Production On-site Improvement

Competition in the automotive manufacturing industry is growing fiercer by the day, with the entire supply chain cutting spending and slashing costs. Amid the cutthroat industry landscape, our company refuses to endure passive pressure. Centered on the production floor, we continuously advance refined on-site production upgrades, breaking through bottlenecks to boost quality and efficiency through proactive optimization. The production floor is the source of product quality, as well as the primary hub for efficiency improvement and workplace safety. To further optimize working environments, streamline production workflows and reduce manufacturing management costs, our company has recently rolled out three major on-site improvement projects for the molding and post-processing workshops. All projects are now under trial acceptance, delivering visible upgrades to workshop conditions and operational performance. 1 Standardized Workstations for Molding & Post-processing During the early phase of lean production implementation, we replaced traditional iron workbenches with lightweight pipe rack workstations. However, years of production iteration and workshop layout adjustments left the site with a jumble of workstation models. Coupled with limited experience in initial renovations, issues emerged including inconsistent workstation specifications and poor compatibility with different production processes. Drawing on years of manufacturing expertise and renovation experience, we carried out comprehensive standardized overhauls for molding and post-processing workstations. Revolving around safe operation, quality assurance and workload reduction, custom dedicated workbenches tailored to each station were developed based on ergonomic principles.

This renovation introduced multiple detailed optimizations: uniform workstation heights aligned with standard production pallets to eliminate uneven operating surfaces across equipment stations; upgraded workstation lighting to resolve insufficient illumination; custom tool storage panels for standardized fixed tool placement; redesigned material access structures for smoother operation. The workstation frames were also re-engineered to cut redundant supports, achieving lighter weight while retaining structural stability and safety. Two unified standard workstation models are now deployed on-site for compression molding and injection molding respectively, with full interchangeability for identical models, truly realizing standardized station layouts and standardized operating procedures. 2 Digital Electronic Work Instructions

Paper-based work instructions, widely adopted on conventional production floors, carry numerous drawbacks. Hard copies are prone to damage, smudging and loss, and require labor-intensive management. Whenever production processes are updated, all relevant work instructions must be reprinted, collected, redistributed, filed and archived. For process changes spanning multiple workstations, missed replacements and mixed outdated documents frequently occur. Any procedural error may disrupt product manufacturing and ultimately trigger quality defects. To address this issue, all paper manuals have been replaced with electronic work instructions. Each workstation is equipped with an all-in-one computer linked to the corporate shared drive for instant on-demand access to required operational documents. The molding and post-processing lines received brand-new upgrades for this system, while the compounding line—previously operating with standalone digital instruction devices—was also retrofitted to connect directly to the shared drive for seamless document viewing. Digital instructions deliver clearer, more readable operational content and eliminate manual circulation of paper files. Most importantly, process updates are rolled out uniformly and instantly, indirectly lifting management efficiency and mitigating potential quality risks. 3 Paperless Production Reporting Traditional paper-based reporting required operators to log output, working hours and defective product quantities on physical work orders upon task completion. This led to errors from illegible handwriting and missing or misrecorded data. Dedicated staff were required to collect, compile and tabulate all paperwork, resulting in heavy workloads, low efficiency and delayed production progress data that could not be tracked in real time. We have developed an online paperless reporting system integrated with our company’s production management platform to streamline station-level reporting workflows. Before starting production, operators scan the barcode on the work order and their employee ID badge to initiate a production task. Once the batch is finished, they input yield and quality metrics and click confirm to submit the report, with all data automatically synced to the system.

Paperless reporting drastically cuts the time spent on manual form-filling and centralized data compilation, lowering labor costs while improving reporting speed and data accuracy. Production data is uploaded and monitored in real time, enabling supervisors to track progress and respond promptly. The robust traceability framework also supports refined manufacturing management. Small incremental improvements add up to major performance gains. These three on-site upgrades target core manufacturing pain points and deliver tangible solutions across three dimensions: standardized station hardware, refined process administration and digital data control. The overall production operation system is fully optimized for smoother workflows, standardized site management and more controllable product quality. Going forward, our company will uphold the lean production philosophy and stay committed to daily progress and continuous improvement. We will keep focusing on the production floor and refining every detail. With rigorous manufacturing standards and a pursuit of perfection, we will consolidate product quality and consistently create greater value for customers.