Case study | Manufacturing Industry

MATERIAL HANDLING: Mobile application built to monitor, manage and request ​on-shift requirements for car parts and materials​. 

Mission:

The mission was to revolutionise the management of car parts and materials on the shop floor of car manufacturing plants, which entailed developing a mobile application that would monitor, manage, and fulfil requirements for car parts, reforming the material handling process and replacing outdated note-taking and fixed PC look-up methods.

Key Achievements

  • Development of a one-stop-shop mobile app, empowering supervisors to monitor and manage material requirements in real-time directly from the shop floor.
  • Implementation of barcode scanning and keypad entry for quick and accurate retrieval of part details and inventory information.
  • Creation of an emergency pick-up system (RAN) at the touch of a button, streamlining the process for urgent part requirements.
  • Integration of the client’s SAIS reporting service within the app, enabling users to raise stock concerns and report on stock disparities promptly.

The Challenge

  • Heavy and time-consuming processes of accessing various services for material management through factory consoles. 
  • The need for a mobile application that provides rapid data retrieval and an intuitive interface for hands-on use on the shop floor.  
  • Replacing outdated note-taking and fixed PC look-up methods with a dynamic mobile app that streamlines the material handling process and enhances efficiency. 

The Solution

  • Integration of barcode scanning and keypad entry functionalities for quick retrieval of part details and inventory information
  • Implementation of a one-stop-shop approach, enabling supervisors to monitor stock levels, part status, and line-point stock requirements in real-time.
  • Creation of a user-friendly emergency pick-up (RAN) system for urgent spares requirements.
  • Integration of the client’s SAIS reporting service within the tool, allowing users to raise stock concerns and report on stock disparities promptly.

The Technologies

  • Angular
  • HTML5 & CSS3
  • Cordova SDK
  • OAuth and signed SDK
  • JSON REST

The Resources

  • 1 Solutions Architect
  • 2 Project Manager
  • 1 Mobile Applications Developer

The Results

The mobile application developed, proved to be a highly successful tool in streamlining material handling processes on car manufacturing shop floors. This effectively eliminated inefficiencies and time-consuming procedures, energising supervisors with a user-friendly mobile solution for on-shift material requirements. With lightning-fast access to essential services, supervisors could efficiently order, monitor, manage, and address stock concerns, significantly enhancing overall efficiency and user experience. The tool’s immediate monitoring capabilities for stock levels, part status, and line-point requirements enabled supervisors to make timely and informed decisions. Operatives using the app daily praised its intuitive UI, which seamlessly transformed material handling, leading to improved operations across the entire manufacturing process.