The use of smart wearables to increase productivity on the shop floor

Manufacturing companies face the daily challenge of increasing their productivity and flexibility in production. One important aspect of this is to improve organization and collaboration on the shop floor. The use of smart wearables is becoming more and more relevant. Humans and machines in the production sector can thus be efficiently networked with each other in order to optimize production processes and consequently increase productivity.

But what is the current status of the use of smart wearables in the workplace and what use cases might be of interest for today’s businesses as a result?

Leading companies have already taken the first steps in this area. In a variety of application areas, they have already been able to achieve significant improvements and optimization of their business processes with the help of smart wearables.

In order to look at the status quo of the use of smart wearables, we at aucobo conducted a study. In order to understand the presence and topicality of the subject more closely, the question arises as to what the integration looks like not only in the large companies but also across the board.

Current status – What is the situation in the companies?

Contrary to the increasing importance of new technologies, the current status of the use of smart wearables in companies in the mechanical engineering, automotive and electrical engineering sectors is lower than expected.

Although the topic is certainly present in the entrepreneur’s ear due to the constant change in industry and production and is of interest to the majority of companies, there are only few to no concrete planning approaches for the active integration or use of smart wearables in the workplace.

Future prospects – Will smart wearables be a topic in the future?

Despite the manageability of the current use, the topic is relevant for the future for all companies. Companies that already use smart wearables in single areas or could imagine using them in the future have so far primarily used smartphones and tablets, but have considered smart watches, smart glasses or even smart headphones to a lesser extent. The reasons for this are the lack of familiarity with the application and handling of it.

Areas of application – How versatile is the application?

The most promising areas of application for smart wearables are seen in manufacturing, assembly, logistics and maintenance.

Specific use cases include multi-machine operation in production, digital documentation and data recording of production processes, quality control through specific identification of machine malfunctions, monitoring of production facilities as well as employee training.

Benefits and challenges – What should companies expect?

The use of smart wearables offers concrete added value in increasing OEE, as reaction times are reduced and unplanned downtimes can consequently be reduced. The more efficient and flexible creation of material call-offs and transport orders reduces buffer stocks.

A no less important factor is the increase in employee productivity through the targeted distribution of tasks on the shop floor. Smart wearables are used for faster and decentralized communication, which increases self-organization and the more flexible deployment of employees.

Tasks can be distributed in a targeted manner, thus saving time. Not to be underestimated is the relief of employees and the reduction of stress through reliable and targeted information with relevant content.

With the help of smart wearables towards smart industry

There is great potential for the use of smart wearables in manufacturing, assembly, logistics and maintenance. It is now up to the companies to exploit the added value of these solutions for themselves and to identify concrete use cases, quickly test them in real life with the help of pilot projects, and consequently revolutionize their production and logistics.

We at aucobo offer you the first step into your digital business future! With the help of our intelligent collaboration solution, we have already improved workflows in many companies and helped to make production processes more efficient.

If you would also like to benefit from our solution, please do not hesitate to contact us to arrange a free initial consultation!

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