Human in Smart Factory: Unsung Heroes of Manufacturing

By Sharon Hsieh

Manufacturing Heroes

The wave of 4IR has introduced a variety of innovative technologies, many of which have been created for different bottlenecks. These tools soon become the spotlight when they first arrived. However, if we overlook technology as our only solution, we will overlook the core segment in the manufacturing industry— humans.

Identify the Heroes

Frontliners deal with production line problems of all kinds every day. They should be treated like factory experts who have the ability to identify problems, provide solutions and continuously learn in the process.

A Corporate Culture that Values Human

Creating a corporate culture that values employees makes employers stand out in the digital transformation age. Every member of the team should have the opportunity to be involved in the process of improving productivity. By encouraging members to raise their voices, they will be more confident in pitching ideas. Brainstorming together can also help smoothen the workflow, further optimizing the process. This is also the key to sustainable operations.

The key element to take care the backbone of the company — “valuing employees.”

All employees should feel valued in their working environment, knowing they are not taken for granted. By doing this, we can create a meaningful working space.

Respect, Trust and the Pursuit of the Ultimate

Employers should trust the emplyees’ insights. They are at the forefront of the problem and are in the best position to assess what solutions are the most feasible and effective. Moreover, they also want to make their routine easier, so these people great to generate ideas that should be introduced to the production line.

Instead of seeking outsourced assistance, companies can turn within the organization, and listen to what frontliners say, solving difficulties through professionals’ perspectives. Giving employees a chance to speak, by developing courses to help upskilling, as well as regular workshops to listen to their suggestions, is the most workforce development.

Through corporate training and giving employees the opportunity to perform, they will feel empowered and given the opportunity to do their part in improving production, a process that will bring them undefined fulfillment.

In the era of Industry 4.0, while transformation tools are all over the market, we must also get back to the essence, the profession of the expert, and create an environment of respect and common pursuit of goals. It is to work together to figure out how to make product performance better and move towards the ultimate.

The everlasting essence— human

Technology has always played an important role in manufacturing, continuing to bring innovation and breakthroughs, but in the end, it is only a tool. Employees are the role of using them to make the impossible possible. Today, whether it is the improvement of the human workplace or the optimization of the use of automation, the roadmap of business operations will not change, everything starts with humans. Meanwhile, we also need to value the contribution that employees can bring.

Human is the hero in the factory, but at the same time, they also need to have the right field to show their talent. We need to give them expectations, believe in their ability to make production smoother, and deliver the authority to promote change, these heroes will not let us down.

Best sidekick for heroes

PowerArena’s Human Operation Platform (HOP) is an AI vision for factory partners to enhance work efficiency and improve operational performance. Through AI image vision, it captures 24/7 production line data and collects, analyzes, and retraces production line status completely. It provides the most reliable data base for production optimization and enables factory managers to take ownership of the data, and helps employees to enhance the quality of their work, achieve their work goals, create value, and move toward smart manufacturing.

Read More:
Human in Smart Factory: Data Driven Decision Making
Human in Smart Factory: Upskilling and Reskilling A Win-Win Approach in 4IR Era

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