System and method for enhancing manufacturing efficiency via operator activity detection

A system for optimizing manufacturing utilization during a work period comprising:

• a plurality of manufacturing apparatus configured to:
• perform manufacturing operations in association with a manufacturing process;
• measure start times and end times of periods during which the manufacturing apparatus are in use for the manufacturing operations;
• and
• transmit first electronic messages indicating apparatus time periods when the manufacturing apparatus are in use;
• a plurality of sensors disposed in corresponding work cells associated with the manufacturing apparatus, the sensors configured to transmit second electronic messages indicating operator time periods within the work cell;
• and
• a computing device configured to:
• receive the first and second electronic messages and accumulate one or more of each of the apparatus time periods and the operator time periods;
• determine, using the second electronic messages, a number of operators in a manufacturing facility during the work period by determining numbers of overlapping active ones of the work cells;
• determine utilization of the plurality of manufacturing apparatus based on the number of operators and based on the operator time periods and the work period;
• and
• determine a total number of operators present in a work shift, wherein the work shift comprises a plurality of work periods that includes the work period,
• wherein the number of operators determined to be present in the work shift is a number of work cells each with operator activity in more than a pre-determined percentage of work periods in the work shift,
• wherein the total number of operators is a number of work cells with operator activity in more than a pre-determined percentage of the plurality of work periods, and
• wherein the work period is determined automatically for each activity detected in the work cell.

A system for optimizing utilization of a plurality of apparatus in a manufacturing facility, comprising:

• a plurality of sensors disposed in work cells associated with the plurality of apparatus, the sensors configured to transmit second electronic messages indicating operator time periods within the work cell;
• and
• a computing device configured to:
• receive from each of the plurality of apparatus first electronic messages indicating start times and end times of periods during which each of the corresponding plurality of apparatus is in operation;
• receive the second electronic messages from the sensors;
• accumulate one or more of each of the apparatus time periods and the operator time periods;
• determine, using the second electronic messages, a number of operators in the manufacturing facility during the work period by determining numbers of overlapping active ones of the work cells;
• determine utilization of the plurality of apparatus based on the number of operators and based on the operator time periods and the work period;
• and
• determine a total number of operators present in a work shift, wherein the work shift comprises a plurality of work periods that includes the work period,
• wherein the number of operators determined to be present in the work shift is a number of work cells each with operator activity in more than a pre-determined percentage of work periods in the work shift,
• wherein the total number of operators is a number of work cells with operator activity in more than a pre-determined percentage of the plurality of work periods, and
• wherein the work period is determined automatically for each activity detected in the work cell.