Andon System

Summary

The video explains the concept of an Andon system, a signaling tool used in production environments to monitor and alert about the status of a production line. It uses visual signals, like green, amber, and red lights, to indicate whether the line is running smoothly, paused, or experiencing issues. The system can be connected to computers or databases for remote monitoring. Additionally, Andon boards display key performance metrics, such as production targets and shifts, helping management identify problems and optimize performance across various shifts and lines.

Takeaways

• 💡 Andon is a signal or alerting tool used to identify problems in production lines.
• 🚦 The Andon system typically uses a light system with green, amber, and red lights to indicate the status of a production line.
• ✅ A green light means the production line is running smoothly without any issues.
• ⏸️ An amber or yellow light signals that the line is paused, either by operator input or an automatic sensor.
• 🛑 A red light indicates a significant problem, and the production line may be stopped or shut down.
• 🖥️ Andon systems can be integrated with PLCs and computers, allowing remote monitoring of production line status.
• 🔄 Andon signals can be connected to databases for real-time updates and remote access for engineers or managers.
• 📊 Andon boards provide detailed production line data, such as shift targets and performance metrics.
• 🔍 Andon boards are useful for identifying issues, such as a shift not meeting its production target, prompting management to investigate.
• 📉 Different types of Andon boards can display specific statuses like 'line running,' 'jammed,' or 'needs material,' providing a clear overview of the production line health.

Q & A

What is an Andon system?

An Andon system is a signal or alerting tool used in production environments to indicate the status of a process or machine. It can take the form of a light system or an Andon board.

What do the different colors of the Andon lights signify?

In the Andon system, green indicates the production line is running well without issues, amber or yellow means the line is on hold or paused, and red signifies a larger problem, potentially shutting the line down completely.

How does an Andon system help in production management?

The Andon system alerts workers or management when there are issues on the production line, allowing them to address problems quickly. It can also be linked to databases and computers, enabling remote monitoring of the line's status.

What might cause the Andon light to turn amber/yellow?

An amber or yellow light typically indicates that the line is paused, possibly due to operator input, a sensor stopping the line temporarily, or issues like line balancing.

How does the Andon system support remote monitoring?

The Andon system can be connected to databases or computers, allowing process engineers or management to monitor the production line remotely through software, even if they are in a different location.

What example is given to explain a red light on the Andon system?

A red light in the Andon system indicates a larger issue where the production line may have stopped entirely, requiring immediate attention to resolve the problem.

What additional information can be displayed on an Andon board?

An Andon board can display information such as shift targets, current production numbers, and line status (e.g., running, jammed, needs material), giving an overview of the production line's health.

What does the shift target information on the Andon board signify?

The shift target information shows the expected number of units to be produced during each shift. It compares actual production to the target, indicating any discrepancies between planned and actual output.

How can an Andon system trigger problem-solving in management?

The Andon system can highlight issues such as missed production targets or downtime, prompting management to investigate and address the root causes, such as underperformance on a specific shift.

What is one of the key benefits of using Andon systems in production environments?

One of the key benefits of using Andon systems is the ability to quickly identify and resolve problems on the production line, minimizing downtime and improving overall efficiency.

Outlines

00:00

💡 Introduction to Andon System

This paragraph introduces the concept of an Andon system, explaining that it is an alerting tool used to signal or indicate the status of a production line. The system typically uses lights (green, amber, red) to represent different operational states of the line. Green indicates the line is functioning well, amber signals a temporary halt (due to capacity or balance issues), and red signifies a more serious issue that may have caused the line to stop completely. The Andon system helps operators and engineers monitor and maintain the production line's health.

🔍 Andon in Production Line Monitoring

Here, the paragraph dives deeper into the visual and operational aspects of the Andon system within a production line. The speaker describes a packaging line and highlights various Andon signals visible across the workspace, explaining their role in identifying problems. The Andon system provides real-time updates about production status and can be linked to PLCs and databases, allowing remote monitoring. A process engineer, for example, can stay informed about line performance from another location, receiving updates on whether the line is running smoothly or facing issues.

