ABSTRACT
This chapter covers a variety of visual management tools that can assist management and machine operators in making smart decisions throughout the day. The concept of visual management is to post information that is needed in real time. Often, downtime on equipment or in any production process is attributed to missing information, lost status visibility, lack of goals and targets, and wrong information. The visual management tools include startup boards, work instructions and production control boards. Startup boards are useful when a series of tasks must be completed prior to operating a continuously running machine. Commonly found in the food-processing industry, once these tasks are complete, ingredients are inserted, and the machine runs for hours. Production control boards provide real-time status on daily progress of the work cell. They are intended to monitor output in small increments throughout the day.
