How Andon Tool Works
Follow a production support request through every stage — from the moment a floor employee needs help to the point where management reviews response data.
An employee submits a request.
A floor employee opens Andon Tool on any browser-based device and submits a request in seconds. The employee selects their department and work area, taps the appropriate need button, and adds any required details. No phone calls. No radio. No walking across the plant.
The request appears on the live request board.
The request is immediately visible on the real-time production request board. It shows the requesting department, work area, priority level, and time of submission. Supervisors and responders can see all open requests without asking anyone for updates.
A responder claims the request.
The right responder sees the request in their queue based on their role assignment. They claim it, and their name and claim time are recorded. The original requester can see that someone has taken ownership — no more wondering if anyone saw the request.
Status and progress remain visible.
As the responder works, the status updates. The requester, supervisor, and anyone with appropriate access can see the current state. If the responder adds notes or changes the status, it updates in real time across all devices.
The issue is completed.
Once the work is finished, the responder marks the request as complete. The completion time is recorded automatically. Both response time (creation to claim) and completion time (creation to completion) are calculated.
Timing and history are retained.
Every request has a full history — when it was submitted, who claimed it, how long it took, what status changes occurred, and any notes added. This data powers department reports, shift summaries, and continuous improvement analysis.
Log downtime, categorize the waste, review the results.
When a line stops, anyone on the floor logs it in about four taps — department, work center, reason, done. Preset reasons come pre-tagged to the eight DOWNTIME wastes, so the data categorizes itself without extra effort. Supervisors open the Pareto analysis to see top losses ranked by minutes lost, grouped by reason, work center, or waste category. Improvement conversations start with facts instead of opinions.