This email got me thinking: Does on-demand color labels fit lean manufacturing principals?
Although lean manufacturing is a large, complex subject with
many highly-paid consultants, I wondered; how many different processes along a
value stream for a manufacturer could be made more efficient using on-demand
color labels. Processes that require less human effort,
less space, less capital, less time and at far less costs and with much fewer
defects.
So here is my list of 12 processes that have been or could be improved
using on-demand color labels. Please
remember; this list is not exhaustive; just examples. Further, this list is not in priority; but
along a potential value chain of a manufacturer.
- Label
Procurement: By moving to on-demand
labels, Procurement can reduce or eliminate the number of different
preprinted labels purchased; thus reducing plate setup, freight, and order
process charges. Further, by using
continuous labels, manufacturers can consolidate labels to one consistent
width and then print to any length, thus reducing orders also.
- Label Receiving: With on-demand labels, associates responsible for receiving will have fewer different products to receive and process.
- Label Put-Away/Picking: Using on-demand labels, associates will have to put-away fewer SKU’s thus reducing trips to the print stations. Further, an associate will spend less time and make less errors looking for a specific preprinted label. According to Jaclo Plumbing, they have reduced their warehouse labor by up to one man-year by moving to on-demand color labels: http://pos.epson.com/colorworks/assets/ColorWorks_Manufacturing_SS.pdf
- Warehouse Bin Labels: By adding images to the warehouse bin labels, managers will reduce the risk of incorrect picking/put-away of items (see above).
- Warehouse Pick Tickets: By adding images to pick tickets, warehouse managers can reduce the risk of incorrect picking. Take a look at this blog post on Marco Specialties: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/04/pinball-wizard-two-applications-for.html
- Job Routing: By adding color to tickets, job shops will reduce the risk of work orders being routed to incorrect stations or even lost. This reduction of risk speeds jobs through the factory floor, reducing costs.
- Job Tracking: By adding color to Kanban cards, manufacturers can quickly review job status, thus insuring the correct job is produced at the correct time. Look at the work of Almatis to reduce inventory using color coded kanban cards: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/02/color-kanban-cards-keeps-companys.html
- Label Design: With just-in-time color labels, manufacturers can design labels that make it easier for customers to locate the desired products; by adding pictures, OEM logos, and color text. Take a look at FX Luminaire: http://pos.epson.com/colorworks/assets/ColorWorks_FX_Luminaire_SS.pdf Starcke Abrasives: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/03/oem-brands-with-service.html and Bonanza Press http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/01/bonanza-press-www.html
- Inventory Reduction: Moving to on demand, manufacturers reduce the value of color label inventory. This reduced inventory not only saves money but also eliminates the large minimum order quantities for preprinted labels.
- Label Waste: Using on-demand color labels, manufacturers can adapt and redesign labels up to the moment the labels are printed. Mercury Medical reduced their labeling wastes and thus costs by up to 67% by moving to just-in-time color labels: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/03/67.html
- Shipping Error Reduction: By adding color to shipping labels, manufactures can reduce the risk of miss-shipments; thus reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction. Take a look at how PI Components reduced their shipping errors: http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2011/11/stop-shipping-errors-with-color.html
- Improve Staging: By adding color to staging documents, labels and bills of lading, manufacturers can reduce or eliminate the risk of missed drop shipments, thus reducing costs and increasing customer satisfaction. Look at what Tubelite has done with color: http://pos.epson.com/colorworks/assets/ColorWorks_Tubelite_SS.pdf
Can you think of any other potential processes to add to this list? I appreciate your ideas and feedback.
Based on these 12 processes, it seems manufacturers who consider
themselves or who want to become more of a lean organization should move to
on-demand color labels. Be sure to ask
your manufacturing customers about their interest in adding on-demand color
labels to their lean processes.
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