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Tips for integrating IT into your manufacturing plant

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Information technology (IT) is a concept that many companies today depend on but that hasn't even existed for that long.Companies that have a history of operation that exceeds 20 years have had to adapt and grow with the ever increasing technological demands of an evolving economy.For some having to make changes to a system of operation that has a history of success may seem unnecessary.Nevertheless, few companies who put forth the time and effort to integrate IT into their manufacturing will regret their decision to do so after the fact.

Integrating IT into your manufacturing plant does not have to be a huge transition.Your company can make gradual integrations and hold regular trainings to ensure that existing IT systems are understood and fully operational before new types of IT are introduced.It is often helpful to hire an IT team or to delegate IT responsibilities to an existing group of employees who are experienced or have training in IT operations.Here are some other tips for integrating IT into your manufacturing plant:


Automated machines
- Automated machines and mechanical software on the manufacturing production line offer the ability to produce a consistent result every time.Computers in automated machines can be programmed to create exactly the same product over and over again.Human error can be completely eliminated when a computer is able to control the actions of the machinery and produce identical results time and time again.

Spreadsheet for accounting- A simple way to integrate IT into your manufacturing plant is to start by bringing IT into your executive area of the business.Instead of jumping right into integrating IT into your floor shop machinery, work to improve your IT capabilities within your management team itself.Make sure that you have experience with different aspects of IT before starting a company-wide IT integration.A simple start is to use software programs to create simple electronic charts such as spreadsheets.Start small and build your way up.

Control charts- Control charts are charts that plot the quality measurements of the product being produced.Measurements of sample products are taken at various points during production.Averages or scores are taken (wither mechanically or by an employee) and corresponding points are plotted on a control graph.Using a computer these graphs can be produced with accuracy and speed.This makes it easier for quality control managers to identify and correct problems quickly.

Mechanical quality control - Machines are incredibly useful when it comes to the evaluation of thousands of fast moving parts at any one time.Not only can machines and computers prove useful in plotting points and making graphs, but a computer can often detect errors in production that you or I would have difficulty identifying.Not only does IT's involvement in the quality control sector improve products but it also cuts back on the cost of having to hire large numbers of quality inspectors.

Inter-office communication- If you are looking for another relatively simple place that you can start your IT integrating look into inter-office communications.This type of IT project can be linking various computers onto a business network so that information can be sent and accessed more easily, or it could involve something as simple as providing your employees with e-mail.

With so many IT options and the endless possibilities of what machines and computers are able to do, integrating IT into your manufacturing plant may be very intimidating at first.It is understandable that some companies are hesitant to make the transition to a more IT integrated system. However, the investment of time and effort is rarely, if ever, in vain.Every company has something to gain by integrating IT into their manufacturing plant.

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