eAndon

Free, open-source implementation of a simple electronic/software Andon system, to be used in a production company (factory) to communicate and visualize problems occurring at workstations or production lines.

The program can be configured to display a range of different problems (technical issues, quality issues, material supply issues, …) and can be also configured to display various configurations of workstations and display screens.

The program runs on Windows OS and can be used in a situation where there are computer terminals near the production workstations on the shopfloor that can be used to trigger alarms by operators when problems occur at the workstations.

What is Andon?

Andon in Lean manufacturing is a system designed to alert operators and managers of problems in real time so that corrective measures can be taken immediately. It originates from the Jidoka methodology used in the Toyota Production System, which empowered operators to recognize issues and take the initiative to stop work without waiting for management to make the decision.

Originally, the operator would pull the Andon Cord, which was a rope located above the line, but Andon can take many forms. It can be activated by an operator pulling a cord or pushing a button, or it can be automatically activated by equipment when a problem is detected.

Electronic/software Andon

Most modern production facilities implement some kind of computer terminals on the shopfloor to record the production data, allow the operators to access the working instructions, etc. Such terminals can also be used effectively to run an Andon software so that it is not necessary to use physical systems (e.g. an Andon Cord or specialized industrial solutions consisting of custom electronics with buttons and visual displays). The advantage of the electronic/software system is the cost (in case terminals and display screens already exist on the shopfloor, they can be used to run also the software Andon) and flexibility - new types of alarms or new workstations can be added quickly without additional costs.

Diagram of the eAndon

The illustration below shows a typical setup where there are several networked terminals (each running a separate Andon terminal application), each terminal handles one or more workstations.

There is one or more dashboards (TV display in a production hall, laptop computer used by factory staff, …) that display the total shopfloor overview.

Download, installation and configuration