Two weeks ago we sent you a newsletter with a mildly provocative subject – at least for those invested in the details of lead-acid battery manufacturing.
The newsletter, and the attached eBook, discussed using thickness or weight as your primary process control variable.
From several industry leaders and experts who run the world's top lead-acid battery plants, the response (as expected) was mixed. Some of you suggested that weight is the obvious choice. Others told me both are of equal importance. And some of you said you had formally adopted thickness as your primary control parameter.
But for those of you who looked through the ebook (if you haven't, you can access it here), you may have noticed an even more significant topic emerging from the discussion. It's an idea that promises to unlock huge process improvements. And it's something you're going to hear a lot about from us in the future.
I'm talking about automation.
It's such a simple idea, but it's so powerful. And it's already improving so many aspects of your life, saving you time and stress.
On battery manufacturing lines, automation can be used to measure plates so operators don't have to worry about taking manual measurements. This saves a lot of time, improves accuracy, and reduces operator exposure to harmful lead material.
So if you're going down the path of training operators to perform manual measurements with greater precision, you might want to consider an alternate approach: small changes to the process itself, including the addition of automation systems to track and control performance, is where smart money is headed.
Until next time,
Steve