Rauland, a leader in the design and delivery of critical communications, workflow and life-safety solutions for healthcare and education, collaborated with Panasonic Connect North America to boost productivity, improve accuracy and implement data-driven solutions for its production of innovative solutions for hospitals and schools worldwide.
As part of an internal growth strategy, Rauland looked to expand its manufacturing capacity by 30% and incorporate a more data-driven approach. The Rauland team also wanted to improve their overall manufacturing productivity, efficiency and controls.
To achieve their goals, Rauland chose Panasonic Connect North America to provide the company with automated manufacturing technology to turn its manufacturing facility – and its workforce – into a data-driven operation. Following a discussion about its team’s day-to-day challenges, such as labor and component shortages, the Panasonic Factory Solutions consulting service integrated Panasonic PanaCIM into Rauland’s existing software and communications. The PanaCIM software applications work to directly meet Rauland’s top objectives of reducing defects, scrap and rework; eliminating wrong part placement; improving process throughout; and reducing change over time.
“The data that PanaCIM Production Monitoring & Dispatch module provides allows us to oversee and control virtually the entire manufacturing environment in our SMT department,” said Jimmy Crow, manager of manufacturing engineering at Rauland, a division of AMETEK, Inc. “Having a notification system like the PanaCIM, which utilizes real-time data to identify events that can impact production and to dispatch tasks and activities to the necessary labor resource, is critical to our continued progress.”
Rauland saw positive results immediately, both in efficiency and accuracy. By combining the PanaCIM Material Verification and Material Control modules, which track and update the current inventory of materials, it eliminated Rauland’s need to order excess product in case of waste almost completely. Additionally, the number of wrong parts placed into its line was quickly reduced to nearly zero.
As the new PanaCIM software shares critical data automatically, Rauland has been able to reduce scrap by 33%, decrease the time it takes to count inventory from seven to two days, and eliminate downtime due to low inventory in the machines.
“Not only has the PanaCIM software changed our physical business processes, but it has also helped to change our company culture,” said Crow. “Today we can be so much more confident and proactive in what needs to get done and when. There is a strong cohabitation between the automation technology and our workers, who have become much more technical as we continue to evolve and grow our business.”
For more information on PansonicCIM visit Panasonic, and for more information on Rauland communications systems visit Rauland.
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About Rauland
Rauland is a respected leader in the design and delivery of critical and advanced communications, workflow and life-safety solutions for education and healthcare worldwide. A pioneer and an innovator, Rauland has been setting new standards for integrated communications technology and service for more than 80 years. More information on Rauland solutions are available at www.rauland.com.
