An Escalation System for Handling and Analyzing Production Disturbances

Abstract

In a manufacturing environment the effectiveness of internal problem solving is a key success factor in the service level performance offered to the customers. Broken internal processes need to be fixed immediately or at least in a very short time, in order to fulfill the committed delivery dates. There are several methodologies applied for internal problem solving used by different companies. This article presents a solution worked out for a plant operating in a high-mix low-volume (HMLV) production environment prone to both internal and external disruptions and disturbances. Principles, architecture and information flow in our digitized disruption handling – so-called escalation – system will be shortly discussed. Lessons learned in a six-year’s period of using the system will also be summarized. The recorded data confirm that with the introduction of the escalation system the capability of the plant to adapt to changing circumstances and disruptions greatly improved.