Applelec install shop-floor data collection system by Clarity Software

Applelec’s new shop floor data collection system is aiding the development of efficient manufacturing systems, capacity planning, quality control and greater accuracy in job estimating.

Supplied by Clarity Software and trialled throughout the summer, the shop-floor data collection system is helping Applelec strengthen manufacturing systems through a detailed analysis of materials and labour. As a higher volume of work comes through Applelec’s factories, production times are being fine-tuned to help estimate with greater accuracy, with any efficiency savings identified by this process passed to customers.

Colin Holmes, Applelec operations manager, comments: ‘In any expanding company there’s a danger inefficient processes can work their way into daily business operation and on a busy factory floor, this can cost time and money. Setting up the shop-floor data collection system has involved timing activities with a stopwatch to gather information, from the construction of LED Light Sheet to the insertion of LED modules into a built up letter, we’re looking at all our manufacturing processes in fine detail.’

Capacity planning is another significant advantage to the system with Applelec now in a position to accurately track work in production at each factory. The system is used to schedule work for production according to required delivery dates with reference to the complexity and time needed for each aspect of a job.

With real-time data management, the system tracks jobs from the start of the manufacturing process right through to packaging. The data collection system is browser-based to ensure information is readily accessible to Applelec staff wherever they are located and ensures the factory floors are well managed and efficient.