Manually checking cars at a highly advanced car factory in Valencia might sound old-fashioned, but this is how Ford maintains quality at the plant. Until fairly recently, these checks were recorded on a bit of paper, and then workers had to walk to a central point to record their findings. This was a 1KM daily was in total.
Now, with the aid of a smartphone and a Ford app, instant on-the-spot checks can be performed in-situ. They can even stop the production line if required, and with all data being transmitted back instantly, it improves accuracy and efficiency.
Now a wrist-worn device simplifies the process. It communicates via Bluetooth and recognises the exact requirements for each of the many models and variants of car rolling off the production line. Using this data, workers are then able to instantly follow up and approve the specs of the car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ7JtkRsHE0&feature=youtu.be
Linda Cash, VP of Manufacturing, tells us..
We have varied options and features across our vehicle range and digital innovation in our plants helps to generate lean methods within the manufacturing process.
The ability to simply consult a smartphone screen to check any aspect of a vehicle’s quality and specification helps to guarantee highest levels of product quality, and improves work processes and manufacturing efficiency.
Human error is now reduced by by 7 per cent while and checks are quicker. At the Valencia plant they expect to make 400,000 units vehicles this year, so this is will produce some great benefits.
Ford are working on a wearable in the future so that the existing smartphone strap-ons are a bit easy to wear.