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Poised for action, the probes of Omron STI's automated robotic test machine are used to check the components of printed circuit boards with great accuracy. By automating this procedure, Omron Sti had increased the efficiency of this test function.
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 Cultivating Innovation
Design and development of new products benefits from ongoing investments in engineering personnel, computer-aided design, and strategic partnerships with selected suppliers. These investments have enabled the company to speed up product development and improve product quality and manufacturing efficiency.
Manufacturing and Reliability
Part of Omron Scientific Technologies Inc.'s continuing success can be directly attributed to its innovative manufacturing process. The key to this is the flexibility of the process itself which allows us to respond rapidly to changes in product mix and volume. In this "flexible factory" work is driven by sales demands without having to re-tool production lines or processes. By using the same facility to manufacture a wide mix of Omron STI products, costs are kept down and control and quality assurance are kept up.
We achieve this unique manufacturing strategy through a mix of Just In Time (JIT) manufacturing processes, strategic alliances or partnerships with suppliers, and the use of highly trained groups of employees known as work cell groups. These groups work in the most efficient manner, constantly monitoring their own production and implementing innovations to reduce manufacturing cycle time. Many group members are cross-trained in different manufacturing tasks, making the cell team flexible enough to handle a variety of tasks. Individual members within the cell team leave the cell on a temporary basis and move from work station to work station as needed. This allows flexibility in any given area as assembly requirements change.
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To provide higher efficiency, many assembly tasks, including selected testing, have been fully automated. This increases manufacturing throughput and frees skilled employees for other tasks that need the human touch. |
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 Delivery... Where Today Means Today!
Omron STI works hard to keep pace with changing market demands which impact our manufacturing environment. For example, our customers' expectations often require that Omron STI ship product on the same day the order is placed. We simply call these "today orders."
A few years ago, we began tracking the number of today orders as a percentage of total orders and how well we meet the expected ship date. Surprisingly, the percentage of today orders is fairly high. What's behind this tendency? We believe it arises from heightened customer expectations and the critical "But I needed it yesterday" response that often happens with safety products.
Omron STI meets these expectations and ships a high percentage of these orders on time, as requested by the customers. We're not perfect, but we are continuously working to make it so.
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