

These findings perfectly exemplify the benefits of a Smart Factory operating on the basis of visual and easy-to-follow job instruction training. By capturing and sharing best practices, training can then be standardized across factories in multiple locations, as well as adapted into 20+ languages. With VKS, work instructions, access may also be restricted based on the operators’ level of certification. Best of all, going paperless contributes towards a more sustainable future for generations to come.