Date of Defense

4-21-2026

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Department

Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering and Engineering Management

First Advisor

Lee Wells

Second Advisor

Dana Hammond

Abstract

Real-time visibility on the shop floor is critical for effective decision-making, yet production performance was previously tracked using a paper-based reporting system that limited responsiveness and accurate metrics across the line. Manual data collection led to inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and minimal real-time insight for operators and management, making it difficult to identify bottlenecks, respond to downtime events, or track hourly production targets with confidence.

To address these challenges, the team conducted a thorough analysis of the existing workflow, identifying key pain points in how data was recorded, communicated, and acted upon throughout the shift. Operators and supervisors were engaged through structured requirement-gathering sessions to ensure the proposed solution would align with daily operational needs and be practical for frontline use. This collaborative approach helped establish clear design criteria centered on simplicity, accuracy, and accessibility.

The resulting solution is a digital throughput board seamlessly integrated into the team's daily management routines developed through power apps and Microsoft systems. The throughput board provides hour-by-hour visibility into actual versus target production output, downtime events, and reasons for deviation, replacing the manual paper logs previously used across all workstations. By capturing this data digitally at the point of entry, the system eliminates the inconsistencies and delays associated with manual recording, ensuring that performance information is both timely and reliable.

The proposed solution is expected to deliver measurable improvements in transparency and data accuracy across the production floor. By capturing real-time performance data digitally, management gains reliable metrics to support root cause analysis, trend identification, and informed decision-making. Operators benefit from clearer expectations and a more structured process for documenting production activity throughout each shift. Together, these capabilities are designed to support a culture of continuous improvement, strengthen accountability at every level of the operation, and drive overall operational efficiency and business performance in a sustainable and scalable way.

Comments

Co-authored with:

Anna Acra

Maria Bautista

Lia Cedeno

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Restricted

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