Them factories – a simplistic overview
Factories require clean-cut processes. They are vital for an efficient operation and safety. Every production process must be broken down to single steps, say actions or set of actions. No cutting corners. Miss one and the whole output is going to be either compromised or subpar. On the factory floor detailed, step-by-step processes are a must have. Improvisation or “I’m doing it my way” are no go area.
Some factories run 24/7. Some machinery, once stopped, may need days to start. Others play key role on the production line. Stop them and everything is put on hold. The attention of the employees must not be interrupted. Especially if operating machinery. Interrupt it and you rise the chances of an accident by several orders of magnitude.
No creativity
On the factory floor, on the production line, there is no place for creativity, artistic urges, taking risks, making rash decisions, experimenting or failures. Either can interrupt the whole process, lead to defective products or worse – cost lives. You want to be creative? Don’t try it in a factory.
Output and capacity
The maximum output of a factory depends on the capacity. The capacity depends on the number of machines, production lines, the production process(es), supply chain availability, uninterrupted production cycle, competency of the workers & etc. Increasing the maximum output is limited by those factors. If the factory’s capacity is topped you can’t have more by adding more machines*, lines, people. Say one’s job is to assemble stuff on an assembly line. Eventually one reaches the absolute maximum speed of assembly which is usually equal to the maximum speed of the line itself. The latter can’t roll faster even if one can. The maximum output is fixed by definition. Increasing the maximum output requires extending the capacity – better machines, production lines, simplified production processes, shorter supply chain & etc.
You do this, I do that
In the factory everyone has very specific role. You do this, I do that. The production process is linear and the linearity built-in. Once the manufacturing process is established – there is no going back. One can’t do something before something else is done neither one can step back and modify something in-between.
Determinism
Factories are (sort of) deterministic. One can model them much like an engine. On the high level it does not matter how complex they are (it does but that’s another topic). Get the things right and you’ll do good. People who work in factories are interchangeable (they aren’t but that’s yet another topic). If they follow and keep up with the process, all would be as good as the processes, if they don’t – it won’t. On the factory floor what reigns supreme is the detailed and intricate knowledge of how to manufacture something, how to automate as much as possible. It is by no means simple neither easy, but it is deterministic.
No celebrities
There are no super-stars on the factory floor. The environment does not enable for such. Either you follow the process or you don’t. No middle ground. Either you can do the “norm” of at least 10 operations per unit of time, or you can’t. You can do 14? Awesome, you’re an “achiever”! Oh, but you can do 20? That’s wonderful but it doesn’t matter given the process supports no more than 15.
Can measure, do measure
In a factory anything can and must be measured effectively. The performance of “individual contributors” included. The waste? Sure! The electricity? Of course. Anything can and must be measured. Those measurements are vital to increasing productivity and figuring out how to do things more effectively.
The human race has been into factories for around 300 years. We have learnt how to run and operate those. We have around 111 years operating assembly lines. We have accumulated quite some knowledge, practice and experience as well….. Yet and despite there are always ways to greatly enhance production, in both terms of capacity and efficiency. Usually through technology
* you can increase the capacity if one is replacing older machines with smaller and better ones but even then there are limitations