Due to region-specific requirements, more and more medium-sized companies are facing the challenge of managing a growing number of product variants. This not only entails ever more extensive material management, but also an increasing number of assembly plans and test parameters. As a result, the workload is increasing significantly. The shortage of skilled workers further exacerbates this problem, as staff shortages often lead to errors due to capacity utilization. As a result, the question inevitably arises as to how companies can maintain or even further increase the productivity of their manual production in the face of these demands. Software-based assistance systems can help with this.

Where to start?

Examples of such assistance systems are elution and elution two assembly from Crailsheim-based company Elabo. Both solutions support the development of digitalized production processes in manual manufacturing and are based on databases that enable the recording and storage of any number of measurement and test parameters. With just a few clicks, users can digitally create entire measurement sequences, display them graphically and use them for product-specific test sequences. In addition, other application-specific data and process-relevant information such as design plans or machine and system configurations are archived in the database and made available in real time.

If required, a company's employees can access this input at any time. Integrated variant management also makes it possible to store design data for an almost unlimited number of product variants. The software solutions can be used to create individualized worker guides from this content, which guide the user through the assembly process in text and images or video according to their level of knowledge. In doing so, users independently acquire all relevant manual skills and thus significantly reduce their error rate. After completing each individual work step, the user must confirm it. During the work process, a log is generated and stored in the system. In this way, employees also implement seamless quality assurance in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001.

Ideally, such software solutions have a web-based approach so that they can be used platform-independently in all assembly areas. For example, elution two assembly is only hosted on a central, company-owned server and can be run locally via various clients, such as Raspberry Pi, smartphone, tablet or thin client, which also enables location-independent working via mobile devices.