Touchscreen monitor for ANDON system

Today’s production is no longer just about machines and tapes – it’s digital solutions that have one main goal: to do everything faster, more efficiently and without unnecessary downtime. One of these tools, which is increasingly visible in production halls, is the ANDON system. What is this solution? What role do touchscreens play in the context of the ANDON system and why are they becoming an indispensable element of modern factories? The key role here is played by CMMS , or the maintenance management system. Thanks to integration with ANDON, CMMS can automatically generate service requests and send them directly to the appropriate technical teams.

ANDON – what is it anyway?

Although the word “ANDON” looks like an acronym, in fact the name of this type of system comes from Japanese and can be translated as “lantern”. Such a “lantern” is a kind of alarm system in production. However, it is not about fires or other threats, but about immediate information that something has gone wrong on the production line. For a long time, visual signals in the form of lamps or sound signals were used for such tasks, but this solution has certain drawbacks. Now it is completely different. The ANDON system is constantly evolving, and touch screens are among the most important novelties.

What is ANDON responsible for? First of all, it immediately shows that something requires attention. Is the machine jammed? Does someone need help? Is there a production outage? ANDON lets you know before the problem becomes much more serious. As a result, the reaction can be immediate, which makes a huge difference in production.

Touchscreen monitors – a game changer on the production floor

Traditionally, ANDON systems have been based on the use of complex panels or manual entries. Today, however, touchscreen monitors are increasingly used. This is a solution that literally changes the rules of the game. Everything is at your fingertips on the touchscreen. Just a click to report a problem or a swipe to select a failure category. That’s it – no need to reach for the user manual or look for an experienced technician who knows exactly how the system works.

Why is touch the future of ANDON systems?

Firstly – speed. In an environment where every second of downtime is a potential loss, the ability to report a fault in a few seconds is a truly huge advantage.

Secondly, simplicity. Instead of the tedious work with buttons or switches, you can use a clear interface, often resembling a phone or tablet. You don’t need special training to find your way around it – even a new employee can handle it in a few minutes.

Thirdly – ​​interactivity. Monitors not only collect data, but also display information in real time. What is happening with the machine? What is the status of the intervention? Is someone already working? All this is visible immediately – without unnecessary questions and phone calls.

Benefits that are hard to ignore

Touch screens in ANDON are not just a technological innovation. They are specific benefits that can be counted:

• Fewer errors – the system guides the user step by step. Instead of typing something in manually and risking typos or bad data, everything is ready – just click.
• Greater employee engagement – ​​easy access to the system makes employees more willing to use it. You don’t have to be an IT specialist to report or check something.
• Better communication on the shop floor – everyone has the same access to information. Operators, leaders, technicians – they see exactly the same thing and can act together, based on real, reliable data.
• Faster decisions – less chaos, less unnecessary actions. Instead of asking and looking for reasons, you can go straight to action.

Touch vs. Tradition – Who Wins?

In traditional ANDON systems, it was easy to overlook something. This can result from, for example, forgetting to report a failure or missing an audible signal. This is even more risky in manual reporting, where the path from problem to solution can be really long. Touchscreen monitors shorten this path almost to zero. And most importantly, they are getting cheaper and more resistant. It is no longer a delicate tablet for the living room, but equipment ready for dust, shocks or contact with various agents. Thanks to this, ANDON with a touchscreen monitor will work well in a factory without any problems.

How to implement touchscreen monitors to use their potential?

There is no single recipe here, but it is worth remembering a few things:

• The equipment must be solid – resistance to temperature, humidity, dust, and sometimes accidental impact is essential.
• Ease of use – even the most advanced screen will not help if employees cannot use it.
• Integration with other systems – such as CMMS software that manages machine maintenance. The more systems that share information, the better.

What’s next?

Touchscreen monitors in ANDON systems are not a passing fad, but the direction in which the entire industry is heading. Digitization of plants brings many benefits – as its role grows, the importance of simple, fast and error-free communication also grows. With touchscreen monitors for ANDON systems, all this can be achieved in just a few clicks.

The future of production is undoubtedly interactive, transparent and automated. And touch screens will be an inseparable part of it. Step by step, click by click – they create a new standard of operation, where time, precision and convenience count. These are fundamental issues for every production plant, which further contributes to the growing role of touch monitors in ANDON systems.