At a Glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive — Tier-1 Components |
| Facility | Multiple buildings, 75+ production lines, 24/7 operation |
| Key Result | 40% reduction in maintenance response time |
| Payback | 19 days |
| System | 3-key call buttons, watch pagers, wireless stack lights, advanced software |
The Challenge
This global Tier-1 automotive supplier runs a multi-building facility with over 75 production lines spanning injection molding, painting, and CNC machining. Operators across these areas regularly needed maintenance support, forklift assistance, and quality sign-offs — but the process for getting help was broken.
"We were using a paging system — we'd announce and people would come, but we had no idea what time they arrived or when the work was done."The plant tracked machine uptime through OEE dashboards, but human wait time was invisible. When an operator needed a maintenance technician, the clock was running — but nobody was measuring it. Management knew they were losing time, but couldn't prove where or how much.
The specific pain points were:
- No response time tracking. Calls went out over radios and PA systems, but there was no record of when help arrived or how long the fix took.
- Multiple maintenance sub-areas. Different teams handled injection, painting, and CNC — routing calls to the right group was guesswork.
- Noisy environment. Radio calls were frequently missed in areas with high ambient noise.
- No escalation. If the first responder didn't show up, the operator had no recourse except to leave their station and go searching.
Why They Chose an Andon System
The plant had been exploring ways to improve visibility into their support response process. They evaluated several approaches:
- Radio/PA systems — already in use, but calls were missed and nothing was logged
- Stack lights — only useful if someone happened to be watching
- Manual tracking — operators filling out paper logs was inconsistent and unreliable
The deciding factors were the ability to track three distinct time intervals (wait time, response time, and repair time), wireless installation across multiple buildings, and automatic escalation when calls went unanswered.
The Implementation
The plant started with a pilot on one production area, deploying:
- 3-key call buttons at each station (call, acknowledge arrival, close)
- Watch pagers for maintenance technicians across sub-areas
- Wireless stack lights for visual alerts in noisy zones
- Signal repeaters to cover the facility's 800+ meter range
- Advanced software with reporting and escalation rules
"The system works very well. The only issue we had initially was SMS notifications getting blocked by our corporate network policy — but we resolved that by switching to an alternative notification method."
The Results
48-Hour Data Capture
Within the first 48 hours, the system generated its first Pareto chart showing the top call types, busiest stations, and average response times by department. For the first time, plant management could see exactly where operators were waiting and for how long.
Key Outcomes
- 40% reduction in maintenance response time — technicians responded faster because alerts went directly to their wrists, not over a missed radio call
- Hidden idle time exposed — shifts that appeared productive on OEE dashboards were revealed to have significant unlogged wait periods
- Full payback in 19 days — the cost savings from reduced idle time exceeded the system investment before the trial period ended
- Escalation accountability — unanswered calls now automatically notified supervisors, eliminating the "nobody came" problem
Expansion
After the successful pilot, the plant expanded the system across additional areas and ordered equipment for a second facility. They also implemented documentation features at call closure, allowing technicians to log what parts were used and whether additional follow-up was needed.
"They required me to implement it in another area — about 20 more machines — because we achieved a 15-20% improvement in our response time to the lines."
What They Said
The engineering team noted that the biggest surprise wasn't the technology — it was discovering how much time was being lost to problems that never appeared on any dashboard. The gap between "machine is running" and "operator is productive" turned out to be far larger than anyone estimated.
The plant now uses response time reports for continuous improvement events, comparing shift performance and identifying which stations generate the most calls. The data feeds directly into their lean manufacturing program.
Related resources:
- How to Calculate Andon System ROI
- Understanding Andon System Benefits
- Andon System Implementation Guide
- Browse All Case Studies
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