Digital Andon and Visual Factory: Real-Time Shop Floor Management with OEE Data

The andon system — a visual signalling mechanism that alerts supervisors to production problems in real time — is one of Toyota’s most replicated lean manufacturing tools. In its original form, a physical cord or button triggers a light tower alert when an operator encounters a problem they cannot resolve alone. In the digital factory, andon and visual management have evolved far beyond physical light towers: real-time OEE dashboards on production floor screens, mobile alerts to supervisors when lines fall below target, and AI-generated anomaly detection that flags problems before operators notice them. This guide covers how digital andon and visual factory management work in 2026.

From Physical Andon to Digital Visual Management

Physical andon limitations. Traditional andon systems are binary: the cord is pulled or it is not. They signal that a problem has occurred but provide no data about what the problem is, how long it has been occurring or how it compares to typical performance. Response time depends entirely on a supervisor noticing the physical light — which is easy to miss in a large or noisy production environment. Physical andon also relies on operators deciding to pull the cord, which means many small problems go unreported.

Digital andon: automatic, data-rich alerts. TeepTrak generates automatic andon-style alerts without requiring operator action. When a production line’s performance rate drops below a configurable threshold, when a single downtime event exceeds a duration limit, or when the cumulative OEE for the current shift falls below the target, TeepTrak automatically notifies the production supervisor — via the floor screen dashboard, mobile notification and, optionally, integration with plant communication systems. These alerts are triggered by data, not by operator perception, eliminating the underreporting problem of physical andon.

Visual Factory: OEE Dashboards as the Digital Production Board

Traditional visual management uses physical production boards — printed A3 sheets updated by hand at shift change, magnetic indicators on whiteboards, paper-based shift report boards. These physical boards are snapshots, not live data: by the time the board is updated, the situation has changed.

TeepTrak replaces the physical production board with a live digital equivalent displayed on large screens at each production line. Key visual management elements displayed in real time:

Current shift OEE vs target: Operators and supervisors see live whether the shift is on track or behind target — enabling proactive intervention rather than end-of-shift damage limitation.

Running/stopped status for each line: A plant-level view showing the live status of every production line in the facility — the digital equivalent of walking the floor, available on a single screen or mobile device.

Current downtime event with timer: When a line stops, the live dashboard shows the duration of the current stoppage in real time — creating urgency for response without requiring any communication from the floor.

Shift comparison: Current shift performance vs the same shift last week and the previous best shift — providing immediate context for whether today’s performance is typical or exceptional.

JEMBA AI: Predictive Andon Before Problems Occur

Digital andon reacts to problems that have already occurred. JEMBA AI goes further — detecting production pattern signatures that precede problems before they manifest as stoppages or quality losses. A machine whose minor stoppage frequency has increased by 30% over the past three shifts without yet causing a major breakdown. A filling speed that has gradually decreased over the past week, still within normal-looking ranges but trending toward a performance loss. A changeover that has taken progressively longer over the past five transitions, signalling process drift.

JEMBA alerts on these patterns before they become OEE losses — enabling preventive action rather than reactive response. This is the evolution from andon (alert when problem occurs) to predictive andon (alert when problem is forming).

FAQ

What is an andon system in manufacturing?

An andon system is a visual management tool that signals production problems to supervisors in real time, enabling immediate response before small problems become large ones. Originally a physical cord or button in Toyota factories, andon has evolved into digital alert systems integrated with OEE monitoring platforms. TeepTrak provides digital andon functionality — automatic alerts triggered by OEE data thresholds rather than requiring operator action.

What is visual management in lean manufacturing?

Visual management in lean manufacturing means making production status immediately visible to everyone on the shop floor — operators, supervisors and plant managers — without requiring reports or communications. Physical visual management uses production boards, 5S status indicators and light towers. Digital visual management uses real-time OEE dashboards, mobile alerts and automated performance tracking. TeepTrak provides the digital visual management layer that replaces or supplements physical production boards.

How does TeepTrak replace a physical production board?

TeepTrak live dashboards display on large screens at each production line: current OEE vs target, running/stopped status, current stoppage duration and shift comparison data. These screens update in real time without any manual input — the production status is always current, visible to everyone on the floor, and available on mobile devices for supervisors and managers not physically present at the line.

Can TeepTrak integrate with physical andon light towers?

Yes. TeepTrak can trigger physical andon light tower outputs via digital I/O integration or relay output, allowing physical light tower signals to be driven by TeepTrak OEE threshold events rather than manual cord pulls. This hybrid approach combines the physical visibility of traditional andon with the automated, data-driven triggering of digital monitoring — particularly useful in environments where operators are not always near a screen.

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