Andon systems promise faster response times, better visibility, and data-driven improvement. These benefits are real—but they come with conditions.
Understanding what Andon actually delivers, versus what marketing materials sometimes imply, helps set appropriate expectations. This article covers the genuine benefits of Andon systems, along with the limitations you should know about.
Benefit #1: Reduced Response Time
The most immediate benefit of an Andon system is faster notification.
"I just need my technicians to be notified—and preferably, which cell to go to."
That's how one medical device manufacturer described their core need. Before Andon, operators had to leave their stations to find help, yell across the floor, or hope someone noticed a stack light. With Andon, pressing a button sends an instant alert directly to the people who can help.
What This Actually Means
Notification becomes nearly instantaneous. A button press triggers an alert within seconds. Responders receive the message on pagers or watches regardless of where they are in the facility.
The notification is faster. Whether the response is faster depends on other factors—staffing levels, how busy responders are, how far they need to travel.
The Escalation Safety Net
Good Andon systems add escalation: "This has gone over too much time. Someone has to get over there right away."
If the initial notification goes unanswered, the system automatically alerts a backup or supervisor. This doesn't make response instant, but it does ensure someone knows when response is delayed.
Realistic Expectation
Expect notification time to drop dramatically—from minutes (or never) to seconds. Actual response time improvement depends on your operation, but the data shows most plants see meaningful reduction once the system is actively used.
Benefit #2: Accountability and Documentation
One of the most underappreciated Andon benefits is the record it creates.
Before Andon, a manufacturer described their situation: "You wouldn't know which ones had been responded to." Calls happened, responses happened (or didn't), but there was no documentation. No one could prove how long operators waited or whether calls were missed.
What This Actually Means
Every call is logged with a timestamp. You know:
- When the call was made
- What station made it
- What type of call it was
- When someone responded
- Who responded
- When the issue was closed
Realistic Expectation
The data will exist. Whether it changes behavior depends on whether leadership reviews and acts on it. A log that no one looks at doesn't create accountability—it just creates a record.
Benefit #3: Visibility Into Operations
"You have a dashboard that allows you to view from any computer what's currently happening, who's calling."
Real-time visibility is a significant upgrade from walking the floor to see what's happening. Supervisors in offices, managers in meetings, or support staff in other buildings can all see the same status information.
What This Actually Means
Dashboards show which stations have active calls, how long they've been waiting, and what type of help they need. The display updates in real-time, so anyone watching can see when new calls come in and when they're resolved.
This visibility extends beyond the immediate floor. If the system is on the network, status can be viewed from any connected device—computer, tablet, phone, or smart TV.
Realistic Expectation
Visibility requires someone watching. A dashboard displaying on an unmonitored screen provides no value. The benefit comes when supervisors actively use the visibility to manage response, identify bottlenecks, and intervene when calls sit too long.
Benefit #4: Data for Continuous Improvement
"We'd be looking obviously for improvement over that. I'd like to have call buttons that give you the option to track the metric."
That's what manufacturers want: the ability to track and improve. Andon systems generate the data that makes this possible.
What Gets Tracked
Good systems track two distinct time periods:
"It stops the initial timer to let you know how long they waited for the call, but it's going to start a new timer to let you know how long they're working on that issue."
Wait time measures how long the operator waited before help arrived. Long wait times indicate notification or staffing problems.
Repair time measures how long the fix took. Long repair times indicate training, tooling, or equipment problems.
Separating these metrics helps identify the right root cause.
Reporting Capabilities
"You can pull up the reporting, depending on how you filter it differently."
Reports can typically be filtered by:
- Date range (today, this week, this month)
- Shift
- Station or area
- Call type (maintenance, quality, materials)
- Responder
Realistic Expectation
Data enables improvement—it doesn't cause it. A plant that collects perfect data but never reviews it won't improve. The benefit comes from the improvement cycle: measure, analyze, change, measure again.
Benefit #5: Operator Empowerment
Andon gives operators a tool to call for help that actually works.
Before Andon, operators often felt helpless when problems occurred. They could try to flag someone down, leave their station to find help, or just wait and hope. The experience was frustrating, and the outcome was unpredictable.
With Andon, pressing a button guarantees the call is logged and routed. The operator knows the system worked. They know someone received the alert. They can see on the display that their call is active.
What This Actually Means
Operators have agency. They're not just waiting passively—they've taken an action, and the system has recorded it. This removes the "I didn't know anyone needed help" excuse and shifts the accountability to the response team.
Realistic Expectation
Empowerment only works if response follows. If operators press buttons and nothing happens, they'll stop using the system. The tool gives operators a voice; management has to ensure that voice is heard.
What Andon Won't Fix
Realistic expectations require acknowledging limitations.
Understaffing
If you don't have enough maintenance techs to respond to calls, an Andon system will show you that clearly—but it won't create more techs. The data might help justify additional headcount, but the system itself can't solve staffing shortages.
Training Gaps
Andon gets responders to the problem faster. It doesn't teach them how to fix it. If your maintenance team lacks the skills to resolve issues quickly, you'll see that in the repair time data—but the system won't train them.
Cultural Issues
If leadership doesn't review the data, doesn't act on what it shows, or doesn't hold people accountable, the benefits won't materialize. Andon is a tool. Tools require someone to use them.
Equipment Problems
Andon alerts about issues; it doesn't repair them. If a machine breaks down constantly, Andon will document every call—but replacing the machine requires a capital decision that goes beyond what any alert system provides.
When Benefits Are Limited
Andon isn't equally valuable in every situation:
Very small operations. If you can see your entire floor from one spot and have only a few people, the communication problem Andon solves may not exist.
Fully automated lines. If no human intervention is needed during normal operation, there's no one to call for help.
Operations without defined response teams. If there's no maintenance team, no quality inspectors, and no one designated to respond, alerts have nowhere to go.
Situations where root cause is already known. If you already know exactly what's wrong and why, data collection may not add value.
Measuring Success
How do you know if Andon is working?
Response time comparison. Measure average response time before and after implementation. Most plants see improvement within the first few weeks of active use.
Call volume trends. Initially, call volume often increases as operators use the new tool. Over time, if root causes are addressed, volume should stabilize or decrease.
Escalation rate. High escalation rates indicate calls aren't being answered promptly. As the system matures and response improves, escalation should decrease.
Repeat call analysis. Track how often the same station generates the same type of call. Repeat calls indicate issues that aren't being permanently resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will response time improve?
It varies by operation, but most plants report significant reduction—often 30-50% or more. The improvement comes from faster notification and the accountability that data creates.
Does Andon eliminate downtime?
No. Andon reduces the time between "problem occurs" and "help arrives." It doesn't eliminate equipment failures, quality issues, or material shortages. It makes the response faster and more visible.
What if we don't have enough responders?
The data will show this clearly: high call volumes, long wait times, frequent escalations. This information can help make the case for additional resources, but the system can't create them.
How long before we see benefits?
Notification benefits are immediate—calls reach responders faster from day one. Data benefits require time to accumulate history. Improvement benefits depend on how actively you use the data to drive changes.
Making the Most of Andon
The benefits of Andon systems are real, but they're not automatic. Faster notification requires people ready to respond. Accountability requires leadership that reviews data. Improvement requires acting on what the data shows.
Go in with realistic expectations, and the return is genuine: better visibility, documented performance, and the foundation for continuous improvement.
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