Author: Ian Church in: Painting and Coating
Paintline
It’s so easy for a powder coater to lose track of lots somewhere between pretreatment and cure. That’s where the mistakes and quality issues start. You need a way to track each batch with barcode scans and SPC links to tighten control and keep customers happy. Let’s explore how lot control powder practices can simplify traceability and improve reliability.
Put simply, lot tracing is the ability to track each of your product batches from creation to shipping. This includes tracking materials, components, and finished products. For a paint shop or powder coater, this means being able to trace and track the lot numbers of paints, coatings, powders, and additives used in each run, plus the finished parts or assembles that were coated.
For more general information on lot tracking and traceability, check out this guide.
Managing each powder lot’s journey through your shop is integral to the efficiency of your business. Without proper visibility and control, you risk mixing materials, leading to defects and customer dissatisfaction. Lot control powder processes ensure each batch is accounted for at every stage, reducing errors and boosting quality.
Imagine having a seamless tracking system that tells you exactly where each batch is. This avoids costly mistakes and maintains high standards, keeping your clients happy. Consistency in production processes not only saves money but also enhances reputation.
By employing strategic lot control, you gain a competitive advantage. Most manufacturers wish they had tighter control, yet don’t take action. With a robust system, you can ensure your shop operates smoothly, meeting deadlines and maintaining quality.
If you’re still reading, I’ll assume you’re convinced of the importance of lot control and traceability. But how do you do it? Barcodes and SPC.
Barcode scans and SPC links are the only efficient lot control methodology. They offer real-time tracking and reliable data, ensuring no batch is unaccounted for.
Picture a barcode scan at each step, instantly updating your records. This reduces manual errors and speeds up operations. By integrating SPC links, you can monitor quality metrics, identifying potential issues before they escalate.
Most manufacturers struggle with traceability, but barcode scans simplify this. Quick, accurate data entry keeps your operations lean and efficient. With these tools, you enhance not just accuracy but also customer trust. Clients appreciate knowing you have a foolproof system in place.
Keeping track from start to finish is essential. Effective traceability bridges the gap between pretreatment and cure with a number of benefits.
Effective traceability yields numerous benefits, starting with improved quality control. Knowing the exact status of each batch minimizes mix-ups and defects.
You can quickly address any issues, reducing waste and saving time. This means more reliable delivery schedules and happier customers. The ability to trace every step builds confidence in your processes, both for you and your clients.
A solid traceability system also enhances decision-making. You have real-time data at your fingertips, enabling better planning and resource allocation. This leads to improved productivity and lower costs, making your operation more competitive.
And let’s not forget customer communication. Something goes wrong or your schedule is running behind? You have the data you need to keep your customers informed proactively. Or maybe your customer has traceability and notification requirements as part of the job. Your only hope of meeting these requirements is lot control and tracking.
Traceability is not without its hurdles. Many face challenges like data entry errors and system integration issues.
But the biggest roadblock is the resistance to change. Half of the population is resistant to change to some degree, by nature. Asking your people, many of whom have been working the same way for years, to use new technology or vastly different processes is going to face resistance. Overcoming this resistance requires careful and deliberate communication and chance management. For more on change management, check out Prosci’s process guide.
The biggest takeaway from any chance management best practice is that implementing a significant change requires more than just training! You must communicate the WHY behind the change, and explain to individuals how this change will impact them (positively). In the absence of your workforce understanding and accepting the change, training will be pointless and ineffective.
Improving operations goes beyond just traceability. A purpose-built manufacturing ERP is what you need to truly optimize your process standardization and enforcement.
Using an integrated manufacturing ERP for lot traceability brings everything into one centralized solution. This eliminates silos, data entry issues, and inefficiencies.
A great ERP solution links lot control with other business processes, offering a centralized, holistic view of your operations. This integration reduces duplication and errors, providing accurate, reliable data so that you can manage resources better and respond quickly to changes in demand or production.
Most manufacturers find themselves juggling multiple systems. The right ERP solution simplifies this complexity, bringing clarity and control to your shop floor. By centralizing data, you save time and reduce costs, enhancing overall efficiency.
With OnRamp, you get a solution built by manufacturers, for manufacturers. This ensures it meets the unique needs of your shop, providing real-time insights and control. Lot traceability and other unique needs of running a finishing or coating shop comes “off the shelf” with minimal setup required. Stop spending money on disparate systems that require custom integrations and IT overhead. OnRamp Solutions offers a purpose-built ERP for manufacturers that integrates directly with your shop floor.
If you’re ready to transform your powder coating operations, if you’re ready to stop overspending on technology that doesn’t quite work the way you need it to, contact us. We can’t wait to help you make better products and grow our business.
For more information about how OnRamp ERP software can add value to your business fill in the contact form below. A member of our support team will contact you within 1 business day to discuss any questions you have.
Start the collaboration with us while figuring out the best solution based on your needs.
Our efforts began as an internal project of Mancor Industries when we identified the need for a more cohesive ERP system to manage the complexity of multiple plants, multiple products, multiple customers and multiple functions.
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