Those production concepts from German factories that are worth learning from!

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In Germany’s manufacturing industry, there is a very interesting and crucial perspective: not trusting people. Germans hold a deeply rooted belief that everyone makes mistakes and commits errors, especially in the production process. The negative impacts resulting from such mistakes are amplified at each stage of the production line, ultimately affecting the quality of the products. Especially in mass production, the more human factors are involved, the greater the likelihood of problems with the final product. Therefore, the Germans have a very direct approach to improving quality: in the production process, they use every possible means to minimize the natural influence of humans, breaking down each task into something that machines (or people acting like machines) can carry out easily. In other words, it means increasing the level of automation in production; whenever machines can do a task, that task should be carried out by machines rather than humans, as long as the cost remains reasonable. Therefore, German craftsmen focus more on developing various high-end devices; from automobile production lines to toothbrush bristling machines, Germany has top-tier mechanical manufacturers in these fields. Let’s take a look at the production management methods adopted by those factories in Germany. 01 Streamlined production: The core purpose of streamlining production processes is to divide the production process into very small segments, with each segment being processed in a strict sequence. These segments are connected by automated transmission mechanisms, and when a segment becomes simple enough to not require manual operation, it is replaced by machines. 02 Measurability: Various high-performance measuring instruments are also preferably manufactured in Germany. They hope that every stage of production can allow for precise measurement of various issues related to the products and production lines, enabling timely corrections. Through these measurement methods, they introduced a large number of feedback loops into the production process to keep the fluctuations in the quality of the products produced within very narrow limits, which is an important prerequisite for ensuring product quality. Another example from an industry that is well-known to everyone: German kitchens are equipped with more devices than the chemistry laboratories in our middle schools. All ingredients must be measured precisely, and of course, all processing times as well as the temperatures at key stages during processing also need to be accurately determined. 03 Automation: Automation means assigning those repetitive and error-prone tasks that humans are not good at to robots. In the factory, it is entirely the machines that carry out production, while the role of humans is represented in two ways: one is to develop production plans and issue production instructions ； Second, it assists the machines to help maintain the efficient and reliable operation of the production line. 04 Professionalization: For example, there was an older German engineer who didn’t have a high level of education; after graduating from a German vocational school, FH, he worked as a mechanical engineer for over thirty years. He was responsible for installing and debugging the steam turbines in all of Germany’s nuclear power plants. He is highly respected within the department. The accumulation of such knowledge and experience is crucial for reliable production and project quality. 05 Tooling: As everyone knows, a workman must first sharpen his tools if he is to do his job well. Germans love tools; it can almost be said that there is a specialized tool for every task. They almost always have their own toolbox or tool room at home. They enjoy making things themselves, ranging from children’s toys and household items to their own houses. 06 Focus on quality and value, not price. Products in Germany are not updated very frequently, but with an emphasis on the quality and value of each product, few German companies manage to become wealthy overnight or gain global attention. They are often \"small\" or \"slow\" companies that specialize in a particular field or type of product; there are few \"bad\" or \"fake product\" companies among them, and many of these companies have a history of over a century. German products rarely compete with those of other companies on price. Firstly, there is industry protection in place; Secondly, everyone knows that price is not everything – it can even lead to a vicious cycle within the entire industry. They prefer to use their profits to improve products and services, thereby ensuring better quality.