Resources
Work instructions, explained.
Guides and articles on work instructions, training and knowledge on the shop floor.
Work instructions
How to make good assembly line work instructions
Signs your assembly line work instructions aren't working, and how to write ones operators actually use: standardise, involve the line, keep it visual.
Work instructions
What Are the Signs Your Work Instructions Need an Upgrade?
Five signs your work instructions need an upgrade: hard to update, outdated, hard to find, unused, and no proof of who saw which version.
Quality & compliance
What are quality checklists and how to use them on the shop floor
What a quality checklist is, what it should contain, a sample first-piece, in-process and end-of-line checklist, and how to handle measuring checks.
Work instructions
Why video is better than text for work instructions (and when it isn't)
Video shows hands, tools and orientation that text can only describe. Where video wins on the shop floor, and where text or a photo does the job better.
Work instructions
Digital Work Instructions for Manufacturing
What makes digital work instructions for manufacturing work: clear structure, video, version control, approval, sign-off and a record of who saw what.
Work instructions
Work Instructions vs Job Aids (and Guidelines)
Work instructions, job aids and guidelines are often confused. What each one is, with examples, and how they work together on the shop floor.
Lean & standard work
Getting started with standard work instructions for fabrication
How to use standard work instructions in fabrication and job shops: repeat parts, high-mix work, and CNC setup sheets with tool tables and photos.
Training & skills
Cross-Training in Manufacturing: What It Is and Why It Matters
Cross-training in manufacturing: benefits, risks, the main training types (induction, on-the-job, refresher) and how to get started.
Work instructions
The Use of QR Codes in Manufacturing
Practical uses of QR codes on the shop floor, from opening the current approved work instruction at a station to tracking parts, tools and maintenance.
Training & skills
Skills matrix for manufacturing: a practical how-to
How to build a skills matrix for a production team: a four-level scale, a worked example, qualifications with expiry, spotting gaps and keeping it current.
Knowledge capture
What is tribal knowledge in manufacturing, and how do you capture it?
Tribal knowledge is the know-how that lives in people's heads, not in your instructions. How to find who holds it, capture it on video and keep it current.
Lean & standard work
Standard Work Instructions (SWI) and Lean Manufacturing
What lean manufacturing is, why standard work instructions sit at its core, and five steps to write SWI, ending with the standard work combination sheet.