AI in Manufacturing: A Golden Ticket
Manufacturing relies on clear, compliant, and accurate operating procedures. These documents are the backbone of consistency, minimizing errors, and maximizing productivity. However, creating and maintaining these procedures can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. I know this to be a fact because I have written and updated over 100 documented procedures in support of ongoing ISO compliance. While artificial intelligence’s place in the world of manufacturing is still out with the jury, AI does indeed offer a solution to the administrative intense work of procedure writing. AI can transform the way we craft and manage these crucial documents. This T4T article explores how AI can save time in the creation of accurate written procedures within a manufacturing plant.
The traditional method of creating a procedure involves a factory’s subject matter expert (SME) painstakingly detailing out the procedural steps and crafting each sentence for user clarity. Then the first draft of the document gets routed to the document approvers, followed by a round of editing and eventually final approval and posting. This process can be slow, prone to inconsistencies, and difficult to keep updated. AI writing tools such as ChatGPT can significantly streamline this process. In this way AI writing tools can:
- Automate initial draft creation. AI can generate initial drafts of all your plant’s procedures. This significantly reduces the time spent on initial writing, freeing up SMEs to focus on refining and reviewing the generated content. For example, I asked ChatGPT to create an OSHA complaint Crane Safety Procedure for a manufacturing plant. Below is the result. It took about 20 seconds to generate it. I must say, AI created a really nice starting point, useful for any EH&S manager. Please take a look below and see what you think. It's good, right?
- Generate multiple variations. AI can produce multiple versions of the procedure, each with slightly different emphasis or phrasing. This allows for the selection of the version that best suits the target audience (e.g., experienced technicians vs. new hires) and the specific context of use. While you do want just one formal procedure, these variations are extremely useful for targeted training. An electrician needs more information about your arc flash procedure than does a forklift drive. AI can dial it up or dial it down depending on the audience. It is good to have one procedure supported by three levels of training documents and without much effort in doing so.
- Improve compliance. AI can find and include important points that maybe a human would overlook. It’s like adding a second SME to the equation. In this way, consider AI like a complex memory jogger. If you forget an important aspect of the procedure, AI might include it, thus making your document more thorough and more compliant to regulations and industry standards.
- Fact-checking and verification. AI can cross-reference the generated text with relevant databases and documentation, ensuring that the information is accurate and up-to-date. This helps to identify and correct any inconsistencies or outdated information.
- Ease of maintenance and updates. Manufacturing processes are constantly evolving. New equipment is introduced, techniques are refined, and safety regulations are updated. Keeping procedures current is essential for maintaining efficiency and compliance. AI can monitor changes in relevant data sources (e.g., equipment manuals, safety regulations) and automatically update procedures as needed. This ensures that procedures always reflect the latest information.
- Go beyond text-based procedures. By integrating with image recognition and other technologies, AI can automatically create diagrams and illustrations. These diagrams and illustrations complement the written instructions, making procedures easier to understand and follow.
In conclusion, I wish I had access to AI over the last four decades. It would have saved me countless hours of procedure writing as I navigated my way through many years of OSHA, FDA and ISO compliance. AI offers a transformative approach to crafting and managing manufacturing procedures by automating the writing process, enhancing accuracy, simplifying maintenance, and integrating a visual element. While we all have our concerns with AI and its invasion into the world of human intellect, there is no doubt that AI streamlines the procedure writing process, and it empowers manufacturers to create clearer, more consistent, and more effective procedures.
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