Client company:
prestigious Italian motorcycle manufacturer
Scope of the solution:
creation of a voice management system for the digitisation of motorcycle testing checklists
Running in circles
The client’s vehicle testing process originally required a form to be printed out for each motorcycle. The positive or negative outcome of the test was then noted in writing, with the operator shuffling between the vehicle and a desk specifically set up to complete the check-list.
The situation was further complicated by the need to scan the document so it could be filed in an online folder, and the burden of copying its contents, keying them in by hand in the company’s computer system.
To improve the efficiency of the procedure, the client asked KFI to develop a system able to assist the operator while they tested the vehicle and completed the check-list, in order to:
• Improve ergonomics through the possibility for hands-free testing
• Eliminate the use of printouts
• Promote data and process digitisation
New indications for Check Lists
To meet these needs, KFI proposed a technological hardware and software package to manage the Quality Check activities on motorcycles with voice commands.
Thanks to this solution developed by Vocalize, operators can start testing a specific motorcycle by simply reading out the number plate. The system then guides them through the execution of the tests, step-by-step, providing voice instructions on what to check, and if requested by staff, how to do it.Moreover, if necessary, integration with the camera makes it possible to take photos of any defects and make them immediately available to colleagues by uploading them into an automatically generated folder, identified by the VIN of the motorcycle.
Once the check-list is completed, the results are filed in the same folder together with the code of the operator in charge, the timestamps and any additional notes describing the problems found.
New operators kick into high gear
The outcome of the trial project produced largely positive results. The testers, guided by the indications through their headphones, were able to perform all tests with their hands and eyes free, while continuously stationed in the immediate vicinity of the motorcycle. Ergonomics were therefore largely improved, and it was also possible to completely eliminate the use of paper and the tedious task of copying the data into the system after each shift.
Lastly, the time required for testing has been drastically reduced, just like the time needed to train new employees, who, thanks to the clarifications offered by the system, can now also perform testing on new motorcycles they haven’t seen before.