🔴 Andon Lights: A Closer Look

This section focuses on specific examples of Andon signals embedded in the production line. The speaker points out several lights circled in the image, explaining that these are part of the overall Andon system. These lights are not the only signals, as Andon covers a broader system designed to notify staff about potential issues. By integrating these lights at workstations, employees can quickly identify and address problems, ensuring smoother production flow.

📊 Andon Boards: Displaying Production Metrics

The paragraph introduces Andon boards as another form of the system, showcasing examples from a Google search. These boards provide detailed data about production targets, performance, and issues during different shifts. For instance, the speaker explains a specific board displaying shift targets and actual production numbers, showing that the night shift fell short of its target. Such information allows management to investigate issues and improve processes on underperforming shifts.

📉 Identifying Line Status with Andon Boards

In this final section, the speaker highlights another type of Andon system where the status of various production lines is displayed. The board shows details such as line 1 running smoothly, line 2 jammed, line 3 running, and line 4 needing material. This visualization helps the team quickly grasp the health of different lines and respond accordingly to maintain productivity.

Keywords

💡Andon

Andon is a signaling system used in manufacturing or production environments to indicate the operational status of a line or workstation. It usually takes the form of lights (green, amber, red) or boards, which convey whether everything is running smoothly or if there are issues that need attention. In the video, the andon system is explained as a tool to help identify problems on the production line, notifying operators and managers about the health of the line.

💡Green Light

In an andon system, a green light signals that everything is running smoothly on the production line. It indicates that there are no problems, and the line is operating as expected. In the video, the green light is used to show that the production line is 'healthy' and that operations are continuing without interruption.

💡Amber Light

An amber or yellow light in an andon system usually signifies that the production line has been temporarily halted. This could be due to operator input or an automated sensor responding to an imbalance or pause in the line. In the video, the amber light indicates that the line is either on hold or paused, potentially for line balancing.

💡Red Light

A red light in an andon system typically indicates a serious issue or fault that has caused the production line to stop entirely. This could be due to a mechanical failure or a critical error that requires immediate attention. The video mentions that the red light often signals a larger problem that needs to be resolved to resume production.

💡Production Line

A production line is the sequence of operations that occur as a product is manufactured, assembled, packaged, or otherwise processed. The video shows an example of a production line where products move on a conveyor belt through various stages of packaging and palletizing. The andon system monitors the health of this line.

💡Line Balancing

Line balancing refers to the process of ensuring that all parts of a production line are working in harmony, without any section being overburdened or underutilized. In the video, line balancing is mentioned as a possible reason for the production line being temporarily paused, with the amber light signaling that one part of the line is waiting for another to clear up.

💡Process Engineer

A process engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing industrial processes, particularly in manufacturing environments. The video mentions that a process engineer can remotely monitor the status of a production line using the andon system, allowing them to respond to any issues without being physically present.

💡Andon Board

An andon board is a visual display that provides detailed information about the performance and status of a production line, including metrics like target units, shifts, and whether the line is running or jammed. In the video, the andon board example shows shifts and their production outputs, highlighting where a specific shift failed to meet its target.

💡Shift Target

The shift target refers to the number of units or outputs a particular shift is expected to produce. In the video, the andon board lists the shift targets and actual production numbers for different shifts, with a specific focus on identifying when a shift falls short of its goal, which signals a potential issue.

💡PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

A PLC is an industrial computer used to control manufacturing processes, such as production lines or robotic devices. In the video, it's mentioned that andon systems can be tied to PLCs, allowing real-time monitoring and signaling of production issues. The PLC can halt production or trigger alerts based on data from the line.

Highlights

Andon is essentially a signal or alerting tool used in production lines.

An Andon system helps identify problems by signaling the status of a production line.

Andon signals can take the form of light systems (green, amber, red) or Andon boards.

A green light on the Andon system means the line is running smoothly without issues.

An amber (yellow) light indicates the line is paused or on hold due to an operator input or sensor.

