With the steady economic slow down and overwhelming global issues, a lot of manufacturers are implementing or at least considering Paperless Manufacturing. Not only does a paperless shop floor improve productivity but it allows larger companies to outperform their competition. The thought of paperless manufacturing is even entering the minds of mid-market companies. Although the transition to a paperless shop floor can be quite challenging and most likely costly, the rewards will soon follow.

I found a list of 15 key economic benefits associated to Paperless Manufacturing. Here they are: 1. Dramatic Reduction in Production Costs 2. Reduction in Production Errors 3. Reduction in Time to Create, Process and Distribute Information 4. Increased Accuracy and Faster Delivery 5. Reduction in Time Across the Manufacturing Enterprise 6. Non-conformance Resolution 7. Elimination of Manual Shop Floor Processes 8. Procedural Enforcement 9. Revision Control 10. Standards Across an Enterprise 11. Elimination of Language Barriers 12. A Single Source of Truth 13. Increased Visibility Brings Better Decision Making 14. A Seamless Interface Between Departments 15. Integration of the Supply Chain

As well as a few pitfalls to avoid when implementing Paperless Manufacturing. 1. Not aligning people, process and technology 2. Not involving all stakeholders – Manufacturing, Engineering, IT, Business 3. Installing a customized system that cannot evolve with process changes 4. Developing a system in-house to exactly meet the current requirements 5. Duplicating a paper-driven process on a PC rather than improving the process with new capabilities, controls, speed, and content of a paperless system

Many companies think that implementing their own customized system is the best option. However, it is not. If you need a customized software system and are concerned about price, look into SaaS. Plus try to find a software company that allows you to take a modular approach when selecting what your system needs.

Cambridge Manufacturing Journals


Manufacturing.gov