Optimizing machinery for peak performance
At Intel Products Vietnam LLC, Cao Minh Chanh, an electronics and communications engineer, is affectionately known as the “Machine Master.” His expertise and dedication have earned him the trust of his superiors, who frequently send him for training on new machinery and technology transfers. Throughout his tenure, Chanh has made notable contributions to the company’s innovation efforts, particularly through his “Production Efficiency Optimization” project.
Chanh’s project emerged from the need to meet rising production demands without investing in new equipment. “Our goal was to optimize the performance of existing machinery by implementing a series of technical enhancements. These included increasing the conveyor belt speed, altering the gripper head materials to reduce error rates, improving automatic optical inspection, and introducing a single-tube feeder to separate defective products automatically,” Chanh explained.
The project spanned over three months, covering the entire process from initial concept and data analysis to design, testing, and successful implementation. The outcome was a 20-30 percent increase in production efficiency. This boost enabled the factory to achieve its production targets without investing in new equipment, leading to substantial cost savings. The young engineer's satisfaction grew even more when the project was not only implemented across the company but also received a prestigious global award.
Nguyen Van Trung, Production Director cum Chairman of the Labor Union of Jabil Vietnam Company in Saigon High-Tech Park, Thu Duc City, HCMC, has made notable contributions to the creative labor movement within his company. His standout project, “Improving Labor Productivity and Reducing Product Defect Rates” in 2021, is a testament to his impact.
Trung explained that post-Covid-19 production recovery presented an urgent challenge. During this period, order volumes surged well beyond the company's production capacity. Despite utilizing all available resources, meeting customer demands remained a struggle. In response, Trung and his team worked on enhancing processes to increase production capacity and reduce defect rates.
The project effectively streamlined processes by eliminating wasteful steps, balancing production stages, and implementing solutions to lower defect rates. Consequently, labor productivity surged by 50 percent in certain stages, while defect rates dropped by 50 percent, resulting in significant annual savings for the company. This initiative was also selected to represent the company in a global competition within the corporation.
Don’t get stuck by challenges
Each recipient of the Ton Duc Thang Awards is distinguished by their passion for work and commitment to innovation. Nguyen Quang Duy Lam, Production Director at Nissei Electric Vietnam, exemplifies this dedication. With 20 years in the field, Lam has consistently introduced improvements and innovations that have been widely adopted across the company’s factories.
In his role, Lam was tasked with integrating new technology into production across facilities in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Tien Giang, India, and Thailand. A significant challenge he faced was the extensive data recording required before and after production. When customer complaints or anomalies arose, investigating and compiling data could take up to a week or more.
To tackle this issue, Lam developed the initiative "Digitizing Data Entry for Glue and Adhesive Mixing Using QR Code Technology." The objective was to minimize errors during the mixing process and facilitate quick detection and correction of mistakes. After more than six months of development and numerous tests, the initiative was successfully implemented.
The new system replaced manual record-keeping with iPad entries, creating a digital data source. QR codes are used to verify input materials; if there is a discrepancy, the software alerts the operator to make corrections. This innovation has reduced the time required to locate data from a week to only 30 seconds when addressing customer complaints.
Concerning about his company’s difficulties, Tran Dinh Vu, a marketing staff member at Liksin Packaging Factory, believes that creativity becomes even more essential in challenging times. Growing up in an environment renowned for cultivating skilled workers, and with several colleagues having won the Ton Duc Thang Awards, Vu set ambitious goals for himself. His dedication to learning has led him to develop over 40 valuable innovations.
Among the 15 distinguished recipients of the 24th Ton Duc Thang Awards are Do Thanh Trung, Head of the Production Process Improvement Department at Samsung Electronics HCMC CE Complex, and Assoc. Prof.-Dr. Le Quang Luan, Deputy Director of the HCMC Biotechnology Center. These individuals have invested significant effort into developing tools that enhance machinery performance and productivity, as well as creating highly applicable solutions for daily life. They are deeply passionate about their work and committed to mentoring the next generation. They show that challenges can always be overcome and have demonstrated this by delivering innovative ideas and solutions that improve work processes and quality of life.
