PLANIA 2.0: Monitoring of production systems as a tool for process improvement
Following the results achieved during the initial phase of the PLANIA project, the initiative now reaches the end of its second implementation period. Throughout PLANIA 2.0, the project has focused on developing a technological infrastructure capable of integrating and leveraging production records, where wearable technologies and PDA devices have enabled the monitoring of manual tasks related to Mobenia’s intralogistics assembly and dispatch processes.
While the first phase of the PLANIA project focused on implementing a productivity control system for machinery specific to the furniture sector, the second phase expanded the scope of the project through the monitoring of assembly processes. This increase and inclusion of new variables has enabled greater process traceability, allowing for the optimization of organizational flow throughout assembly and mounting operations, which involve a significantly larger workforce and therefore offer greater potential for improvement through the ability to capture and interpret production records.
The inherent complexity of production flows and the random organization of work required in furniture manufacturing—due to the need to work on a project basis—represented the main challenge to overcome during project execution. To address this, throughout the various implementation phases, the consortium has worked on improving identification by piece and by assembly set, aiming to create a labeling infrastructure capable of unequivocally representing each component forming the structure or body of the furniture to be assembled. Additionally, this individual product identification has also enhanced the organizational conditions for on-site assembly, ensuring product traceability throughout the entire production and external assembly cycle.
This expansion of traceability records not only enhances the accuracy of captured information but also facilitates the optimization of organizational flow across different processes. The proposed comprehensive approach will minimize waste and improve operational performance in the furniture production chain, contributing to operational excellence and competitiveness within the sector.
Thus, the PLANIA 2.0 project has enabled the implementation of a custom-developed infrastructure as a support tool for operators, streamlining both the organization and sequencing of manual tasks involved in furniture assembly. At the same time, it allows for the identification and structuring of chaotic flows inherent to the variability of contract hospitality manufacturing projects. Furthermore, the ability to monitor assembly tasks has led to the deployment of an effective tool for controlling the costs of manual operations, enabling real-time access to execution times and tasks with high human involvement.
The project has involved the collaboration of technology companies NEXO INGENIERÍA and APPARATTUM as key players in the development and integration of the entire system architecture, as well as furniture manufacturers such as Mobenia, who have contributed to the specification, functional definition, and deployment of the project. Meanwhile, the AEIs AMBIT (Living Spaces Cluster) and AMUEBLA (Innovative Business Group of Furniture Manufacturers and Related Industries of the Region of Murcia) have overseen the coordination of the project throughout its nearly year-long execution. This initiative is part of AEI-010500-2023-407 and is funded by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism.
