Spreadsheet Process Tables for Real-Time Shop Floor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small and medium-sized companies face challenges in adopting smart factory systems due to high costs and difficulties in real-time production status monitoring and process management, leading to inefficiencies in manufacturing lead time, defect rates, and resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a process managing server that employs spreadsheet-type process data to assign priorities to product orders, create and update process tables, and transmit them to manager and worker terminals, enabling real-time status tracking, material management, and productivity monitoring through color-coded process areas and machine-learning image analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a smart factory system is adopted to improve production efficiency and real-time monitoring, then productivity and measurement precision are improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spreadsheet-type process tables as a simplified copy or representation of complex manufacturing processes, allowing managers to monitor and control production through an accessible interface that mimics traditional paper statements of work but with digital functionality for real-time tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The process managing server performs multiple functions including assigning priorities to product orders, creating and updating process tables, transmitting data to terminals, tracking material requirements, and monitoring production status through a single integrated system that replaces multiple separate tools
2Ease of operation
If paper statements of work are used for work instructions, then ease of operation is maintained, but real-time monitoring capability and measurement precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical paper-based system with an electronic process managing server and terminal system that eliminates physical paper statements while maintaining ease of access through digital displays, enabling real-time information updates and eliminating the information loss inherent in paper systems
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional factory management systems are implemented to improve process management capability, then manufacturing precision is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs inexpensive terminal devices for managers and workers that can be easily deployed and replaced, avoiding the need for expensive specialized equipment while still providing digital process tracking and real-time monitoring capabilities through widely available computing devices
Data Source
AI summary
A method for managing processes by using spreadsheet-type data is provided. The method includes steps of: a process managing server (a) if spreadsheet-type data including a list of product orders, its corresponding information on sequential processes are acquired, assigning priorities to the individual product orders and creating a process table; and (b) (i) transmitting the process table to a manager's and workers' terminals, (ii) changing, if information on selecting a specific product order is acquired from the manager's terminal, the color of a specific process area to be a first color, (iii) changing, if information on selecting the specific process area is acquired from a terminal of a specific worker, the color of the specific process area to a second one, and (iv) changing, if information on selecting the specific process area is acquired from the specific worker's terminal, the color of the specific process area to a third one.