A red light suggests a larger issue, possibly shutting down or halting the line.

Andon signals can be connected to PLCs, databases, or computers, allowing remote monitoring.

Process engineers can track the production line’s status remotely using Andon-connected systems.

Andon boards provide data on production line performance and highlight potential issues.

An example of an Andon board shows shift targets and actual production results, helping managers identify issues in production performance.

In one example, two shifts met their production targets, while the night shift (10 PM - 6 AM) fell short, indicating a problem during that period.

Andon systems trigger questions for management to resolve issues when targets aren’t met.

Another type of Andon board shows the status of different lines: running, jammed, or needing material.

Andon systems provide real-time feedback on production line health, improving operational efficiency.

The use of Andon systems is integral to identifying, notifying, and addressing production line issues efficiently.

Transcripts

so today's lesson is going to be about

andon and what an andon system is uh

andon is essentially just a signal or

alerting tool so it can take the uh form

of a light system that you see here

which you see a green Amber and red

light uh or it can be an andon board uh

and I'll show you some examples of that

as well essentially what it does uh it

it helps identify problems so when you

look at this line This appears to be a

production line uh and packaging line

where a product comes down the conveyor

here into a packaging area where the

product is boxed up and then moves out

into a loading area so at least that's

what it appears to be maybe it runs in

the other direction here I can't really

tell uh but the product is then

palletized and then moved on well you

can see if you look closely uh there are

some andon signals all around here and

we'll highlight those but what the andon

system does it helps identify problems

tells you about the health of the line

uh in this case if it's a green light it

means it's running well it's healthy

there's no problems on the line if that

light was to turn to the Amber or the

yellow um that would typically mean that

uh it's on hold or it's been paused

either by operator input or a uh sensor

has stopped the line temporarily maybe

it has something to do with line

balancing uh and it's temporarily halted

production on one of these lines because

it's over capacity uh and then it waits

for the other end to clear up before it

moves on uh if it's red that's typically

indicative of a uh larger problem and

the line may be shut down completely or

uh it may be uh stopped or turned off um

but the andon system which would be this

light as a part of the signal system

also helps notify people whenever these

kind of issues in a production line uh

happen uh these signals can also be tied

to plc's databases or computers and the

benefit with that is you can work

remotely and have this information at

your hand at any time so if I'm say a

process engineer in charge of this

production area I could be in another

location in an office or somewhere in a

different uh different area outside of

this area here and I could be signal via

a computer uh program of some sort that

will let me know uh the status of that

production line whether or not it is uh

working properly um to show you a little

bit closer uh in this case here these

andon lights I've circled them here

highlighted in the red circles these are

just a few of the andon signals that you

see built into this line and it doesn't

mean it's the only ones um andon uh are

actually a term referring to a system to

notify people so uh the the idea is to

incorporate these signal lights uh into

a workstation that could potentially

have a problem another way to look at

this is via uh an andon board and I've

got some examples here just from doing a

simple Google search and we'll slide

that over so you can see it but in this

case

here uh there are these are andon boards

so these are some examples of andon

boards that give you different types of

information usually related to the

health of a production line so if we

look at this one here real quick we see

that the shift Target is 625 units

whatever that unit is whatever it is

that they're building um 62 shift has

654 2 to 10 shift has

629 and 10 to 6 shift has 593 so you can

see that uh the first one and the second

one here have hit their targets uh going

above the shift Target but there's been

a problem on the 10 to 6 shift I'm

assuming this is time uh probably 10:

p.m. to 6:00 a.m. shift showing that on

that what I've referred to as uh third

shift or night shift uh that would be

593 pieces and for some reason they were

unable to hit their total Target so this

is an indication for management to say

okay we've got a problem on our third

shift something happened the night

before and that can that is what can

trigger the questions that need to be

asked uh to find out how to fix that

problem whatever it may be um another

indicator here this is another type of

andon system just showing line one uh

running line two jammed line three

running line four needs material so it's

just a different way of showing the same

information uh based on the health of

the line