Unique app helps operators at Danone perform better

Mobile applications in combination with cloud services can help production environments operate more efficiently. Jorn Vroegh and Mike Dubach show a practical example at food company Danone, where an app actively helps operators to carry out their work independently.

By: Dimitri Reijerman

At Danone, food products for hospitals and pharmacies are produced under the name Nutricia in a factory in Zoetermeer. In 2015, a project was started to make the enormous amount of partly paper instructions that operators needed to know accessible to them in a better way. That turned out to be one performance support system necessary. This gave the operators access to the right, up-to-date information at the right time.

The choice quickly came to Teamwork, a cloud-based solution. With this tool, someone can report a problem with, for example, a machine in a feed to other colleagues, including employees in other locations. In addition, Teamwork includes a training module to gain new knowledge. The learning process can be made very transparent for the instructors.

The app, which runs on tablets and mobile phones, can scan QR codes from certain machines or log in at so-called 'Poca Stations'. In practice, Danone employees appeared to quickly pick up and apply the system. The app also works well when applying the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) at Danone and since 2017 it has also been possible to fill in forms via the system. This brings a paperless office a little closer.

The app is now running in 21 Danone factories. Factories can decide for themselves whether they choose this solution, but according to Jorn Vroegh, word-of-mouth advertising ensures that Teamwork grows quickly within Danone.

There are a number of points to consider when implementing large-scale systems such as Teamwork. For example, the WiFi infrastructure must be in good order in a large factory hall. It is also necessary to look carefully at which instructional videos are useful. In practice, these are mainly videos about machine problems that do not occur often.

In summary, Teamwork at Danone ensures better problem-solving skills for the operator, better cooperation on the production floor and reduces the number of errors made. This ensures less downtime and a reduction in the amount of waste during production. Training new employees is also more efficient: less training time is required (a reduction of up to 40 percent) and progress in acquiring knowledge by a new operator is easier to track.

Watch the replay of the webinar that Danone gave during the Production Process Automation online knowledge days 2021 here:

https://youtu.be/PEIUQjWl3i0