By nature, job shops’ highly custom and contract-oriented manufacturing processes are difficult to send overseas. Job shops are further tied to domestic production because many small job shops work with local buyers. Although these firms are likely to keep production at home, they’re still vulnerable to the forces of globalization and off-shoring. So, they have to defend their businesses against the intense competition of rock bottom prices for products and labor from overseas.
One of the key factors that allows job shops to weather overseas competition is their highly skilled labor. Beyond that, they increasingly need to rely on job shop manufacturing software and other technologies to drive their competitive advantage. While some of the technologies put to use may not be on the leading edge of innovation, they are integral to the continued success of the industry.
Here are five technologies that are helping job shops stay up to date to better compete in a global marketplace:
1. 3D Product Modeling Streamlines Design Process
It all starts with streamlining the design process. Job shops are defined by their highly custom production style. Most of the contracts that job shops get are for a limited number of made-to-order products. Often times, these products require a bit of engineering and design before actual production can begin. Advances in computer-aided design (CAD) make it easier than ever for shops to design their own products. Even the shops that don’t design their own products stand to benefit from this technology since many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) send product designs in the CAD format.
Previously, much of this work was left to outside firms that specialized in product concept and engineering. Today, however, we’re seeing the convergence of design, prototyping and production. CAD software enables this by automating much of the design process using preloaded templates and auto-snapping lines, contours and geometries. Having CAD software in place significantly decreases product lead times, cost of production and the need for custom machine programming. Since most CAD programs interface with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems, design specifications can be sent directly over to initiate production. This limits the need for retooling and automates tool path programming.
2. Laser Cutting Tools Create Precision Parts
Once the design process is complete, it’s time to go into actual production mode. Capital investments in equipment are the most important investments that a job shop can make. Job shops use a variety of acronym-laden machinery in their production process. Computer numerical control (CNC) and vertical machining center (VMC) mills are probably the most popular. However, some job shops are beginning to make use of laser cutting machines to make precision and timely cuts. This technology isn’t radically new, but it’s only recently moved downstream to become affordable to smaller job shops.
As laser cutting systems have become more advanced and affordable, job shops can capitalize on the benefits. Laser cutting systems are typically used in conjunction with a CAD program that guides high-speed streams of gas to make cuts across the material. In addition to making automated precision cuts, laser cutting technologies can handle multiple different materials, such as steel, wood, aluminum and plastic. This versatility allows shops to work with a wider range of substances more quickly, thereby expanding the types of orders they can take. Additionally, laser cutting devices can be turned and left to run by themselves. This allow shops to make cuts for volume orders more easily.
3. Shop Floor Software Improves Efficiency
Of course, these technologies do little good if the job shop is not running at its highest level of efficiency – because small oversights can lead to sizable inefficiencies. That’s why it’s important to constantly track and monitor what’s happening on the shop floor. Many job shops still operate by manual processes and record production metrics by pen and paper, which needless to say can lead to inaccuracies and inefficiencies. For example, a spreadsheet can’t tell a shop customer the status of their order when they call to check on it since it’s not updated in real time.
On the other hand, job shop software delivers a variety of functionality that can help streamline workflow. This includes pulling up-to-date information for things like work in progress reports, bill of materials and lot tracking into a visual dashboard. The dashboard then provides production managers critical information to make effective decisions. Machine monitoring software can track and measure overall equipment effectiveness, such as the number of parts the machine produces per hour, machine availability and production control. With this level of information, managers make the small adjustments now that have can have a big impact on production down the line.
4. iPads Enable Workers to Be Mobile
These days, regardless of industry or size, organizations value the fact that employees have greater accessibility to the company – from virtually anywhere there’s a wireless connection. Beyond more traditional devices, like laptops and mobile phones, tablets like the iPad are changing the landscape for the mobile worker. The manufacturing industry has been slower to catch on to the iPad craze, mostly due to a lack of tablet durability. Slowly but surely, however, software integration to mobile tablets like the iPad is taking hold in the industry.
With this level of functionality in the job shop, workers can track, monitor and report production in real time on the tablet – from wherever they are on the floor. For instance, an employee can report the labor time spent on a particular task and then view what’s next in the production queue to move onto the next task. Likewise, an employee that is working on a particular job can view work instructions for a project directly from their table. Managers can also roam the shop while maintaining access to mission critical data. They can use an iPad to determine how much more work needs to be done in a given day and how many employees are needed to finish the job. All of this leads to a more synchronized job shop.
5. Outsource Marketing Muscle to Attract More Buyers
Not all of the technological innovations that help job shops are strictly computer or software oriented. There is a growing market for service firms that manage the marketing and sales functions for job shops. This may not be technology in the strict sense but it helps job shops do their jobs more effectively. These outsourced marketing firms, such as Manufacturing Mart, act as the middleman to navigate the relationship between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the job shops that they contract with.
In order to maintain good relationships with OEMs, job shops need to ensure that their products are delivered on time, at the right price. Oftentimes, products are demanded with short lead times and narrow pricing parameters. Intense production scheduling can leave little room to manage things like design, marketing and sales generation. Third-party marketing firms, like Manufacturing Mart, help job shops manage these needs and grow the business while the shop fills orders. This not only allows the shop to focus on what it does best, making things, but also helps expand the sales channel to clientele that might have been missed or never even courted. As competition becomes more intense, we can expect these third-party firms the become more popular.
So there you have a brief look at some of the technologies that are helping keep job shops running smoothly. Do you work at job shop? Are you familiar with job shop technologies? Did I leave out your favorite technology? Let me know in the comments section below.
Inset image for the fifth technology was created by Vitor Lima.
