SUGARCREEK, Ohio, September 13, 2016 – Window & Door magazine recently announced ProVia as the winner of a Crystal Achievement Award for “Most Innovative Manufacturing Process” for its Smart Conveyor System for entry doors. This award is presented to a company that is taking a unique approach that increases efficiency, decreases waste, improves quality, and applies advanced.
Smart Conveyor System Doubles Entry Door Throughput
ProVia’s Smart Conveyor System utilizes RFID (radio-frequency identification) chips placed on each door carrier, which identifies that door and automatically shuttles it via an overhead track conveyor system to each assembly station the particular door requires, until all operations are complete. While this system is currently doubling manufacturing throughput, the system has capacity to go well beyond this as future sales increase. With ProVia’s entry door sales increasing, these enhancements allow for increased production while still maintaining excellent delivery times, even with each order being completely customized.
Comments from the Judges
The judges recognized ProVia’s accomplishments with comments such as these:
“The automated robotic nature of moving doors under assembly from workstation to workstation and tracking them with RFID chips is a process that all manufacturers may ultimately be adopting not only for doors but for other fenestration products. The efficiency of the operation, reduction in product damage and manpower savings in the long run should be substantial.”
“[ProVia’s] expansion project highlights both a financial commitment and significant dedication to improving manufacturing throughput.”
technologies/methodologies. A panel of 10 judges voted unanimously for ProVia in this category.