Each paper job traveler carries a QR code that operators scan on a shop-floor tablet when an operation starts or ends, entering good and scrap quantities. Every scan updates the job's row on a Google Sheets production board the office can check at any time.
Typical results
≈2 min
To answer a customer's order status question
4 stations
Laser, bending, welding and powder coating tracked
Every scan
Records good and scrap quantities
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
The office learns where an order stands by walking the floor or calling the supervisor. Paper travelers move with the parts through laser cutting, bending, welding and powder coating, so nobody knows which step a job is in, how many parts were scrapped or how many hours it has used until it ships.
Before and after
Office hours per week on status checks
−83%Minutes to answer an order status question
−93%Jobs with scrap recorded at the operation
4.5×The automation
Each paper job traveler carries a QR code linked to the job number. Operators scan it on a shop-floor tablet when an operation starts or ends at laser cutting, bending, welding or powder coating, and enter good and scrap quantities on a short form. Each scan updates the job's row on a Google Sheets production board with the current operation, quantities and elapsed hours, so the office can answer a customer without leaving the desk.
How it works
- 01
QR on every traveler
Each paper job traveler is printed with a QR code linked to the job number.
- 02
Scan at start and end
Operators scan the traveler on a shop-floor tablet when an operation starts or ends at laser cutting, bending, welding or powder coating.
- 03
Good and scrap counts
At the end of each operation, the operator enters good and scrap quantities on a two-field form.
- 04
Production board updates
Each scan updates the job's row on a Google Sheets production board with the current operation, quantities and elapsed hours.
- 05
Office answers from the desk
The office sees where every order is and how many hours it has used without walking the floor.
Starts from
- QR on paper job traveler
- Shop-floor tablet scan
Delivers
- Live production board
- Hours used per job
- Good and scrap counts
The impact
Office staff save about 5 hours a week of floor walks and status calls. Customers get an answer about their order in a couple of minutes, scrap is recorded at the operation where it happens, and the hours each job has used are visible while it is still on the floor.
Questions about this automation
Do operators need logins or training?
Operators pick their name from a short list on the tablet, scan the traveler and tap start or end. Entering good and scrap quantities takes a few seconds. Most shops show it once at a shift meeting, and a tablet stays mounted at each work center.
Can it update an ERP instead of Google Sheets?
Yes. The scans can update work order operations in an ERP that accepts updates through an API, or feed both the ERP and a sheet. Many job shops start with Google Sheets because it is quick to set up, and simple automations like this are usually live within days.
What if an operator forgets to scan the end of an operation?
When the next operation starts on the same job, the previous one is closed automatically and marked for review. Operations still open at the end of a shift appear in red on the board, so the supervisor can correct the times before the hours count against the job.