Flexible Automation and Integrated Manufacturing 1994

ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-018-4

DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS OF AN AUTOMATIC DATA CAPTURE SYSTEM: A HOLISTIC APPROACH

DOI: 10.1615/FAIM1994.120
pages 118-127

Sinopsis

The aim of this paper is to describe and explain which direct and indirect effects can be experienced in a manufacturing company from a holistic point of view when an automatic data capture system (ADCS) is used. When an ADCS is used, two types of effect can be experienced; one type is the result of the data capture process as such being enhanced, i.e. less effort is needed to capture data and to trace and correct faulty data, while the other one type is the effects experienced when timely and accurate data is fed into the data base from which a number of functions retrive the data. These two kinds of effects are called direct and indirect effects. The direct effects are normally easy to define. They affect the number of staff involved in data capture and handling, and in some cases safety stock levels. Indirect effects are more difficult to isolate. A general model showing the manufacturing process and the different ADCSs which can be found within each activity was developed. Indirect effects experienced because of enhanced decision-making when an ADCS is installed were increased sales, decreased costs and decreased inventory investments. Both direct and indirect effects enhance the effectiveness of a company. The paper is based on cases studies and a mail survey carried out in manufacturing companies.