F061: Efficiency on the Shop Floor: Training Smarter and Producing Better Parts

In every manufacturing company, there is one place where training MUST occur: on the floor. Yet training initiatives often focus on eLearning modalities, leaving training that can only be attained by On-the-Job Training (OJT) to time and chance.

Companies often rely on resources such as off-site or online coursework with no plan to apply this learning to actual work flow. This approach wastes time and money, and worst of all, it does not capture the tribal knowledge of existing experts.

The key to developing a successful training program that includes OJT is to understand training maturity. When companies understand where they are, they have more clarity around their program's potential. They can move from osmosis training to optimized learning.

Companies with optimized training maturity recognize every skills gap as an opportunity for improvement, and every employee as a contributing resource. No one is left out. No one is left behind.

Fabrication shops are under increasing pressure to deliver faster turnaround times, higher quality, and improved labor efficiency — all while managing skilled labor shortages and rising operational costs.

Many of the tools required to improve performance already exist within today’s fabrication environments. The challenge is not access to technology, but understanding how to use available tools strategically to reduce waste, eliminate unnecessary handoffs, and improve overall workflow efficiency.

This session explores practical strategies to improve efficiency from digital model to finished part, including:

• Reducing manual interpretation between design and production
• Improving data continuity across cutting and welding operations
• Increasing fit-up consistency through precision processing
• Allocating skilled labor to higher-value activities
• Minimizing rework through better workflow integration