I wrote about my interview with Pico MES CEO and founder Ryan Kuhlenbeck a few days ago. He evangelizes for a resurgence of manufacturing in America. His company provides a different look at MES—low-code/no-code and starting with the tools and building up rather than a top-down complex software application requiring large expenditure and a bevy of consultants.
He hinted at this release during our talk. He cites budgetary constraints as a major impediment to many companies adopting digitalization of their processes.
From their blog post:
To restore U.S. manufacturing as a global leader in productivity, bold changes are required. That’s why starting today, all manufacturers will be able to use Pico MES’ digital work instruction suite of tools for free. Every manufacturer who signs up will receive a cloud-based instance with capabilities to build worker guidance instructions, create digital process flows, and assign stations. The only restrictions will be on the number of stations and operators (we’re not a charity, larger factories can pay a nominal fee), and the data tools that drive up our costs.
This is not a free trial with a time limit. This no-cost model supports our mission of modernizing the supply base and taking cost out of the equation.
The more frictionless an application, the more likely it will be used (speaking from harsh experience).
Our goal is to make the first step of a factory’s digitization journey as frictionless and scalable as possible without leading to a dead end. Digital work instructions are a key component when initiating this transformation. By offering these solutions for free, we are furthering our mission to make factory modernization standard within the sector.
And a further explanation.
One of the easiest ways to drastically reduce human variability is to give all operators a set of standardized work instructions with images and videos to guide their step by step processes. This then becomes interactive operator guidance that’s engaging and enjoyable while impacting retention. It becomes a teacher, ensuring the right information is present at the right time. Pico users then tie those instructions into connected tools and business systems, further amplifying gains and ensuring true continuous improvement.
Does it actually work? Case study.
Tier 1 auto supplier passes safe launch in 2 weeks
Pollington Machine Tool is a family-owned contract manufacturer with fabrication, metalworking, and final assembly capabilities that serves customers in aerospace, defense, and automotive. Recently, the company became a Tier 1 automotive supplier for an electric vehicle OEM. It was apparent that passing the safe launch qualification phase with traditional paper-based work instructions was going to be a challenge.
To pass the safe launch qualification, Pollington needed to manufacture 4,000 assemblies with zero defects – 2,000 for the left side and 2,000 for the right. Essentially, they had to prove a consistent, repeatable process for production. However, after three months of trying, they had not yet succeeded.
Pollington manufacturing engineer Chris Stewart said, “We’d complete hundreds of assemblies only for one to be missing a clip. That reset the counter to zero, and we’d start over to assemble 2,000 units.” Paper instructions in physical binders proved insufficient for operators to learn and be consistent in building complex assemblies.
To complicate things more, skilled labor is difficult to find in the tiny town of Marion, Michigan (approximate population of 900 people). Pollington relied on Spanish-speaking factory operators with an onsite interpreter. Despite having a well-documented process, improvements were needed to expedite the completion of the safe launch as production volumes ramped up.
There was also a need to improve traceability for faster response, in the event of a quality concern. Engineering Manager Brian Priddle said, “As a Tier 1 in automotive, you must have tight traceability. If there’s a quality concern, you need to be able to react very quickly to identify and isolate those parts. The OEMs need answers in minutes to keep their production lines running.”
Stewart added “Through the old way of doing everything on paper, it’s kind of hard to find the information you need if there are questions.” Searches could take hours.
Pollington implemented digital work instructions from Pico MES. The software easily uploads images with annotations and video explanations along with translated work instructions, guiding Pollington’s operators through each step of the side rail assembly. Before advancing to the next operation, the software verifies that all torque values and sequences have been followed. Stewart said, “It is easy to follow along with the instructions. You could build the assembly without any prior training.”
Visual worker guidanceThe visual worker guidance prompts the factory operator on what to do next, and if they are building product correctly. It is a gatekeeper in the background, and not disruptive to their daily flow of things.
For its pilot station, Stewart said, “We spent about a week developing our system. Then, we spent two to three days making sure everything was in place, including training. In less than two weeks, we were analyzing the manufacturing data.”
Priddle said, “With Pico’s digital work instructions, we were able to pass the safe launch within 2 weeks. That was a big deal.”
In the past 12 months, Pollington’s digital transformation has been substantial:
- Connected 18 workstations
- Digitized 100 processes and migrated from paper instructions for assembly processes
- Integrated 56 tools into the assembly process for error-proofing and traceability
