Lean Manufacturing Automation 2019: Digital Visual Management

For more than a quarter century, Lean Manufacturing consultants have walked into manufacturing plants with butcher block paper (or a whiteboard) and multi-colors of Post-its to perform Value Stream Mapping (VSM). Over the course of months, even years, teams within the four walls of an industrial facility negotiated the elements of migrating from a problematic "current state" to an optimized "future state." Paper was the only tool to engage entire lean teams to view "what is" and "what could be."

Fast forward to 2019. The efficacy of the paper-based VSM is not invalidated in the era of Digital Visual Management; it is simply a natural extension as a paperless work environment is a top automation initiative and a natural extension of Industry 4.0.

Paper, while still with merit and still used by thousands of lean consultants worldwide, introduces some limitations including compromising data security (visitors and guests see the state of the operation).

Digital Visual Management on the manufacturing plant floor is secure by creating virtual meeting rooms for real-time, 24/7, multi-site collaboration. For the global manufacturer Digital Visual Management technology is a mandate because meetings are simpler to prepare and more productive, with enhanced engagement and participation. Cutting-edge solutions allow manufacturing facilities to interact, augmenting reality and automated boosting paperless Digital Visual Management throughout the organization.

Global Digital Process Automation Market to reach CAGR of 12.87% through 2023

According to Industry Research data, the Global Digital Process Automation Market is on target to reach a 12.87% year-over-year (YoY) CAGR. Digital Process Automation Market report included the analysis of information such as market share, price, growth rate, consumption, capacity, production, import/export, industry chain, manufacturing process, cost structure, and marketing channel. The Digital Process Automation report assessed regional markets in the United States, France, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, and India.

Digital Visual Management Platform Automates Lean, Six Sigma, Agile Practices
Boards with consolidated key performance indicators (KPIs) ensure that duplicated information is eliminated; it eliminates waste and supports Lean Manufacturing principles. These new platforms provide action management with escalation and enable data integration with MES, ERP, BI, and other existing technology.

Ultimately, the human-centric visual management solutions must be integrated with performance systems. Manufacturers across a global enterprise must deploy performance management while safeguarding human interactions. Removing all current limitations with secure, virtual meeting rooms for real-time, multi-site collaboration, anytime and anywhere move this process automation to productive reality.

Meetings are simpler to prepare and more productive, with enhanced animation and participation. Problem-solving is a rapid experience with visual management with faster escalation. Due to the familiarity with paper, there is immediate adoption from operators to top manager. There are few of these new best-of-breed visual management solutions with the specific scope and depth of French-based iObeya. With a top-tier client roster, the technology leader is poised to capture significant North American market share as Industry 4.0 has crossed the pond.

The ability to integrate Factory 4.0, lean enterprises, and Agile@Scale all facilitate and bolster collaboration, while strengthening retrospectives and brainstorming sessions. Thomas R. Cutler is the President & CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based, TR Cutler, Inc., (www.trcutlerinc.com) Cutler is the founder of the Manufacturing Media Consortium including more than 6000 journalists, editors, and economists writing about trends in manufacturing, industry, material handling, and process improvement. Cutler authors more than 500 feature articles annually regarding the manufacturing sector and is the most published freelance industrial journalist worldwide. Cutler can be contacted at trcutler@trcutlerinc.com and can be followed on Twitter @ThomasRCutler. See More Details.