Automation of business processes – how to improve work in production?

Operations optimization is an extremely important area of ​​activity for companies that want to maximize efficiency and improve resource management. One source of support in this area is the automation of key business processes, such as reporting defects. How do CMMS systems help companies increase the efficiency of production processes?

The role of automation in a modern manufacturing plant

With the development of digital solutions, automation is becoming the foundation of modern production. Modern, integrated processes allow for the acceleration of many important processes – it is also an effective way to reduce the risk of errors resulting from the human factor. Importantly, automation can support production at various levels : including warehouse management, task scheduling or quality supervision, as well as control of workflows within the framework of maintenance . Integration of various systems, such as CMMS, together with special sensors and appropriately prepared procedures, allows for obtaining a current picture of all important information regarding processes – the effect is improved efficiency and reduction of operating costs , which is a significant advantage for every company.

CMMS Features and Process Automation

One of the most useful tools in terms of both automation and maintenance is the CMMS system , or Computerized Maintenance Management System. This type of solution is used to support maintenance, repairs and technical inspections of machines and production equipment . Available functions include, among others, planning and tracking maintenance tasks, managing spare parts inventories, analyzing data on machine failures and operation, and even predicting service needs. Thanks to such functions, CMMS can significantly improve production processes , enabling, for example, the implementation of an approach based on preventive maintenance. As a result, manufacturing companies can reduce the risk of failures and delays in production, which in turn translates into the possibility of achieving a competitive advantage.

Task Management and Workflows in CMMS

Among the CMMS functions that are important for the automation of maintenance processes, it is worth paying attention to task management . An example of implementing such functionality can be, for example, machine inspection schedules, which the system generates automatically, and then assigns individual tasks to employees in specific positions. Each of these tasks has a detailed description, deadlines and status – access to such information allows for better planning and execution of service activities . In addition, there is also the option of automatic reminders and notifications, which significantly reduce the risk of overlooking individual tasks. This approach provides a number of benefits – the greatest of which is increased production stability .

Tasks can be organized into workflows , which not only provide a complete, transparent picture of the operation, but also coordinate activities between different departments of the plant. The flow should include all maintenance tasks – from the detection and reporting of a fault by an employee, through assigning the execution of individual activities to specific people and setting priorities, to completion by the technical department . Each step is monitored and recorded in the system, which allows for full transparency and traceability of activities. Thanks to this, employees can quickly identify at what stage a task is, which allows to reduce downtime and optimize the management of available rules .

Maintenance workflow using QRmaint solutions as an example

What does CMMS maintenance look like in practice ? To find out how such processes are carried out, it is worth looking at the activities of QRmaint’s customers. One of them is a food processing company that produces packaged, ready-to-eat meals. In this case, the production lines are made up of machine modules, and the failure of one of them can cause unplanned downtime. Due to the fact that the food sector is associated with relatively low profit margins and short shelf life of ingredients, it is necessary to quickly implement appropriate repair actions . This is a situation in which the benefits of using CMMS systems that allow you to prepare maintenance workflows can be very clearly seen. The availability of a specific, established flow allows for maintaining high efficiency of repair – employees know what action should be performed at a given moment, which allows to reduce the time of implementation of actions to a minimum .

It is worth noting that the aforementioned company has separate workflows for specific pieces of equipment, which allows for even greater efficiency of such activities. As a result, work in production can be much more efficient. However, CMMS systems are not only useful in this industry – they are solutions that can offer effective support for manufacturing companies from almost every sector.

Summary

There is no doubt that CMMS systems are a key tool for optimizing production processes. Therefore, by automating tasks, as well as managing workflows and predicting failures, companies can increase productivity in general. Naturally, the final effects depend strictly on the type of industry, production volume, or seasonality. Nevertheless, a CMMS system helps to easily reduce costs and minimize machine downtime, which has a similar result regardless of the industry.

If you are a maintenance technician, supervisor, or manager, it is important to choose the right CMMS solution for your maintenance processes . Contact us today for a free consultation and learn more about production optimization. Test our system for 14 days. Call +48 12 400 41 70.