Shredding paper from the shop floor

The digital revolution has impacted everyone. The newspaper industry, for example, is slowly being replaced by information distributed on tablets and PCs. The cost of working in a paper-based environment is likely driving some of this change, but the cost savings involve more than simply eliminating paper. The data and intelligence that can be gained by going digital represents a far greater upside.

As is typical with a disruptive technology, expected cost savings drive initial adoption. But, over time, far greater impact is achieved once the new technology is better understood. For example, the Internet and e-mail have dramatically reduced the volume of mail carried by the U.S. Postal Service, threatening its entire business model.

The digital revolution has also impacted manufacturing. Information-driven, digital ecosystems drive manufacturing operations. While paperless adoption might have been initially implemented to achieve cost savings, now the speed and depth of knowledge acquisition from paperless operations is rapidly making it a must-have technology. This is because electronic information can be aggregated, cleansed, distributed and used more readily, accurately and effectively across a global enterprise than printed information. Ready access to knowledge improves decision making, customer satisfaction and operational performance.

However, paper is not necessarily the source of ineffective knowledge management or disbursement—other factors are also at play. The global economy moves at light speed, thanks to e-mail and other collaboration technologies. Organizations that can’t quickly adapt to this pace will have difficulty competing. They risk loss of industry leadership, market share and profitability.

Most manufacturers are aware of the broader paperless revolution and have successfully implemented some best practices. For example, use of the Internet for customer service and support is widespread, though not ubiquitous. The challenge companies confront is how to map a transition plan to a “pure” paperless environment without disrupting operations or breaking the bank. Companies must move beyond a few best practices and implement information technology strategies that allow them to compete in the “new” information-based economy.

Courtesy of Apriso

Apriso for Paperless Manufacturing’s visual Quality Detect Tracking (vODT) feature enables digital annotation.