Reduce Downtime
Track and Reduce Downtime with Stack Light Commander
Most plants know they have downtime. Very few know how much or what it costs them. Often, operators wave down a supervisor or a maintenance tech for help. This is a common occurrence throughout the day. By the end of the shift, you have a clear record of every minute lost, every cause, and what it cost the business. We designed Stack Light Commander to help you pinpoint the source of downtime and eliminate it.
Stack Light Commander uses wireless Andon lights and data collection devices to collect data for every downtime event. Knowing when, where, and how long each event lasted gives you a clear view of what is really happening on your shop floor. Now you can focus on the right areas and recover the productivity waiting in your facility.
How do we spot downtime?
It starts with knowing production has stopped. In many cases a machine is down, or an operator has a problem, and response time suffers because the right people aren't aware yet. The operator has to hunt down a manager or maintenance person to get help. This is where Andon lights and displays come in.
The lights communicate with overhead displays or desktop computer monitors to alert managers and maintenance to the problem.
These visual alerts let everyone know the downtime clock is ticking. Now people can spring to action and get production moving again. The visual signals reduce the time it takes to respond, saving money and boosting production.
What do we do once a problem is solved?
Now that the machine is back up and running or the operator who ran out of materials is restocked, what do we do? Often, we walk away and move on to the next task. But most times whatever caused the problem will happen again. Maybe on another shift. Or maybe on another line. We may not even notice that the same issue repeats on other shifts or is solved by other members of our team.
There is a better way to address downtime.
What if we could record the downtime events and use the power of statistics to find those improvement opportunities? Stack Light Commander gives us the tool we need. When one of our Andon lights or wireless IO units detects a downtime event, we get a timestamp with all the information we need to identify where to focus our efforts. This tells us where the event happened, how long it took to resolve, and how often it has happened in the past. This valuable data is used to make graphs and charts and uncover hidden efficiency gains. We can now focus our efforts and reclaim lost productivity.
How can we reduce response time?
To start, we need to know we have a problem and be able to respond quickly. This is where the wireless Stack Lights and displays come in.
The RC line of lights can be configured to work for your unique project. They can be ordered with up to 5 colors, they can have buttons or can be controlled by a PLC. They can be controlled by remote controls and synchronized with other lights. The lights are designed so that you can configure them for your unique situation.
Stack Light Commander makes it easy to know your shop floor's status on overhead displays or on computers throughout your facility. You can display Bingo Boards or use the Map feature that lets you see the status of your whole facility at a glance. These displays can be located anywhere you need them.
Spotting problems quickly with signal lights and displays lets you respond quickly and increase productivity.
How can we use data to reduce downtime?
The Stack Light Commander program collects data from the lights. Every time a button is pushed, activating a light, a timestamp is recorded. Now we know the Where, When, How Long, and How Often for each event. This data is stored in a database and the graphs and charts in the program let you compare lines, downtime by area, differences in shifts, and more. You can analyze the data in Stack Light Commander, or you can export it as a CSV or Excel file and do your own analysis.
Where is the downtime?
Each light is assigned to a task or area. When a downtime event is flagged, the display shows the location on the map. If the same area stands out in the data, now you know exactly where to focus your efforts.
When was the downtime?
Every downtime event has a timestamp recorded. Often we will find that one shift has more downtime than another, or that downtime occurs at the same time every day. Knowing when helps you find the source and fix it.
How long were we down?
Stack Light Commander records how long it took to resolve each event. Some are resolved quickly, others take hours. The data highlights the big events easily so you can tackle the most impactful downtime issues first.
How often does it happen?
The software tracks every downtime event. Small events add up and often point to quality improvement opportunities. The built-in bar graph highlights areas with repeated events so nothing slips through the cracks.
By combining Andon lights with data tracking software you get a complete picture of your facility. You can find the highest-impact improvement opportunities and increase efficiency and profits.
Ready to Reclaim Lost Productivity?
Stack Light Commander was designed with manufacturing in mind. Start with a simple light and remote control and grow from there — or we can work with you to build the perfect system for your project.
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