Redcom Laboratories designs and manufactures what they call "Reality-Based Telecom Switching Systems." Since 1978, this Victor, NY-based company has addressed real-world customer communication needs with high quality, reliable switching equipment -- from patented digital switching systems, call management, and emergency response systems to ISDN and testing devices, and more. But a few years back, Redcom realized that it had some real-world issues of its own, and needed to make an important switch -- to new workstations.
With one of the largest manufacturing facilities in New York State''s Ontario County, the company has recently had great success manufacturing communications systems for both commercial and military markets. But for years, it had been a high-mix, low-volume production facility until, with the help of some aggressive sales, production volumes increased. In order to meet the demand, Redcom recognized a need to provide its assemblers, technicians, and engineers with substantial upgrades in the quality of their workstations.
Homemade Benches Outdated
According to Steve Husband, director of manufacturing, Redcom had always used homemade wooden benches for workstations.
"These benches were not suitable for the work that needed to get done," Husband recalls. "They were deficient in many areas, including ergonomic comfort, lighting, and easy access to tools and parts. In order to accommodate our transformation to a tight, dynamic type of manufacturing facility, we needed to provide our assemblers and technicians with the right tools. We recognized that our old workstations could no longer meet our needs."
After interviewing three workstation manufacturers, Redcom found the ideal solution -- Arlink® 8000 modular workstations from Lista Int''l Corp. The Arlink 8000 solution would provide the workers with ergonomic comfort, modularity, enhanced lighting, and easy access to tools. "For years we''d been working with Lista''s manufacturing rep, Yankeetronics, as one of our main suppliers of capital equipment," Husband said. "They recommended Lista, and we could immediately see why -- their Arlink 8000 was an ideal solution for our specific needs. After trying all the different options, our operators made Lista the overwhelming choice."
To Redcom, the three most important features of the Lista workstations were modularity, ergonomics, and cost:
- Redcom is a relatively small, privately held company, so the bottom line is always an issue.
- Modularity is important because, according to Husband, "Our facility is dynamic, volume demands are always changing -- we constantly need to move and reconfigure the workstations to accommodate specific lines and work cells. The Arlink 8000 modular workstation could be configured in just the widths and heights we needed, in what Lista called the ''Starter-Adder'' system."
- Ergonomics, says Husband, could be seen in the Arlink 8000 in many different ways. "All of the Lista bench''s various components and options helped us to create custom benches that were attuned to individual needs," he explained. "We could offer well-positioned shelving, right angles, seating, foot rests, computer monitor bracket swing stands, and worksurface height adjustments."
Redcom has incorporated shelves of varied widths to suit the range of bins and trays their employees use and keep the workspace free of clutter. Employees liked the Arlink 8000''s Pelican® drawers, which give the assemblers a feeling of ownership in their work area as they can safely and securely store personal items in the drawers. These drawers, which mount under the worksurface and can slide to any horizontal position, allow easy clearance for workers'' knees.
Husband is particularly pleased with the workstation lighting which, he says, "overhangs at just the right distance and provides the employees with a nice bright work area."
He also addressed the importance of the workstations'' static dissipative features: "We purchased a number of the static dissipative tabletops as well as the electrostatic discharge (ESD) options like wrist straps and pads. This is particularly essential in the circuit board assembly area, as well as some other designated areas throughout the company. The comfort level provided by ESD production is very nice to have."
Every Workstation Is Different
Redcom actually purchased more than 100 benches, outfitting the entire facility with Lista workstations, and according to Husband, all of them are different.
"Some of them are standalone benchtops, and some of them are used to form quad units, with 90 deg benches all fastened together," he elaborated. "And there are a number of benches with casters that provide us with incredible mobility and, thus, flexibility."
Husband headed up the installation of the Lista benches, and was pleasantly surprised at the speed and ease of setting up Redcom''s new workspace.
"The ease of assembly was very impressive," he said. "The workstations were simple to put together. There was very little downtime, as far as setting up a new line or moving a line. And when we used the mobile stations to form a line, we could move the entire line all at once without having to disassemble it."
Since Redcom implemented the Lista Arlink 8000 workstations, Husband has seen some clear improvements on the assembly floor: "We are able to sustain a higher level of work, with the same amount of personnel. The difference is tied to a combination of factors, but the workbenches play a substantial role in improved productivity."
"What a Manufacturing Facility Should Look Like"
Another very noticeable improvement at Redcom is quite clear to the eyes of employees and customers alike. The assembly floor at this company is often used as a customer tour destination and a marketing tool. The sleek design of the Lista benches has served to make this area a much more impressive stop.
"I can''t put a number on how much business has increased due specifically to customers walking through our facility," Husband said. "But I can say that when customers or potential customers walk through the facility, the first words out of their mouths are, ''this is the nicest facility or the cleanest facility I''ve ever seen.'' Our facility is truly impressive to look at, and the Lista installation is a big reason why.
"And the aesthetics of the Lista Arlink 8000 workstations is just as important for our employees," Husband concluded. "They are happier and more productive when they have a clean, attractive, ergonomic, and comfortable place to work. It''s nice knowing that we can look at our facility and say, ''This is what a manufacturing facility should look like.''"