Closing the loop- Traceability and lot tracking using Unifize
Denis Machoka elucidates the intricate process of traceability and lot tracking at Harmonic Bionics, especially for their robotic devices. He details the meticulous tracing of parts, their consumption, and potential issues. Denis highlights how Unifize is instrumental in ensuring precise tracking and updating of materials consumed during the device development.
Transcript

00:00 - 00:04
We did some lots and batches. We are doing devices and that's part of that.



00:04 - 00:29
A lot of what we did is tracing what information is going into what device and what parts were being used and consumed. And also if any of those parts that were consumed had issues we were tracing to that. So there was a lot of tracing of instrument is being activated, what systems are going into that activation and where what the consumption rate for that material was.



00:29 - 00:47
We were using lot traceability for material that is being consumed for each of our robots. The way we use the lot traceability at Harmonic Bionics is to look at just imagine you have a robot and we needed to develop the robot in many segments.



00:47 - 00:51
And what we did is look at the robot and determine what was required to make the robot.



00:51 - 01:26
So in each station we had material that was assigned for that robot to be consumed. And as each material was being consumed, it was being added or consumed to the robot and updated in Unifize. So as soon as this can happen to the material that was shown in Unifize as being consumed and if there was an issue with that material, we would find out where that material, whether it was an issue that because it was on hold or because we have a supplier issue, then it could flag and say this material probably should not use it because there's an issue that needs to be resolved with that material.

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Transcript

But what we've known from what I experience was, is we were able to get there with the system. We still there with the system. The system has what is needed to provide us what we're looking for, because every company, admittedly, is trying to get compliant. If we educate people, if we get people the education that they need and to get over the fear factor, I think 90% of those things can be resolved because most people will go to what they're most familiar with.What I worked with from a different company, but they're not willing to sit down and look at what the demographics are saying. People are into social media now. People are moving fast into fast paced world. But technologies are still antiquated. So there's a disconnect here, right? So while we're moving at a fast pace at home with dragging at work, so why can't we continue that speed while we at work?If your supplier has issues and you're not informed on time, you want to have an alternate supplier in place. If your suppliers are not qualified, you may not know that that needs to happen. And so when you have an integrated system that speaks to itself and is giving you all this data, you literally have the pulse of the organization in your hands as an executive at a money bound access.

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