Information tracking and sharing in organic photovoltaic panel manufacturing

Abstract

The MIT MEng team of four worked with Konarka Technologies, a world leading organic solar panel manufacturer, on production tracking and analysis as well as various operational improvement projects. MIT's collaborative improvement projects at Konarka's manufacturing facility were focused on information system and operations in the finishing processes after solar panels have been coated. This thesis report, however, focuses primarily on information tracking and sharing in Konarka's manufacturing facility, specifically including the barcode tracking system for production tracking, operator interfaces for the system, production tracking (Kanban card) board, and Kaizen continuous improvement board. A barcode tracking system for solar panel and associated user interfaces portion was developed to increase process and inventory accountability. However, because of the intricate SQL database, it may still be difficult for any operator to access this information in the recent future. Hence, physical representative information boards were developed to alleviate this communication complexity. One Kanban (card style) board was implemented to keep track of production information, and another Kaizen (continuous improvement) board was established to keep track of all the continuous activities on the shop floor. Based on various reviews and discussions, these improvement projects served as useful tools for the company's production ramp-up development. Keywords: barcode, tracking system, production tracking, lean, Kanban, Kanban board, Kaizen, Kaizen board, information board, card, card board.