5 Ways Manufacturers Can Increase Their Production Rates

[This article was written by Anita Ginsburg.]

The concept that time is money is nothing new to the managers of manufacturing plants. Anything that can be done to improve the productivity of the plant will help to improve your bottom line. Here are five of our best tips for improving the production rates at your manufacturing plant.

Automate with Technology

Many tasks can be automated via new technology, and there are many advantages to using automation. Two of the most important benefits are lower error rates and faster production rates. Humans can only compute so fast. Computers, on the other hand, can do necessary calculations in milliseconds and can then the manipulate equipment as needed. Take some time to evaluate your workflow and look at areas that can be automated for better production.

Keep Optimal Stock

One of the biggest productivity killers in any factory is not having the proper supplies in stock. Without the necessary supplies, production comes to a stop until you get your delivery. To ensure that you always have sufficient stock in supply, you should do regular inventory checks and increase or decrease any supplies that you’ve had issues with recently. To decrease shipping time, order from a local supplier when possible. Also, consider ordering through a bulk supplier. For instance, if your factory is in New Jersey and you utilize chemicals in your production process, you should get suppliers via a New Jersey bulk chemical supplier. This will ensure you have adequate stock and it can even save you some money when purchasing supplies in bulk orders.

Offer Additional Training for Employees

It should be no surprise to you that employees who are happy at their job and feel challenged will have better productivity rates than employees who aren’t. By offering continuing education to your employees who are interested in advancing in your company you can help to foster employees who have high productivity rates. These employees are a great asset for managers when looking for ways to improve the workflow of the manufacturing plant.

Schedule Maintenance

It’s going to take time out of your production schedule to have planned maintenance. However, think about the long-term effects of not properly maintaining your equipment. Equipment that lacks maintenance tends to have more unexpected failures, a shorter lifespan, and poorer quality rates than equipment which is regularly maintained. By scheduling regular maintenance times, you can help to improve the lifespan of your equipment, keep quality levels high, and deal with less unexpected equipment failure.

Review Your Current Workflow

This actionable step is something that you should be doing on a regular schedule to ensure that your operations are as efficient as possible. Review the workflow of your manufacturing process, including the people, technology, and equipment. Look for areas that may not be efficient and implement changes to your manufacturing processes that help to improve efficiency.

Increasing your production rate can be done in several different ways. The five above are the most beneficial when it comes to raising your production rate as high as possible. Continue looking for ways to improve your production regularly.

Author Bio:

Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.