SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
“ With the push for electric vehicles from automakers , laser welding technology could be a standout technology moving forward ”
PAUL BALDASSARI , PRESIDENT OF MANUFACTURING AND SERVICES , FLEX
Q . WHAT NEW TACTICS ARE YOU DEPLOYING THAT YOU PREVIOUSLY DIDN ’ T HAVE ON THE FACTORY FLOOR ?
» We have implemented live stream video on screens that connect to factories on the other side of the world and even , in some cases , implemented Augmented Reality ( AR ) and Virtual Reality ( VR ) technology to provide a more immersive experience and simulate working with a product or line , even though they are thousands of miles away .
Setting up a video conference and monitor is a compelling and inexpensive way to link our employees . In fact , due to regionalisation , we have colleagues in Milpitas , CA working on similar projects as in Zhuhai , China .
Many workers at both sites are fluent in Mandarin and utilise the channels to identify how a machine is running and troubleshoot potential problems . In fact , some teams even have standing meetings where they share best practices and lessons learned .