Manufacturing is an important aspect to the economy. While manufacturing has declined over the last decades, especially in the UK and United States, governments have pinned hopes on manufacturing to help boost economies and return their nation’s balance books back into the black.
Modern manufacturers face huge challenges, though. With stiff competition from the Far East, reliance on currency values abroad, and the increasing costs of raw materials mean that efficiency is increasingly vital for manufacturers.
Digital signage can help improve both processes and communication, two aspects that can increase efficiency and bolster revenue opportunities.
Information Technology has long been an important aspect to manufacturing with computers and other IT part-and-parcel of modern industrial practices, helping to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
Digital signage can also benefit manufacturers, particularly in communication, often difficult in industrial-type areas. Email and other modern communication methods are often not practical in manufacturing areas, which makes communication a challenge; often resulting to old-fashioned systems such as tannoys (often impractical in noisy environments); notice boards (reliant on people visiting and reading it); or word-of-mouth (also impractical in larger premises).
The advantage of using digital signage as a communication method in manufacturing is pretty clear. Relaying information to workers efficiently, clearly, and in real time, enables manufacturing processes to run smoothly and more efficiently, without the delays other communication methods present, but of course, there are disadvantages.
Many manufacturing areas are not conducive to running a digital signage screen with dust, variable temperatures, liquids and risks of impact, and as with industrial computers, protection is critical.
Perhaps the most flexible solution for protecting digital signage displays are LCD enclosures. These provide comprehensive dust and liquid protection (usually to NEMA and IP ratings), and contain climatic controls to maintain a steady internal temperature. They are also tough and rugged (usually manufactured from steel) essential in the rough and tumble world of manufacturing.
An LCD enclosure will also let you choose your own screen, replace it at will, and can keep media players encased too, ensuring all the hardware is protected from damaging elements.
Digital screen in a manufacturing environment
Related Information:
Article on Factory Digital Signage
